Ottawa, Ontario — Emily Clark scored less than three minutes into overtime to help the Ottawa Charge take an early series lead over the Minnesota Frost on Tuesday night, winning 2-1.
The win gives the Charge a 1-0 lead in the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s best-of-five championship series for the Walter Cup. The second game of the series is scheduled for Thursday in Ottawa.
Ottawa has a perfect 3-0 home record in the playoffs. The Frost have never won the first game of a playoff series in four attempts.
The Frost had their chances, outshooting the Charge 22-10 since the first intermission, but Ottawa goalie Gwyneth Philips stopped 25 of 26 shots. Nicole Hensley, the Minnesota goalie, finished with 17 saves.
Klára Hymlárová scored the Frost’s only goal early in the third period, capitalizing on a rare Philips mistake. Philips attempted to clear a puck from behind her net, but Froist forward Katy Knoll intercepted it. Knoll then threw the puck in front of Hymlárová, who was alone in the slot. Hymlárová, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2024 draft, scored her first goal of the postseason.
With 6:08 left in regulation, the Charge were ready to go on the power play, but officials reviewed an incident in which Rebecca Leslie cross-checked Mellissa Channell-Watkins. It was initially classified as a major but later downgraded to a minor, resulting in offsetting minors.
Leslie had the crowd on their feet midway through the second period when she beat Hensley high glove side to give Ottawa a 1-0 lead.
Moments before, the Frost had created a number of power play opportunities, but Philips stood firm. As the penalty expired, the Charge were able to clear the puck with Jocelyne Larocque making a cross-ice pass to Tereza Vanisova, who then passed to Leslie.
Lee Stecklein, her teammate, partially screened the shot, so Hensley couldn’t see it clearly.