Game Over in Four, Ottawa Charges Ahead

Four games was all it took. Ottawa outlasted Montreal with structure, energy, and belief, leaving the Victoire to confront the same offseason questions as the Habs.

"You chose us" was the rallying cry in the stands at TD Place after Ottawa ended Montreal's season. Just to remind you, in the PWHL there’s a fun rule where the number one seed can choose its opponent in the semi-final. In this case, Montreal chose Ottawa, who had just snuck into the playoffs at the last moment. Unfortunately, Montreal met its match in the Ottawa Charge, who eliminated them in four games. Ottawa closed out the series 3–1, sending the Victoire home despite a series of tight, hard-fought contests. Some things worked for Montreal, some didn’t, but first, here’s a look at Game 4.

Do or Die

The game started with a lineup change, putting Swedish player Lina Ljungblom on the left side of Poulin and Stacey, in an attempt to find a spark to help some of the best players in the world hit the back of the net, something that’s been lacking all series.

Ottawa native Rebecca Leslie opened the scoring, burying a rebound to record her first goal of the series. Montreal, meanwhile, had difficulty sustaining pressure. Turnovers piled up, and while the Victoire generated chances, they struggled once again to finish what they started.

The team focused more on screening goaltender Gwyneth Philips, a tactic emphasized throughout the series, and Cheverie made sure players were assigned to that job. Still, even with traffic in front and power play opportunities, Montreal couldn’t break through.

Early in the third period, the gap widened.

Just 31 seconds in, Emily Clark scored to give Ottawa a 2–0 lead. The pressure intensified for Montreal, who now needed two goals to extend their season.

To their credit, they fought hard till the end.

With just over five minutes left, Maureen Murphy gave the Victoire life, making it 2–1. But even with Desbiens pulled for the extra attacker, Montreal couldn’t find the equalizer. Philips held her ground, and Ottawa advanced to the Walter Cup Final, in their very first playoff appearance.

A League Built on Parity

Ottawa’s next opponent will be the reigning Walter Cup champions, the Minnesota Frost, an even darker beast than Montreal. And once again, the league’s top seeds are out.

Montreal and Toronto, the top two regular-season teams, have both been eliminated, again.

Technically, Toronto entered the playoffs as the second seed but ended up facing Minnesota after Montreal chose Ottawa. The result? Two powerhouses gone before the final, for the second year in a row, the first seed won't play for the title.

If there’s one takeaway, it’s that parity is real in the PWHL. The margins between teams are thin. Momentum matters. Matchups matter. There are no easy paths. Every game is earned.

Looking Back On The Series

This was nothing short of a spectacular series. Quadruple overtimes, late goals, early goals, insane goaltending, and very physical play.

But what did Ottawa do that Montreal didn’t. What led to the upset?

First of all, Ottawa has been playing playoff hockey for the past two months. Every game in their final stretch of the regular season was crucial to earning a spot. By the time the playoffs started, they were already in that mindset.

And from what I saw in the press conferences, Ottawa Head Coach Carla McLeod looked genuinely happy to be there. The vibe in the Ottawa locker room was one of fun, team spirit, and pure belief.

Second of all, McLeod gave the first line of Gabbie Hughes, Emily Clark, and Manon McMahon the extremely difficult job of trying to shut down the line of Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey; two of the most dangerous players in the league. That’s not just a tough assignment; it’s arguably the hardest one in the PWHL.

After their historic win, when American Gabbie Hughes was asked how she felt about that task, she said she was honestly very excited. That tells you everything you need to know about the mindset of this team.

The Ottawa first line gave no life to Montreal’s top line.

Poulin was constantly pushed out, and Montreal couldn’t enter the zone with speed. Ottawa gave them no openings, and executed their defensive structure with total discipline.

Desbiens, on the other hand, played phenomenally, keeping the Victoire in the game multiple times. She did everything she could and more, you can’t ask her to also score.

Looking Ahead

This series made one thing clear: in the offseason, General Manager Danielle Sauvageau will likely be in the market for a second-line center and added size on the blue line. 

Hey Habs fan, doesn't this sound familiar?

All in all, this group delivered a fantastic season. They battled hard, built chemistry both on and off the ice, and gave Montreal fans something to rally behind.

And the momentum doesn’t stop here. Women’s hockey is on the rise, in speed, skill, visibility, and support. With expansion teams from Seattle and Vancouver set to join the league next season, the talent pool is growing, the rivalries are heating up, and the stage is getting bigger.

You don't want to miss it.