Saturday, April 25, 2026 | 2 p.m. ET | TD Place
WATCH LIVE: CBC, CBC Gem, cbc.ca, PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com (U.S. / International), More
Daniella Ponticelli (Play-by-Play), Becky Kellar (Analyst), Julia Tocheri (Reporter);
Andi Petrillo (CBC Studio Host), Hailey Salvian (CBC Studio Analyst), Saroya Tinker (CBC Studio Analyst)
TORONTO SCEPTRES
10-1-6-12 | 38 PTS | 5TH PLACE
Top Scorer: Daryl Watts – 26 GP, 10-9-19 PTS
Last Game: 1-0 OTL vs. NY on Apr. 21
OTTAWA CHARGE
8-8-1-12 | 41 PTS | 4TH PLACE
Top Scorer: Brianne Jenner – 29 GP, 12-13-25 PTS
Last Game: 2-1 OTW at BOS on Apr. 22
2025-26 SEASON SERIES: TORONTO LEADS 7-5 IN POINTS (OTTAWA LEADS ALL-TIME SERIES 23-22 IN POINTS)
Dec. 4 at TOR: 3-1 TOR | Dec. 23 at TOR: 4-3 OTT (OT) | Apr. 1 at OTT (CALGARY): 2-1 TOR | Apr. 11 at TOR: 2-0 OTT | Apr. 25 at OTT
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The fourth and final playoff berth will be decided in the PWHL’s all-Ontario rivalry. Toronto must win in regulation to clinch a third straight playoff appearance, while Ottawa needs a single point to qualify for a second straight postseason.
This is the third straight year these teams will meet on the final day of the season with playoff implications, and first time it’s at TD Place with Toronto’s fate in question. In 2024, Ottawa needed a regulation win to qualify but was denied in a 5-2 loss at Mattamy Athletic Centre thanks in part to a two-goal game by Natalie Spooner. Last season at Coca-Cola Coliseum, the Charge punched their ticket with a 2-1 overtime-winning goal by Kateřina Mrázová. Current Sceptre Savannah Harmon was on the losing side twice, and the Charge’s Jocelyne Larocque, Rebecca Leslie and Alexa Vasko were on the winning side of both finales.
Ottawa picked up a 2-0 win when these teams met on Apr. 11, the first shutout by either team in the 15-game series. This will be Toronto’s first true road game against the Charge since Jan. 14, 2025 – the teams have played five times in Toronto since then and two Takeover Tour games in Edmonton and Calgary. All five previous head-to-head games at TD Place were decided in regulation, with Ottawa winning three to Toronto’s two.
Toronto lost to New York, 1-0, in overtime at home on Tuesday. Since Mar. 15, Toronto has allowed one or zero goals in five of its nine games – only Montréal (seven) has more such games in that span. The Sceptres have only scored more than two goals in three road games, while the Charge have been held to two or fewer goals in only four true home games this season.
Daryl Watts has goals in consecutive road games and needs one assist to reach double-digit goals and assists for the second straight season. She would join Kendall Coyne Schofield as the only players to do so last season and this one, though Sarah Fillier could join that club with a goal today.
Emma Maltais walked into Tuesday’s game with her friend Raquel Pilon-Guerra, a 14-year-old who has cerebral palsy, spastic diplegia. After a life-changing surgery in 2017 that allowed her to walk and regain mobility without the use of a walker, Raquel started playing sledge hockey in 2020. She loves the sport as it allows her to feel equal to everyone on the ice. The pair wore matching lululemon outfits for the occasion.
Brianne Jenner scored the winner in Ottawa’s 2-1 overtime triumph in Boston and became the third Charge skater with at least three game-winning goals this season (Leslie, Sarah Wozniewicz – four each). The Charge are the only PWHL team with three such players this season. The captain has six points in her last three games and has scored a goal in three straight. She is the only player in PWHL history to have three different three-game goal streaks in the regular season for her career.
Leslie (2G, 1A) and Jenner (1G, 2A) lead the Charge in scoring against Toronto this season, each setting up one of the other’s goals. Their 15 assist-to-goal combinations are most in the PWHL. Leslie is riding a career-high four-game point streak (2G, 2A) and enters the day second in the PWHL with 14 goals.
Four different Sceptres have three points in the season series, including Watts (2G, 1A), Maggie Connors (2G, 1A), Claire Dalton (1G, 2A) and Blayre Turnbull (1G, 2A). The Toronto captain is one goal away from double digits for the first time.
Fanuza Kadirova has two goals in the season series and also needs one more for 10. She would become the third Charge player to reach double digits this season, more than in the team’s first two years combined (Watts with 10 goals in 2024, Tereza Vanišová with 15 goals in 2024-25).
Gwyneth Philips and Raygan Kirk share the league lead with 16 games of 25 or more saves. That’s tied for the single-season record set by Corinne Schroeder last season with New York.
The Charge could have up to 14 players and the Sceptres with 13 playing a full 30-game season today. Emily Clark is the only player never to have missed a game in Ottawa’s team history, while Toronto has five such three-year players in Connors, Maltais, Turnbull, Jesse Compher and Kali Flanagan.
Ottawa leads the league with five wins when trailing after two periods, Toronto is the only team without a win in such games. The Charge’s 28 third-period goals are tied for third in the PWHL, while the Sceptres’ 17 third-period goals are fewest, however they have only 23 third-period goals against, tied for second fewest. Toronto leads with 10 goals scored in the game’s first five minutes, while allowing only two such goals against, compared to Ottawa’s four scored and seven against.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“We know what we have to do, and we know the keys to get it done. The arena is going to be loud, but we have to stay focused on playing our game, having good details all over the ice and playing a full 60 minutes. It’s do or die for both teams, and it’ll be a battle until the end.” – Sceptres Captain Blayre Turnbull
“The last years have proven that the bottom teams entering the playoffs actually end up being more successful because they've had to play playoff type hockey for a longer period. Minnesota won two years in a row by finishing fourth. Last year we qualified for the playoffs on the last day, and we made it to the final. So, it just shows that if you're playing that playoff hockey style already, it transitions really well. We would want to use that as an advantage if we were to qualify for the playoffs in the last game against Toronto once again. It's a mentality that we've had all month long, and probably for the last two months honestly.” - Charge Alternate Captain Jocelyne Larocque
SATURDAY’S GAME: It’s the battle of Ontario as Ottawa welcomes Toronto to TD Place for the first time since preseason scrimmages on the final day of the 2025-26 PWHL regular season, with this the second game of a full four-game slate with all eight teams in action for the second time in league history. A full house is expected to contribute to a new PWHL single day attendance record as the Charge will surpass 100,000 fans for games played in the nation’s capital for the first time in team history. It’s Charge Fan Appreciation today and the festivities begin at 11 a.m. ET outside on Electric Avenue near Gate 1 with music and a live public address announcer to introduce players as they arrive. The energy will surely make its way into the building where multiple prizes will be awarded to lucky fans. The popular Canadian Tire poster station will be behind Section 25, and the Canadian Cancer Society will have a donation campaign on behalf of Charge Head Coach Carla MacLeod behind Section 17 along with messages of support throughout the game appearing on the videoboard. Ten breast cancer survivors will be attending the game in celebration and support of the cause. With the 2026 World Wheelchair Basketball Championship being held at TD Place later this season, members of the Canadian team will be activating behind Section 20. Ottawa Rapid FC opens their Northern Super League season in Halifax today and members of the organization will have a table outside Section 21 for fan information. Four Charge players will show their support by wearing Rapid FC jerseys for walk-ins. Allegra Nocita will perform the national anthem. While matchups won’t be determined until tomorrow, the 2026 PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs begin in Boston on Thursday, Apr. 30, and in Montréal on Saturday, May 2.