The Ottawa Charge are grappling with a familiar and concerning issue as the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) embarks on its third season: a lack of offensive firepower. This challenge is magnified in a league that has expanded from six to eight teams, intensifying the competition for the four available playoff berths.
A History of Slow Starts
The Charge's struggle to generate goals is not a new phenomenon. In the league's inaugural 2023-24 campaign, Ottawa managed only three wins in its first 10 games and just four in its first 17. They finished that 24-game season in second-last place with a record of 8-1-6-9 (wins, overtime wins, overtime losses, losses) for 32 points, missing the postseason entirely.
The following year, 2024-25, saw a slight improvement in trajectory. After securing just one victory in their first five outings, the team rallied to finish 12-2-4-12, good for third place and a playoff spot. To reach a similar 44-point plateau in the current 2025-26 season, the Charge would need a record no worse than 11-2-4-8. In the new eight-team landscape, even that strong performance offers no guarantee of postseason hockey.
Recent Loss Highlights Offensive Drought
The team's scoring woes were on full display in a recent 2-1 road loss to the expansion Vancouver Goldeneyes. Despite outshooting their opponent 34-29 and striking the crossbar twice in the second period, the Charge could not solve Vancouver's goaltending until late in the third.
Russian forward Anna Shokhina finally broke through for her first PWHL goal with just 5:43 remaining in regulation, but it was too little, too late. Ottawa's own netminder, Gwyneth Philips, provided more than adequate goaltending, but the offensive support was absent.
Vancouver's victory was backstopped by former Toronto Sceptres goalie Kristen Campbell, who stepped in after ex-Charge keeper Emerance Maschmeyer was a late scratch due to a family emergency. Campbell's performance exemplified the tight margins in the league.
Coach's Perspective and the Road Ahead
Ottawa head coach Carla MacLeod acknowledged the fine line between victory and defeat. "There wasn't a massive difference," MacLeod said post-game in Vancouver. "This is this league. This market is learning this league quickly. When the puck drops, it can go either way, any given night. Every team is a great team. Sometimes you get the opportunity to get a few goals in. Tonight, Kristen (Campbell) played great and was able to keep the bulk of them out of the net."
The statistics through the early part of the season paint a stark picture. Through five games, the Charge have scored only eight total goals while allowing 15. In four of those five contests, Ottawa has failed to score more than one goal. This echoes a problem from their 2024-25 playoff season, where they were held to one or fewer goals on eight separate occasions.
As the PWHL season progresses, the central question for the Ottawa Charge remains unanswered: Can they find a consistent scoring touch to keep pace in an expanded and more competitive league? Their playoff aspirations likely depend on it.
