Montreal Victoire select Ottawa Charge as first-round opponent in PWHL playoffs
TORONTO – The Montreal Victoire will face the Ottawa Charge in the opening round of the Professional Women's Hockey League playoffs.
Montreal general manager Danièle Sauvageau announced the selection of Ottawa as its first opponent on Sunday on the league's 'Jocks in Jills' podcast.
The regular-season PWHL champion has the option of selecting either the third seed or the fourth seed to face in a best-of-five first-round series. The Charge finished third, ahead of the fourth-place Minnesota Frost through a tiebreaker.
The Victoire's decision means the second-seeded Toronto Sceptres will face the Frost in the first round for the second straight year.
The Charge, who are in the playoffs for the first time, won their last two regular-season games against the Victoire after losing the first four.
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
In the inaugural 2024 season, the regular-season-champion Sceptres elected to face the fourth-seeded Frost in the first round. Minnesota went on to upset Toronto before defeating the Boston Fleet in the final to claim the first Walter Cup.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Post
38 minutes ago
- National Post
How Emerance Maschmeyer built a home in Ottawa — from the crease out
Article content Emerance Maschmeyer had no idea what to expect when she first put pen to paper with Ottawa's newly awarded PWHL franchise in 2023. Article content Article content Two years later, she leaves with a family, a loyal fan base and a franchise built from scratch. Article content Though she's heading to Vancouver next season as part of the league's expansion — a sign of the league's rapid success — Maschmeyer leaves knowing she helped establish the kind of stability she once thought was out of reach. Article content Article content Fresh out of Harvard University, she had no illusions. A viable professional women's hockey league felt like a long shot. Her three seasons in the now-defunct Canadian Women's Hockey League were a drastic step down from the resources she'd had in college. Article content Article content She played in community rinks, not storied arenas. There were no salaries, no major sponsorships, no elite sports medicine or training facilities. The league wobbled constantly on the edge of insolvency. Article content Article content 'I soon found out after I graduated that I had been treated the most professional in college,' Maschmeyer told Postmedia. 'I thought that was kind of it. I didn't really ever expect to be able to play in a viable professional league.' Article content Article content In the fall of 2023, she signed on in Ottawa — drawn by GM Mike Hirshfeld's vision, the opportunity to help build something new and the comfort of sharing it with close friends Emily Clark and Brianne Jenner. Article content Article content 'Knowing that those two were going to be on this journey together, it just made it all the more special,' Jenner said. Article content Article content Article content What none of them could have predicted was how quickly the PWHL would take off. When news broke that TD Place had sold out for Ottawa's home opener, Maschmeyer began to realize the league's momentum had already carried far beyond its players. Article content Article content 'I had tears in my eyes, chills all over my body,' she said, recalling the January 2023 game. 'I expected a big moment, but I didn't really expect to feel that much emotion and for the fans to feel it with us. Article content Article content 'But then after that first game, it just continued to happen again and again and again.' Article content Article content Packed arenas became commonplace, and Maschmeyer became a cornerstone of the team's appeal. Article content Article content On the ice, she was the league's most dependable netminder, playing in all but one of Ottawa's 24 regular-season games in its inaugural campaign. She was also the busiest, becoming the first PWHL goaltender to stop 1,000 shots earlier this season. Article content Article content 'She's been one of our best players, if not our best player, in these first two years,' Jenner said. 'And it's a testament to the work that she puts into her craft.'
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
PWHL free agency preview: What each team needs this offseason
Social Sharing One week after an expansion draft threw PWHL rosters into a blender, teams will have the chance to start rebuilding with free agents. Teams can sign players on expiring contracts beginning Monday at 9 a.m. ET, and it should be a busy few days, with several notable names available. The league also has an entry draft scheduled for June 24, which will provide an injection of new young talent. Top free agents include 2024 PWHL MVP Natalie Spooner (Toronto Sceptres), two-way forward Hannah Miller (Toronto Sceptres), Montreal Victoire defender Kati Tabin, and a group of players who won back-to-back Walter Cups with the Minnesota Frost, including defender Mellissa Channell-Watkins, goaltender Maddie Rooney and forward Michela Cava. With the dust settled on expansion, here's what each team could use heading into the free-agent signing period. Toronto Sceptres The Sceptres emerged from the expansion draft relatively unscathed on defence, though it likely hurt to lose a promising rookie defender in Megan Carter. But bringing back Kali Flanagan, who's a free agent, will give Toronto four solid options on the blue line. WATCH | Did the PWHL expansion draft go too far? Did the PWHL expansion draft go too far? 3 days ago Duration 1:18 Both goaltenders remain with the team too, though GM Gina Kingsbury hinted that the Sceptres are still sorting out who will take the lead in net next season. Starter Kristen Campbell had a difficult playoff series against Minnesota, to the point where head coach Troy Ryan opted to start third-string goaltender, Carly Jackson, in a do-or-die game. The team will have to decide whether to turn back to Campbell, go with backup goaltender Raygan Kirk or find someone new. "There's no doubt that we have to look at if there's other options or if this is the best option and how to move forward," Kingsbury said. Up front is where Toronto will likely have to spend the majority of its remaining cap space, after losing Sarah Nurse, Izzy Daniel and Julia Gosling to expansion. "Maybe our salary cap space isn't as big as other markets, so we're going to have to be creative in how we are competitive in this period of time," Kingsbury said. "But there's great value in an athlete that has had time to be a part of the league and has either proven themselves already or has the potential to prove themselves." Montreal Victoire The Victoire's season ended in the first round of the playoffs for a second consecutive year, and like last year, it felt like Montreal's depth was its undoing. Most of the team's goals last season came from a top line of Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey and Jennifer Gardiner. Now, Gardiner, along with second liner, Abby Boreen, have been lost to expansion. As a result, it won't be a surprise to see a winger who can play with Poulin and more depth scoring at the top of Montreal's wish list. That list should also include two to three top-four defenders. With Tabin a free agent, and the pairing of Anna Wilgren and Cayla Barnes now heading to Seattle, Montreal enters the off-season with only two defenders under contract: Erin Ambrose and Amanda Boulier. There's a lot of work for GM Danièle Sauvageau to do to return Montreal to the top of the standings. But luckily for her, she still has the best player in the world in Poulin, and one of the best goaltenders in the world in Desbiens. "We believe our foundation is strong, is solid," Sauvageau said. "We have stability. We continue to grow with the players that we originally signed." Ottawa Charge Ottawa emerged from expansion with its starting goaltender (Gwyneth Philips), captain (Brianne Jenner), two physical, shut down defenders (Ronja Savolainen and Jocelyne Larocque) and a hard-to-play against first line (Emily Clark, Gabbie Hughes and Mannon McMahon) still under team control. It's not a bad outcome for the team that just went all the way to the PWHL Finals. WATCH | PWHL Mic'd Up with Ottawa Charge's Hughes: PWHL Mic'd Up: Ottawa Charge's Gabbie Hughes 5 months ago Duration 4:12 GM Mike Hirshfeld could use more depth scoring and at least two more top-four defenders, after losing both Ashton Bell and Aneta Tejralová to expansion. He told reporters this week that he's confident the team will re-sign defender Stephanie Markowski. That leaves three to four spots on defence to fill through the draft, free agency or re-signing players on expiring contracts. Hirshfeld also hinted that Ottawa is exploring a trade for a defender. "We've spent the last three weeks working through a bunch of different scenarios to make sure that we have a really solid, strong blue line, and we feel confident we'll be able to execute on that plan," he said. PWHL Vancouver Canada's newest PWHL team enters the free agency period having prioritized defence. The team is solid in net with Emerance Maschmeyer, and on the blue line with four young, puck-moving defenders. The goal in free agency will be to add two more top-six forwards, GM Cara Gardner Morey said. She should have the cap space to do that after spending most of the money up front on young forwards who carry smaller salaries, but who Gardner Morey expects will outperform expectations, such as Gardiner, Daniel, Brooke McQuigge and Gabby Rosenthal. The obvious free agent target would be Toronto's Miller, who could be tempted by a big contract and the chance to play in her home province of British Columbia. PWHL Seattle While Vancouver prioritized defence, Seattle emerged from the expansion process with two scary-looking top lines that boast size and wicked shots, plus several hard-to-play against defenders, and a starting goaltender. There's also a lot of youth on this team, including four players selected in the first-round of last year's draft. Depth and perhaps another top-four defender will likely be at the top of GM Meghan Turner's priority list. Boston Fleet The biggest loss for the Fleet likely comes in the locker room with the departure of Hilary Knight to Seattle. GM Danielle Marmer said that not protecting Knight was the most difficult decision she's made in her professional career. Boston also lost a smart, young forward in Hannah Bilka, who will join Knight in Seattle. But Marmer's priority heading into the offseason is to plug holes on defence, after two key defenders were taken by expansion teams. New York Sirens The good news is that the last-place Sirens are the only team that made it out of expansion without losing a single defender, an area GM Pascal Daoust prioritized when making his protection selections. The bad news is the team lost its starting goaltender and two of its top-three forwards to Seattle. Star forward Sarah Fillier is also a restricted free agent who needs a new contract. With several colleagues now in need of defenders, Daoust could use his wealth on defence to fix the holes up front via trade. He could also use the cap space freed up by the departure of players like Alex Carpenter, Jessie Eldridge and Corinne Schroeder to attract a big-name free agent. What he is able to sell is opportunity — notably, the chance to play with an elite goal scorer in Fillier, assuming the team is able to re-sign her. Minnesota Frost The two-time champions enter the offseason with only one of the team's top four defenders, Lee Stecklein, remaining. Channell-Watkins is a free agent, while Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques were both lured away by Vancouver. "It's no secret that we need to kind of rebuild our [defensive] core right now," Minnesota GM Melissa Caruso said. "I'd say that's priority number one." Things are rosier up front. Caruso gambled by exposing Kelly Pannek and Grace Zumwinkle, and correctly guessing that Seattle and Vancouver might opt for cheaper options. Cava, who wins championships everywhere she goes, will be a big target for other teams in free agency. But Caruso will be able to point to two Walter Cups as a reason for her stay and continue playing on one of the best top lines in the PWHL. In addition to Cava, retaining Channell-Watkins and Rooney, who was stellar in net for the Frost during the PWHL Finals, should also be on Caruso's list.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
NASCAR's first Cup Series race outside US hits travel snags to Mexico City
MEXICO CITY (AP) — NASCAR's first Cup Series race outside the United States was off to a bumpy start Friday with several teams yet to arrive in Mexico City because of travel issues in North Carolina. At least one chartered flight to Mexico City was grounded Thursday with an engine issue, leaving teams scrambling to find alternative routes to get to Mexico. Some drove to Atlanta to catch a commercial flight. But when the track opened Friday, many were not at Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Trackhouse Racing was among them — Daniel Suarez arrived Tuesday with some support personnel so he was not affected — but the communications director for the Cup team had been summoned to help unload the Trackhouse cars off the truck because no crew members were available. The trucks came directly from last Sunday's race in Michigan and arrived at the Mexico City track on Thursday. NASCAR said only 'a select few' teams aren't on site Friday morning. But, it seems most are Xfinity Series teams based on a revamping of the weekend schedule. 'Due to two aircraft issues that grounded multiple race teams in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday, NASCAR has adjusted the on-track schedule for this weekend's activities at Mexico City's Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez,' NASCAR said in a statement. NASCAR delayed Friday's originally planned Cup Series practice to later in the afternoon. NASCAR also pushed all Xfinity Series practice sessions from Friday to Saturday. And, the first of two NASCAR Mexico Series races will run earlier than originally scheduled on Friday. The Xfinity Series will lose some practice time, with just one 50-minute session on Saturday morning, right before qualifying. There are other slight adjustments as well, but Cup teams will not lose any practice. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. ___ AP auto racing:
