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Ottawa Charge

Philips Keeps Charge Alive, But Frost Prevail in 3OT

Gwyneth Philips was brilliant in net, but after nearly six periods of hockey, one bounce was all it took to shift the series.

Philips Keeps Charge Alive, But Frost Prevail in 3OT
Minnesota celebrating Lee Stecklein's game-tying goal. (Photo Credit: PWHL)

Gwyneth Philips did everything she could.

The rookie goaltender stopped 45 of 47 shots in a triple-overtime epic on Saturday night, keeping the Ottawa Charge in the fight for nearly six full periods. But with tired legs and a loose rebound in the slot, it was Katy Knoll who ended it, scoring at 9:57 of 3OT to give the Minnesota Frost a 2–1 win and a 2–1 series lead in the Walter Cup Final.

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For the second game in a row, heartbreak arrived in overtime.

“It tells you that there are two great teams competing hard for every opportunity,” said head coach Carla MacLeod. “And of course, we're going to keep pushing here. How we are playing and the heart we are playing with is so impressive.”

It was the third straight overtime game of the series. Another one-goal loss for Ottawa. And another game where they were right there.

Ottawa struck first, and fast. Emily Clark tapped home a bouncing puck at 11:38 of the first period, converting on the Charge’s first shot of the game. It marked her third goal of the playoffs and second of the Final.

“Everyone on the two great teams in the Finals wants it so bad, and I think that's a testament to the low scoring,” Clark said. “We’re seeing great goalies, great teams with depth on both sides. It's fun hockey. We're having a blast. So, we’re excited that there is another game ahead of us.”

Minnesota tied it up early in the second. Defender Lee Stecklein sent a point shot through traffic that found its way in—her fourth of the postseason, setting a new PWHL record for goals by a blueliner in a single playoff run.

The rest was a goaltending duel.

Philips, calm and unflinching, made stop after stop to keep the Charge alive—many of them in overtime. On the other side, Maddie Rooney was sharp once again, finishing with 35 saves and improving to 4–0 in the postseason.

“I thought everyone was rolling today and it was just a great team win,” Rooney said. “The defense was great in front of me. I thought [the defense] kept their Grade A chances to a minimum even though it took six periods.”

The game-winner came from a battle in front. With the Charge unable to clear a rebound, Knoll jumped on a loose puck in the slot and flipped it backhand past Philips.

“It’s been awesome playing with Liz [Schepers] and Hymla [Klára Hymlárová] lately, and I think we’ve really gelled well,” Knoll said. “All night long we were knocking at the door, and it was just a matter of time before one of us put one in.”

Ottawa’s defenders logged heavy minutes—Jocelyne Larocque played over 40, Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques weren’t far behind, and their penalty kill stayed perfect. But without Kateřina Mrázová for a second straight game, their offensive punch was tested.

Still, there was no sense of quit.

“We’re going to keep earning it,” MacLeod said. “As a coach, you measure the effort level, and I just think our team is just giving everything they've got.”

Game 4 will be the Charge’s biggest test yet. With their season on the line and little recovery time from Saturday’s marathon, they’ll need to dig even deeper. Expect more minutes from their top defenders, another dialed-in performance from Philips, and a team that knows how to respond when it matters most.

“We’ve got a challenge in Game Four,” MacLeod said. “But the reality is that we have that Game Four.”

Puck drop is set for 5 p.m. ET (4 p.m. CT) on Monday at Xcel Energy Center, and Ottawa would love to drag the Minnesota Frost back to TD Place for a winner-takes-all game 5.

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