In a historic first for the Professional Women's Hockey League, the Ottawa Charge and Boston Fleet are set to clash in a best-of-five semifinal series. The matchup comes after the Montreal Victoire, who had the power to choose their postseason opponent for the second consecutive year, decided to face the Minnesota Frost instead of the Charge.
Series Schedule and Venue
The series begins Thursday at 7 p.m. in Lowell, Massachusetts. Game 2 is scheduled for May 2 at 7 p.m., also in Boston, before the series shifts to Ottawa for Games 3 and 4. The Charge will play their home games at the Canadian Tire Centre, home of the NHL's Ottawa Senators.
Regular Season Matchup
Ottawa has had Boston's number this season, with every game between the two teams decided in extra time. The Charge won three of four regular-season meetings, with two of those victories coming in shootouts. The series has been low-scoring, with Ottawa outscoring Boston 9-7 across four games.
Goaltending Duel
The series features a compelling goaltending matchup between Ottawa's Gwyneth Philips and Boston's Aerin Frankel, who were teammates on the U.S. Olympic team and at Northeastern University. Both netminders have kept the scoring tight, setting the stage for a tense defensive battle.
Historical Context
This is the first postseason meeting between the two teams. Notably, the higher-seeded team has never won a PWHL semifinal series, a trend that favors the underdog Charge. Boston finished the regular season with 62 points, tied with Montreal but losing the tiebreaker on total wins.
Statistical Comparison
Boston scored 74 goals in 30 games, just three more than Ottawa's 71. However, the Fleet allowed only 45 goals, while Ottawa conceded 73. The Fleet's defensive strength will be tested against a Charge team that has found ways to win close games.
Other Semifinal Series
In the other semifinal, Montreal faces Minnesota. The Victoire won all four regular-season meetings against the Frost, holding Minnesota to just three goals total. The Frost, however, led the league with 91 goals and have proven playoff resilience. That series begins Saturday in Laval.
Fans can expect an intense, low-scoring series as the Charge and Fleet battle for a spot in the Walter Cup final.
