Mrázová nets OT winner to lift Charge past Sceptres 2-1, clinch PWHL playoff berth
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Kateřina Mrázová scored 2:52 into overtime to lift the Ottawa Charge to a 2-1 regular-season finale win over the Toronto Sceptres and a playoff berth Saturday in the Professional Women's Hockey League.
WATCH | Mrázová's overtime winner sends Charge to PWHL postseason for 1st time:
Mrázová's overtime winner sends Charge to PWHL postseason for 1st time
53 minutes ago
Duration 2:08
Brianne Jenner also scored for Ottawa (12-2-4-12). Gwyneth Philips stopped 13 shots.
The Charge came in needing a win of any kind, or a Minnesota loss against Boston later Saturday, to secure their first post-season appearance in the PWHL. Ottawa lost 5-2 to Toronto in the regular-season finale last season needing a regulation win to secure a playoff spot.
Ottawa lost 3-0 to Minnesota on Wednesday with a chance to move six or seven points ahead of the Frost — with either an overtime/shootout win or a regulation win — and clinch a playoff spot.
Sarah Nurse scored for Toronto (12-3-6-9). Kristen Campbell made 22 saves, while becoming the fourth PWHL goaltender to reach 1,000 career regular-season saves.
The Sceptres entered the day with a chance to steal first place from Montreal with a win and a New York regulation win over Montreal later Saturday. The top-seeded team entering the post-season gets its choice of opponent for the best-of-five semifinal series.
Both teams already secured playoff spots, with Toronto opening the post-season Wednesday and Montreal on Thursday. Their opponents will be determined Sunday.
Takeaways
Sceptres: Toronto struggled to get shots on net against the Charge, sometimes settling for shots from the point instead of inching closer into the offensive zone to potentially get a better opportunity. It's the seventh in nine games since the start of March that Toronto has been unable to score more than two goals in a game.
Charge: Ottawa had more offensive volume with shots on net, but didn't have many threatening chances either in regulation. The Charge outshot Toronto 24-14, with the second period count being 11-4 in favour of Ottawa. The Charge showed more urgency in overtime, however.
Key moment
Mrázová cut across in front in the slot and whipped it past Campbell to the delight of the Charge fans at Coca-Cola Coliseum.
Key stat
Since the February international break, the Charge are 7-1-2-4, the league's second-best record behind the Sceptres (7-3-1-3) entering Saturday. The Ottawa offence has been leading the way in that span averaging 3.00 goals per game. Ottawa averaged 1.80 goals per game before Feb. 11, fewest in the PWHL.
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