Tuesday, January 14, 2025 | 7:00 p.m. ET | The Arena at TD Place
WATCH LIVE: Prime Video (Canada), PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com (U.S. / International)
Clay Matvick (Play-by-Play), Becky Kellar (Analyst), Julia Tocheri (Reporter)
TORONTO SCEPTRES
2-0-2-5 | 8 PTS | 6TH PLACE
Top Scorer: Renata Fast – 9 GP, 0-8-8 PTS
Last Game: 1-0 OTL at NY on Jan. 12
OTTAWA CHARGE
4-0-2-3 | 14 PTS | 3RD PLACE (TIED)
Top Scorer: Tereza Vanišová – 9 GP, 3-3-6 PTS
Last Game: 2-1 OTL vs. BOS on Jan. 11
2024-25 SEASON SERIES: OTTAWA LEADS 6-0 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 | Feb. 1 at TOR | Feb. 16 at OTT (EDMONTON) | May 3 at TOR
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The Sceptres and Charge both suffered overtime losses in their last games and are the only PWHL teams without an OT/SO win this season (all other teams have at least two). Last season, Ottawa had the fewest OT/SO wins in the league with one, while Toronto had four, tying for the most in the PWHL.
Toronto is coming off a 1-0 OT loss to New York, which ended a streak of seven straight games allowing multiple goals for the Sceptres. It was also Toronto’s first time allowing zero goals in regulation in a regular-season game since a 3-0 win over Montréal on Mar. 8.
Daryl Watts had seven shots on goal against the Sirens, tying her season high after also having seven against Ottawa on New Year’s Eve. Watts joins Montréal’s Laura Stacey (two) as the only PWHL players with multiple games with at least seven SOG this season.
Toronto outshot Ottawa 38-13 on New Year’s Eve for the largest shot differential (25) in regular-season history. The Sceptres have outshot their opponent in four straight games and have the second highest shots on goal average at 29.44. The Charge have the second lowest shots on goal average at 25.89 and allow the most shots on average at 31 per game.
The Sceptres have gone three straight games without allowing a power play goal and enter the game 7/7 on the penalty kill. They surrendered power play goals in five of their first six games and hold the league’s lowest PK efficiency at 73.1%.
Ottawa holds a 5-0-0-2 all-time record against Toronto, their most successful mark against any opponent. This season, the Charge have beaten the Sceptres by scores of 3-2 at home and 2-1 on the road. It’s the only time in team history that Ottawa has had consecutive one-goal wins against a single opponent.
Six different skaters have scored at least two goals for Ottawa this season. The only PWHL team with more players than the Charge with multiple goals this season is Minnesota (nine).
Victoria Bach scored her first goal with the Charge on Saturday after having an assist in Ottawa’s previous game. It is Bach’s second time having a point streak of two games, doing so with Toronto last season (Feb. 27-Mar. 2). The goal was assisted by Jocelyne Larocque, who notched her first point in three games with Ottawa and led the team in ice time at 24:44.
Bach and Larocque will face their former team for the second time since the Dec. 30 trade. This will be the first game back in Ottawa for new Sceptres Savannah Harmon and Hayley Scamurra.
Defender Ronja Savolainen returns to the lineup after missing the last two games stemming from a collision with Jincy Roese in practice. The second-round pick scored her first career goal against Toronto on New Year’s Eve, while Roese tallied the game-winner. Alexa Vasko also returns to the lineup for the first time since Dec. 6 following a stint on LTIR. She recorded an assist at TD Place on Dec. 3 against her former team.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“I think the last few games we’ve been building so much momentum, and I think we’re moving in the right direction, so it’s really exciting to have another opportunity to play tonight and keep building and keep growing with this group. It’s been a lot of fun to be a part of and I think we’re just getting started.” - Sceptres defender Savannah Harmon.
“My first goal against Toronto, in my last game, was a dream come true for sure. As you may have seen, I think other teammates around me were even happier than I was! I'm super pumped to be back tonight. I have a lot of energy, and hopefully it'll show out there” - Charge defender Ronja Savolainen.
TUESDAY’S GAME: Ottawa hosts Toronto for the second and final time this season at TD Place. The third “home” game for Ottawa against their Ontario rival will be played in Edmonton on Feb. 16 as part of the PWHL Takeover Tour. Tonight’s game is sponsored by Air Canada and will feature an Air Canada polaroid photo station between gate 1 and gate 2. Fans can also enjoy the Canadian Tire poster station outside of section 25. Midea will have a shoot-to-win activation outside of section 18. Ringette Canada will be on the concourse outside section 20, and the Ottawa Rapid FC of the new Northern Super League will also have a station outside section 21 with a very special guest. Allegra Nocita will sing the National Anthem.