By Canadian Press

Clark scores OT winner as Charge edge Frost 2-1 in final series opener

May 20, 2025 | 8:32 PM

OTTAWA — Emily Clark scored at 2:47 of overtime on Tuesday night to lead the Ottawa Charge to a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Frost.

With the win the Charge take a 1-0 lead in the Professional Women’s Hockey League best-of-five championship series for the Walter Cup.

Ottawa is a perfect 3-0 on home ice through the playoffs. The Frost have never won Game 1 of a playoff series in four attempts.

Clark came down the wing and wired a shot past Nicole Hensley, who finished the game with 17 saves.

The game required extra time after Gwyneth Philips had a rare miscue early in the third period, leading to the Frost’s tying goal.

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Philips, who stopped 25 shots, mishandled the puck while attempting to play it, turning it over to Katy Knoll. Knoll quickly fed a pass to Klara Hymlarova, who buried the wide-open chance to tie the game 1-1.

With 6:08 remaining in regulation the Charge were set to go on the power play but officials then reviewed an incident that saw Rebecca Leslie cross check Mellissa Channell-Watkins. It was initially assessed as a major but then downgraded to a minor creating offsetting minors.

Leslie had brought the crowd to its feet midway through the second period when she beat Hensley high glove side to give Ottawa a 1-0 lead.

Moments earlier the Frost had been generating a number of chances on the power play, but Philips was solid. As the penalty was expiring the Charge were able to clear the puck with Jocelyne Larocque making a cross-ice pass to Tereza Vanisova who dropped a pass to Leslie.

Hensley couldn’t get a clear view of the shot, partially screened by her teammate Lee Stecklein.

Earlier in the period, both Brooke McQuigge and Denisa Krisova had quality scoring opportunities — one denied by Philips, the other sailing just wide.

A scoreless first period saw both teams fail to capitalize on power-play chances.

Minnesota had just one shot on goal, while Ottawa generated a couple of good chances but was unable to beat Hensley.

Gabbie Hughes had a chance in the dying seconds of the period but couldn’t get it through traffic.

Game 2 in the series is Thursday in Ottawa.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2025.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press

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