The Ottawa Charge have taken the first round series lead in the 2025 Professional Women’s Hockey League playoffs. In the Walter Cup semifinals, the Charge defeated the Montreal Victoire 1-0 at the Toronto Dominion Place in Ottawa, Ontario, to take the two games to one lead in the best out of five series.
Gwyneth Philips recorded the shutout. She made 26 saves overall. The lone goal scorer was Mannon McMahon, who scored from Gabbie Hughes and Ronja Savolainen at 8:42 of the third period.
The story of the series to date has been the lack of scoring. There have only been two goals in the last seven periods of action. In game two of the series on Sunday, the Victoire defeated the Charge by a score of 3-2 in quadruple overtime.
While there have been 11 goals in three games between Montreal and Ottawa, there has been no lack of goal scoring in the other Walter Cup semifinals between the Toronto Sceptres and Minnesota Frost. There have been 25 goals scored in that series. The Frost have outscored the Sceptres 14-11, and as a result, they have a two games to one series lead. Minnesota can close out Toronto with a win on Wednesday. Ottawa can close out Montreal on Friday.
