Dramatic finish: PWHL Ottawa may need regulation time win against Toronto to make playoffs
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The four month long season will come down to the last six hours for PWHL Ottawa.
A regulation time victory in Toronto on Sunday night — in the finale of the league’s inaugural season — will put Ottawa into the playoffs no matter what else happens.
But Ottawa could also qualify for the post-season tournament with a loss to the first place team.
Ottawa and Boston are currently tied for the fourth and last berth with 32 points.
Ottawa owns the tiebreaker.
Boston plays in Montreal at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
If Boston wins in regulation time, Ottawa will have to do the same against Toronto in a game that starts at 7 p.m.
If Boston loses in regulation time, Ottawa is automatically in.
Important to remember is that in the PWHL, teams are awarded three points for a regulation time win, two points for an overtime or shootout win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss.
The simple way to look at it — Ottawa just has to pick up as many points as Boston does earlier in the day to make it the PWHL’s version of the final four.
But that’s not the way Ottawa is looking at it.
“It’s a must win game to make the playoffs,” forward Darryl Watts said after Friday’s practice at The Arena at TD Place. “There’s a few different situations that could determine our fate, but for us, it’s a must win game. You just prepare today, tomorrow and leave it all out there on Sunday night.”
Led by the scoring prowess of Natalie Spooner — the runaway leader in the league goal scoring race with 18 goals — Toronto has already clinched first place.
Interesting, Ottawa has won two of three games in the season series to date — by a convincing 5-1 margin in Toronto on Jan. 13, and a 5-3 final in the nation’s capital on Mar. 23.
The lone loss to Toronto was by a 5-2 score at TD Place on Mar. 2.
“We’re excited that we’re back on the road, heading to Toronto, where we had our first away game, and we played really well,” said Ottawa goalie Emerance Maschmeyer. “We’re excited to be back in that barn, and to take care of business.
“It’s kind of winner take all, so for us, it’s just doing everything we can to be in the moment. We’re going out there to take care of business and get the win. We had a great practice today and I think the vibes are great in the locker room. We’re all coming together at the right time.”
It’s a positive minds for a team that could have wrapped up a playoff spot in road game against last place New York on Tuesday.
Ottawa was up 2-0 after one period before giving up a four unanswered second period goals in a span of eight minutes and 33 seconds and ultimately losing 4-3.
It was just the fourth regulation time win of the season for New York, which also has four OT among its 23 points.
