OTTAWA, ON (March 23, 2024) – Daryl Watts had her first PWHL hat trick and Brianne Jenner had a goal and two assists as Ottawa won 5-3 at The Arena at TD Place on Saturday afternoon, ending Toronto’s win streak at 11 games.
This is the first loss for Toronto since January 23, also in Ottawa.
Toronto got out to a 2-0 lead in the second period with two goals from league leader Natalie Spooner— her 14th and 15th of the season— but Ottawa’s comeback started with just five seconds remaining in the frame.
Watts got the goal, a powerplay marker, to make the game 2-1 at 19:55 of the second period. Jenner provided the primary assist on the tally, her first point of the contest.
With time dwindling in the period, Ottawa rushed the puck up the ice and into Toronto’s zone. Jenner cut to the middle of the ice before feeding the puck to Watts, who was alone in the slot, snapping a shot under Kristen Campbell’s blocker to cut the deficit to one goal.
Hayley Scamurra evened the game 38 seconds into the third period, her fourth goal of the season. The marker was scored on a scramble in front and was assisted by Emily Clark and Aneta Tejralová.
Ottawa took their first lead of the game at 8:24 of the third off the stick of Jenner, her second point of the afternoon.
Linemate Kateřina Mrázová picked up an errant pass at the boards, and fed Jenner who was heading towards the net— Jenner got her stick on the puck backdoor, putting it past Campbell to give Ottawa the 3-2 advantage.
Ottawa continued to press, with Watts scoring her second of the game and her team’s third goal of the final frame, at 14:58.
Savannah Harmon intercepted a Toronto pass at the offensive blue line and banked the puck up to Watts, who drove the net before roofing it short side over Campbell’s glove to give her team a 4-2 lead.
After Sarah Nurse scored at 16:21 to make the game 4-3, it was Watts and Jenner who combined to seal the victory for Ottawa.
With Campbell on the bench for the extra attacker, Ottawa was able to clear the puck into the neutral zone. Jenner secured the puck and tapped it to Watts, who found the angle inside the blue line to make the game 5-3 with her third goal of the game. Mrázová recorded her second assist of the contest on the goal.
Emerance Maschmeyer made 19 saves to record her seventh win of the season. Campbell made 20 saves in the loss, her first defeat since January 17 against Boston.
Up next, both teams begin their IIHF International Break. Toronto returns to game action on Thursday, April 18 when they look to get back in the win column against Boston at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. Ottawa then hosts Minnesota on Saturday, April 20.
Postgame Quotes:
Ottawa head coach Carla MacLeod on ending Toronto’s streak: “As the season goes on, every team is morphing and growing and shaping themselves. Obviously, the streak Toronto is in… They’re doing just fine. They’re a great hockey team. I think for our group it was an easy one to get up for. I thought today that we played a complete team game. It’s something that we have been shooting for the entire season. Today felt and looked like us.”
Ottawa forward Daryl Watts on the crowd at TD Place: “It’s tough to beat 9,000 people in the stands and how loud they are. When we score, it just feels electric. I know a lot of people use that word lately, but it really feels electric. Every time we score, I get chills in my body. It’s crazy.”
Toronto assistant coach Rachel Flanagan on the team’s first loss in 11 games: “You usually see with a win streak ending, teams aren’t always performing their best and they find ways, but I think when the win streak comes to an end, it’s a great time to look internally and figure out where those areas are that we’ve been getting away with winning even though they’re not great. It’s coming at a time when unfortunately we’re not going to be together next week to be able to build on them, but our national team players will go off and the players that are staying here will take a look at some areas of developing as we move forward in these next few weeks as the team that does the best in the next couple of weeks for their players that are not away, is probably the one that’s going to have a great advantage going into the last 5-6 games.”
Natalie Spooner on Ottawa’s strong third period: “They started pushing and we knew they were going to come out hard in the third and they got that early one. Definitely shifted the momentum. I think for us we can take it as a learning experience and figure out how we’re going to be able to get back in those situations – take the adversity head on.”
Notes:
- Attendance: 8,448 – The Arena at TD Place, Ottawa, ON.
- Three Stars: 1) Daryl Watts 2) Brianne Jenner 3) Natalie Spooner
- Shots ended 25-22 in favour of Ottawa — They led the shot total in the first period (11-8) and second period (8-7), but Toronto had the advantage in the third (7-6).
- Ottawa has outshot its opponents 13 times this season which leads the PWHL.
- Spooner led all players with seven shots on goal — Watts was second with six.
- Ottawa was 1/4 on the powerplay — Toronto was 0/4.
- Toronto’s top ranked penalty kill (92.9%) allowed a powerplay goal for the second straight game after going 13 games without allowing one.
- Ottawa has scored six powerplay goals in their last five games to bring their season total to 15 with the advantage, good for 26.8% efficiency.
- Savannah Harmon (OTT) led all skaters with 31:59 time-on-ice —Teammate Aneta Tejralová was second with 29:59.
- Renata Fast led all Toronto players with 26:48 time-on-ice.
- Ottawa has now won back-to-back games for the first time all season and have won three of their last four games in regulation time — They’ve collected 11 of a possible 15 points in their last five games played (three regulation wins, two shootout losses).
- Ottawa clinches the regular-season series win against Toronto with their third victory in four games, all in regulation — They’ve outscored Toronto 13-5 in their three wins.
- Ottawa equals its season-high of five goals matching its Jan. 13 output against Toronto – Both times Toronto has surrendered five goals this season has been against Ottawa.
- Ottawa scored four straight goals for the first time all season – Their four goals in the third period is tied for the most in the PWHL this season – They allowed four goals in the third period against Montréal on Feb. 24.
- This was Ottawa’s first comeback victory of the season when trailing after two periods.
- Both teams are tied for the league-lead with 50 goals scored.
- Watts’ hat trick is the first in Ottawa team history and the sixth in the PWHL this season – It’s also her first multi-goal game of the season — She now sits tied for eighth in league scoring with 13 points and has seven points in her last five games played (5G, 2A).
- Jenner’s three points are a season-high and represent her fourth multi-point performance in her last five games played and moves her into a tie with Sarah Nurse (TOR) for sixth in league scoring with 15 points (5G, 10A).
- Spooner now sits alone in first place in league scoring with 20 points, the first player to reach the mark — She also extends her point streak to six games (5G, 4A), tying the longest streak in the PWHL this season.
- Spooner’s shorthanded tally was her first ‘jailbreak’ goal of the season – Toronto is now tied with Ottawa for the league-lead with three shorthanded goals.
- Kateřina Mrázová now has 11 assists on the season, the most in the PWHL — She now sits tied with Marie-Philip Poulin (MTL) for third in overall league scoring with 17 points (6G, 11A).
- Emily Clark extends her point streak to four games (2G, 2A), her longest streak of the season.
- Harmon recorded her first multi-point game of the season and moves into a tie for fifth in PWHL scoring among defenders with nine points (3G, 6A).
- Hannah Miller has now recorded points in four straight games (2G, 2A).
- Emerance Maschmeyer’s seven wins are second in the PWHL, behind Kristen Campbell’s 12.
- Ottawa (7-0-6-6) sits in fourth place with 27 points, three points behind third-place Montréal who has a game in hand — They are now five points ahead of Boston and ten points ahead of New York.
- Toronto (10-3-0-6) remains in sole possession of first place in the PWHL with 36 points, three up on Minnesota and six on Montréal, who each have a game in hand.
- Today’s attendance is a new season-high for Ottawa in their ninth game at TD Place.
- Game Center | League Standings | League Schedule | League Stats