Tuesday, December 2, 2025 | 7 p.m. ET | TD Place
WATCH LIVE: Prime Video (Canada), FanDuel Sports Network North Digital, FOX 9+, PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com (U.S. / International), More.
Daniella Ponticelli (Play-by-Play), Becky Kellar (Analyst), Julia Tocheri (Reporter)
MINNESOTA FROST
1-0-0-1 | 3 PTS | 3RD PLACE (TIED)
Top Scorer: Kelly Pannek – 2 GP, 2-1-3 PTS
Last Game: 3-0 W at SEA on Nov. 28
OTTAWA CHARGE
1-0-0-1 | 3 PTS | 3RD PLACE (TIED)
Top Scorer: Brianne Jenner – 2 GP, 2-2-4 PTS
Last Game: 5-1 W vs. VAN on Nov. 26
2024-25 SEASON SERIES: SERIES TIED 9-9 IN POINTS (MINNESOTA WON 10-5 IN 2024)
Dec. 19 at MIN: 5-2 MIN | Jan. 21 at MIN: 1-0 OTT | Feb. 13 at OTT: 8-3 OTT | Mar. 7 at MIN (RALEIGH): 5-0 MIN | Mar. 11 at OTT: 3-2 OTT | Apr. 30 at OTT: 3-0 MIN
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Minnesota and Ottawa are meeting for the first time since the 2025 PWHL Walter Cup Finals (Frost won, 3-1, with all four games going to overtime). The Frost also have the edge in the regular-season series, winning seven of the 11 meetings.
The Frost shut out the Torrent, 3-0, Friday in Seattle. Including the playoffs, it was the Frost’s 11th shutout win all-time, the most in league history.
Nicole Hensley stopped all 30 shots she saw against the Torrent for her fifth career shutout (including the postseason). It is tied for the most in PWHL history with Aerin Frankel. Hensley, who started Game 1 of the Finals last season in Ottawa, has never had more than one shutout win in a regular season during her PWHL career. Maddie Rooney started, and won, the last three games of the Finals, posting a .972 SV%.
Kelly Pannek’s two-goal game in Seattle was her second career PWHL multi-goal game and extends her season opening point streak to two games. The other was Dec. 19, 2024, against the Charge. Pannek scored the first goal in the Frost’s 2-1 series-clinching win against the Charge in the Finals.
Kendall Coyne Schofield (1G, 1A) and Britta Curl-Salemme (3A) have points in both games to open the season. When the Frost and Charge last met at TD Place for Game 2 of the Finals, Curl-Salemme scored the game-tying goal with 16 seconds remaining in regulation and later scored the overtime winner.
Klárá Hymlárová and Ottawa rookie Sanni Ahola spent four seasons together at St. Cloud State (2020-24), coached by Vancouver’s Brian Idalski. They are the first Huskies’ skater and goaltender to be selected in the PWHL Draft. The program is now led by former Frost Assistant Mira Jalosuo.
Claire Butorac and Ottawa rookie Peyton Hemp were high school teammates in Andover, MN, in 2017-18. Butorac led the team with 76 points as a senior, while Hemp was third with 53 points as a freshman. In one memorable game, the Huskies lost 5-1 to the Centennial Cougars with all five goals scored by Ottawa's Gabbie Hughes. Butorac scored for Andover.
Ottawa is the first team in PWHL history to open a season with three straight home games. The Charge beat the Goldeneyes, 5-1, the day before U.S. Thanksgiving, the first five-goal game by a PWHL team this season (the Sirens matched that total Saturday). It was the sixth five-goal game by the Charge all-time, second most in PWHL history behind the Frost (seven).
Brianne Jenner tied a PWHL record with four points on Wednesday and earned PWHL Player of the Week honours. The Charge captain scored two goals, the second multi-goal game of her PWHL career (also Apr. 20, 2024 – three against the Frost). Including the playoffs, six of Jenner’s 18 career goals have come against the Frost, her most against any team.
Rebecca Leslie scored her first goal of the season Wednesday and was later credited with two assists for her first career three-point game. The Ottawa native has already matched her offensive output with the Charge across 27 games in 2024-25.
A trio of Minnesota natives contributed offensively in Ottawa’s win over Vancouver with a goal by Mannon McMahon (Maple Grove) and two assists by rookie defender Rory Guilday (Chanhassen) and Hughes (Lino Lakes). Rookie forward Hemp (Andover) also adds to the Charge’s deep roster of Minnesota ties that includes former UMD Bulldogs Jocelyne Larocque, Kateřina Mrázová, Reece Hunt and Olivia Wallin.
Kathryn Reilly went a full season without playing competitive hockey while attending medical school at the University of British Columbia before making her PWHL debut Wednesday. The rookie defender played 19:10, had three shots on net and finished a +2 playing alongside Brooke Hobson.
Gwyneth Philips earned her first career win and shutout in Minnesota back on Jan. 21 and faced the Frost in four of their six regular season meetings. During the Finals, she posted a .948 SV% in four games to solidify her Playoff MVP recognition.
Carla MacLeod will miss her first game behind Ottawa’s bench as she begins treatment to combat her recent breast cancer diagnosis. Her long-time associate Haley Irwin will serve as Head Coach for tonight’s game.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“Everyone in Minnesota has a ton of respect for Carla MacLeod as a coach, competitor and person. Our thoughts are with her and the Charge organization as she takes on this challenge. We have a game to play in a building that is always full of enthusiastic fans supporting their team. Tonight will be no different, and whatever positive energy is being directed towards Carla will be coming from us as well.” – Frost Head Coach Ken Klee
“As we often do, we are going to follow Carla (MacLeod)’s lead, have a positive attitude and we’re just going to go about what we love to do as we prepare for the next game. We’re going to lean on each other and enjoy being together to stay connected as we handle this news. Our whole team is behind her. We’re going to miss her Tuesday, but our number one thing here is just to make sure she takes care of her health and do what she has to do with her doctors.” – Ottawa captain Brianne Jenner
TUESDAY’S GAME: The 2025 PWHL Walter Cup Finalists meet again at TD Place as the Charge host a Women in Uniform Celebration presented by Air Canada. General Jennie Carignan from the Canadian Armed Forces will perform the ceremonial puck drop, highlighting her more than 35 years of service in uniform. Carignan has dedicated her career to defending Canada and representing the country around the world, and in 2024 became the first combat engineer and woman ever appointed as the Chief of the Defence Staff – Canada’s top military position. Air Canada will have a Polaroid Photo Booth near Gate 2 and the Canadian Tire poster station returns behind section 25. Allegra Nocita will sing the national anthems. Charge players and staff will be wearing pink ribbons for their walk-ins in support of Head Coach Carla MacLeod and her fight against breast cancer. Everyone inside TD Place will have the opportunity to show their unified support for MacLeod during the first TV timeout.