Saturday, February 1, 2025 | 2:00 p.m. ET | Coca-Cola Coliseum
WATCH LIVE: CBC TV, CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca, PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com (U.S. / International)
Daniella Ponticelli (Play-by-Play), Becky Kellar (Analyst), Anastasia Bucsis (Reporter), Andi Petrillo (CBC Studio Host), Hailey Salvian (CBC Studio Analyst), Saroya Tinker (CBC Studio Analyst).
OTTAWA CHARGE
5-0-2-7 | 17 PTS | 4TH PLACE (TIED)
Top Scorer: Tereza Vanišová – 14 GP, 4-3-7 PTS
Last Game: 4-1 L at MTL on Jan. 29
TORONTO SCEPTRES
4-0-4-6 | 16 PTS | 6TH PLACE
Top Scorers: Hannah Miller (7-5) & Renata Fast (1-11)
Last Game: 4-3 SOL at MTL on Jan. 30
2024-25 SEASON SERIES: OTTAWA LEADS 6-3 IN POINTS (OTT WON 9-6 IN 2024)
Dec. 3 at OTT: 3-2 OTT | Dec. 31 at TOR: 2-1 OTT | Jan. 14 at OTT: 4-2 TOR | Feb. 1 at TOR | Feb. 16 at OTT (EDMONTON) | May 3 at TOR
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The two Ontario teams have faced off three times this season, with the Charge winning the first two by one goal each and the Sceptres picking up the most recent win, a 4-2 decision on Jan. 14. Dating back to last season, Ottawa has five regulation wins against Toronto. The only other team with more than two such wins is Boston (three).
The Charge fell to the Victoire, 4-1, in Montréal on Wednesday, and have now dropped five of their last six (1-0-1-4) following a three-game winning streak. Ottawa has scored six total goals in those six games and have not scored multiple goals in a game since its 4-2 loss to Toronto. The Charge are the only team without a four-goal game this season.
Tereza Vanišová scored Ottawa’s lone goal on Wednesday, snapping an eight-game goal drought after she scored in three of her first five games of the season. Her seven points lead the Charge – every other team’s points leader has at least 10 points.
The Charge have allowed only seven first-period goals this season, fewest in the PWHL, and their +3 differential in the opening frame leads the league. However, Ottawa has a combined goal differential of -11 in the second and third periods, worst in the league.
Mannon McMahon has scored all three goals of her rookie campaign against Toronto, including a two-goal performance on Jan. 14.
Victoria Bach (1G, 2A) and Jocelyne Larocque (2A) have three and two points respectively in eight games since joining the Charge in a Dec. 30 trade with the Sceptres.
Last game here on New Year’s Eve was an emotional one for Zoe Boyd and the Charge community as her mother, Tammy Thomson, was able to watch her daughter play for the first time in over 15 years.
Both teams are playing their 15th game of the season today. After 15 games during the inaugural season, Toronto was in second place with 27 points and Ottawa was in fifth place with 17 points.
Toronto lost to the Victoire, 4-3, in a shootout in Montréal on Thursday, their second straight shootout loss. The Sceptres have scored at least three goals in each of their last three games – they had done so in just five of their first 11 games this season.
Hannah Miller had a goal and an assist on Thursday, her third game with one of each, tied with Jessie Eldridge (NY) for the most such games in the PWHL this season. Both of Miller’s points came on the power play, giving her three PPG (tied with teammate Sarah Nurse for the league lead), and three PPA. Her six power-play points trail only teammate Renata Fast’s eight (1G, 7A).
Jesse Compher (4), Daryl Watts (3), Miller (3), Nurse (3), Fast (2) all enter the game with active point streaks.
Megan Carter will play at Coca-Cola Coliseum for the first time in her PWHL career. The rookie defender attended the Chevrolet Safe and Fun Hockey Program here as a child where one of the superstar instructors was Cassie Campbell-Pascall, PWHL Special Advisor.
Seventeen players from both teams have been named to rosters for the final two games of the Rivalry Series. Team Canada features Toronto’s Julia Gosling, Emma Maltais, Blayre Turnbull, Fast, Nurse, Watts, and Ottawa’s Ashton Bell, Emily Clark, Brianne Jenner, Emerance Maschmeyer, Danielle Serdachny and Larocque. Team USA includes Toronto’s Savannah Harmon, Hayley Scamurra and Compher and Ottawa’s Gabbie Hughes and Gwyneth Philips.
Seven players from both teams will travel overseas during the International Break including Toronto’s Noemi Neubauerová who will represent Czechia in the Women’s Euro Hockey Tour alongside Ottawa’s Kateřina Mrázová, Aneta Tejralová and Vanišová. Ronja Savolainen will compete in the event for Finland. Anna Meixner will represent Austria in Olympic qualifying against Germany, Hungary and Slovakia.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“In order to find some offence, we’ll have to make it harder on their goalies. There are so many incredible goalies in this league and they're very good at what they do. So, we’ll have to get in front of them, get pucks to the net and start attacking from different angles. We have to start switching it up because they’re also able to pre scout different teams and player tendencies. We have to continue to explore those different areas.” - Charge forward Danielle Serdachny.
“It’s really exciting to be back at Coca-Cola Coliseum and playing in front of our home crowd! This game is even more special because it’s our Mental Health Awareness Game, which means a lot to us. We had a great start against Montréal, and we want to build on that—bringing energy and momentum from the start and keeping it going for the full 60 minutes!” - Sceptres forward Noemi Neubauerová.
SATURDAY’S GAME: The Sceptres are back at Coca-Cola Coliseum for the first time in 2025 after last hosting the Charge here on New Year’s Eve. Today’s game is dedicated to Mental Health Awareness as part of the league’s Unity Game calendar and will highlight resources from the Canadian Mental Health Association and Sophie’s Squad – an organization co-founded by Charge forward Gabbie Hughes. The Sceptres welcome members of Canada’s National Women’s U18 Team who recently won gold at the World Championship, Girl Guides of Canada, as well as Hockey Equality for the second Nursey Night presented by Rogers of the season. Plus, SharkNinja Canada will be on the concourse with a special giveaway!