Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | 6 p.m. CT | Grand Casino Arena
WATCH LIVE: FanDuel Sports Network North Extra, FOX 9+, TSN 5, TSN.ca, TSN App, PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com (U.S. / International), More
Sam Ekstrom (Play-by-Play), Alexis Huss (Analyst), Kevin Gorg (Reporter)
OTTAWA CHARGE
5-6-1-8 | 28 PTS | 5TH PLACE
Top Scorer: Rebecca Leslie – 20 GP, 11-7-18 PTS
Last Game: 3-2 OTW at VAN on Mar. 14
MINNESOTA FROST
9-3-3-4 | 36 PTS | 2ND PLACE (TIED)
Top Scorer: Taylor Heise – 19 GP, 6-15-21 PTS
Last Game: 4-3 W vs. NY (in Denver) on Mar. 15
2025-26 SEASON SERIES: OTTAWA LEADS 5-4 IN POINTS (MINNESOTA LEADS 23-19 IN POINTS ALL-TIME)
Dec. 2 at OTT: 5-1 MIN | Dec. 21 at MIN (CHICAGO): 3-2 OTT (OT) | Jan. 3 at OTT: 5-2 OTT | Mar. 18 at MIN
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The Charge have won two straight games against the Frost, most recently earning a 5-2 win on Jan. 3. Ottawa has never won three consecutive games versus Minnesota in team history. This is their first meeting at Grand Casino Arena since the Frost won Game 4 of the PWHL Walter Cup Finals and Charge goaltender Gwyneth Philips earned Playoff MVP.
Ottawa won its last game against the Goldeneyes despite only 17 shots on goal. The only other time the Charge won with fewer shots was on Dec. 21, 2024 against the Sceptres (13).
Rebecca Leslie had the overtime game-winning goal and four shots against Vancouver on Saturday. That was her third such game this season, most among all PWHL players. Her and teammate Sarah Wozniewicz each have three game-winners this season, accounting for six of the team’s nine in total.
Rory Guilday (Chanhassen) and Peyton Hemp (Andover) will play their first PWHL games in their home state and will have about two dozen family members and friends to support their debuts. Hemp will have five of her six siblings on hand, including her sister Layla, a goaltender and 2024 World U18 gold medalist. Guilday, who won Olympic gold in her debut in Milan, scored her first career goal against Minnesota on Dec. 2.
Gabbie Hughes (Lino Lakes) is no stranger to Grand Casino Arena, and her overwhelming hometown support continues with an expected 65 guests tonight. Parents Miki and Terry hosted a sign-making party Saturday and welcomed Gabbie home with a BBQ last night. Sophie’s Squad, the mental health foundation launched by the family, will activate at the “Hockey Talks” theme night at the Minnesota Wild game on Thursday.
Fanuza Kadirova has three goals in four games since the Olympic break. She has 27 shots on goal with a 25.9 shooting percentage, tops among skaters with at least 20 shots.
Brianne Jenner recorded her second multi-goal performance of the season the last time these teams met on Jan. 3 and has scored three of Ottawa’s nine goals in the season series. The captain’s 192 faceoff wins ranks fifth in the PWHL, with Minnesota’s Kelly Panek (198) also closing in on 200 wins.
The Frost have three straight victories and won their last game against the Sirens, 4-3 in Denver, their eighth game and second straight with at least four goals. That is the most by any PWHL team this campaign and one shy of what Minnesota had last season (nine). The Charge rank second in the league with seven games scoring four or more goals.
Grace Zumwinkle scored twice in Sunday’s win over New York, her fourth career multi-goal game. The only PWHL players with more all-time are Marie-Philip Poulin (eight) and Natalie Spooner (seven).
Britta Curl-Salemme has combined for eight shots on goal over her last two games after combining for eight in her previous six games. She led all players with five shots on goal in her last game against the Sirens.
Taylor Heise has goals in three straight games, one shy of the longest goal streak of the PWHL season. She headlines the list of the league’s top five scorers in this game with 21 points but has been held off the scoresheet in three games against Ottawa. Pannek leads the season series with six points (1G, 5A), representing a third of her 18 points in 19 games.
Kendall Cooper needs one point to surpass the single season record by a rookie defender set by Cayla Barnes in 2024-25. The Frost first-round pick has 13 points (1G, 12A) and assists in three straight games after a record-setting stretch of six consecutive games with a helper from Dec. 19 to Jan. 4.
The Frost presented Charge forwards Michela Cava and Brooke McQuigge with their 2024-25 Walter Cup rings before practice Tuesday. A video of both players receiving their rings with a “welcome back” message will be shown on the videoboard tonight. Both players began the season with Vancouver and were acquired by Ottawa in a trade on Jan. 18.
It’s Frozen Four week and seven Frost players and five Charge competed for three of the four programs in contention for the NCAA crown including six from Northeastern, four from Wisconsin and two from Ohio State. Former Badgers Curl-Salemme and Natalie Buchbinder are two of the league’s six players who have won three national championships.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“I’m excited to play my first professional game here at home. I think the last time I stepped foot on the ice at Grand Casino Arena was in high school playing for Minnetonka at the State tournament. I also caught one of the playoff games last year between the Frost and the Charge, which was a fun rivalry to witness, but I’m excited to be part of it now. A whole bunch of my family will be watching and a ton of friends and neighbors too, so we should be getting some love for the Charge here in Minnesota.” – Charge rookie defender Rory Guilday
“I think focusing on the Frost has been the key for the team and the key for me. We work on the small details each day, and we will continue to do so as we move through the rest of the season. The big wins we've had on the road have definitely helped us skyrocket to where we want to be, and we're excited to have another home game today.” – Frost forward Taylor Heise
WEDNESDAY’S GAME: It’s the fourth and final installment of the regular-season series and rematch of the 2025 PWHL Walter Cup Finals with Minnesota fans getting their first opportunity to see Ottawa at Grand Casino Arena since last May’s thrilling championship series that ended on May 26. The Frost have won three straight games at Grand Casino Arena while the Charge hit the ice for the third of a six-game road trip away from Canada’s capital city. The first 4,000 fans through the doors tonight will receive a Kendall Coyne Schofield Bobblehead presented by Bread Financial, while quantities last. The Frost are proud to welcome Minnesota State High School League award recipients to the game where they will read the team’s lineup in the locker room pre-game and receive in-game recognition during the second intermission. Awards and recipients include the Jori Jones Goaltender of the Year, Kayla Swartout (Holy Family Catholic School); co-winners of the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Association Defender of the Year, Mia Miller (Northfield High School) and Katya Sander (Holy Family Catholic School); 2026 Ms. Hockey, Maddy Kimbrel (Holy Family Catholic School). The Ms. Hockey award is presented to the state’s top senior player and is presented by Let’s Play Hockey, the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Association, the Minnesota Wild, and Tradition Companies. Past winners of the award include Ottawa’s Peyton Hemp (Andover, 2021), and Minnesota’s Taylor Heise (Red Wing, 2018) and Grace Zumwinkle (Breck School, 2017).