Tuesday, December 17, 2024 | 7:00 p.m. ET | Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell
WATCH LIVE: NESN+/NESN 360, Prime Video (Canada), PWHL YouTube and thepwhl.com (U.S. / International)
Jamie Hersch (Play-by-Play), Gigi Marvin (Analyst), Natalie Noury (Reporter)
OTTAWA CHARGE
1-0-1-1 | 4 PTS | 4TH PLACE
Top Scorer: Tereza Vanišová – 3 GP, 2-1-3 PTS
Last Game: 2-1 L vs. MTL on Dec. 6
BOSTON FLEET
1-0-0-2 | 3 PTS | 5TH PLACE (TIED)
Top Scorers: M. Keller & H. Knight – 3 GP, 2-1-3 PTS each
Last Game: 4-2 W vs. New York on Dec. 8
2024 SEASON SERIES: BOSTON WON 9-6 IN POINTS
Jan. 24 at OTT: 3-2 BOS | Feb. 19 at BOS: 4-2 OTT | Feb. 21 at BOS: 3-1 BOS | Mar. 16 at BOS (DET): 2-1 BOS (SO) | Apr. 24 at OTT: 3-2 OTT (SO)
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Each of the last two meetings between the Charge and Fleet ended in shootouts with each team scoring one victory. It is the only PWHL matchup with multiple games ending in a shootout.
Three different Ottawa players born in 2001 have notched at least one point this season – Mannon McMahon, Stephanie Markowski & Danielle Serdachny. The Charge are the only team with three different skaters born in 2001 or later with points in the 2024-25 season.
Markowski has rapidly gained the confidence of Head Coach Carla MacLeod, jumping from 14:16 minutes of ice time in her season debut to 23:54 in her third game against Montréal.
Ashton Bell’s goal in Ottawa’s last game came on her only shot on goal this season. In the league’s inaugural campaign, Bell’s first goal came on her 16th shot in her 14th game of the year.
Rookie goaltender Gwyneth Philips returns to the Boston area after a dominating career at Northeastern University where she earned National Goaltender of the Year in 2023 and set a Huskies record with a career .958 save percentage. The 24-year-old Ohio native awaits her PWHL debut.
Taylor House, a member of the PHF’s Boston Pride in 2022-23, was recently activated from Ottawa’s reserve list. Rebecca Leslie (Boston University), Emerance Maschmeyer (Harvard), Hayley Scamurra (Northeastern) also have area roots.
The Charge and Fleet played twice in three days last February at the Tsongas Center following an earlier season rescheduling. The teams split the two-game set.
Boston scored two goals in both the first and third periods of its 4-2 victory over New York in the Fleet’s last game. It was the first time (regular season or playoffs) that Boston has had multiple periods with two or more goals in the same game.
Megan Keller scored twice in the third period of the win over New York. It was the first time in team history that a Boston player scored multiple goals in a single period.
A win tonight for Boston would make it two in a row and tie their longest regular season win streak. During the inaugural season they had five different two-game win streaks.
Boston’s Lexie Adzija will play her former team for the second time since a trade on Mar. 17. She was selected by Ottawa (Rd 11, 65th overall) in the 2023 draft and recorded eight points in 17 games with the Charge. Ottawa’s Shiann Darkangelo was also part of the deal and will play her first game back in Boston.
Ottawa’s Emerance Maschmeyer and Boston’s Aerin Frankel are tied for the PWHL lead in saves this season with 89 each. Maschmeyer led the league last regular season with 548 saves in 23 games while Frankel led all goaltenders in last year’s playoffs with 286 (eight games).
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“We’re coming off a strong week of practices. We really brought the energy, but I think we could see it in our last practice Sunday that we’re all itching to play. By the drop of the puck, Boston’s not going to know who we are and what just hit them! We’re excited to get out there and do that.” - Charge forward Gabbie Hughes.
“We've had an intentional week of practice during the International Break preparing for Ottawa. We know what we're capable of, and it's up to us to control the pace with solid defense, smart puck movement, and relentless forechecking. Every shift counts.” - Fleet head coach Courtney Kessel.
TUESDAY’S GAME: The Fleet host the Charge for Mental Health Awareness Night at UMass Lowell’s Tsongas Center. In honor of Mental Health Awareness, there will be a variety of groups represented across the concourse dedicated to providing support and resources to people in need in the Boston community and beyond. Organizations include Connors Climb, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Dream Big Girls Hockey, JEA and Second Class Petty Officer Association and Community Teamwork. This is the third home game and first Unity Game for the Fleet during the 2024-25 campaign.