PWHL Takeover Tour Set To Play Finale In St. Louis With Critical Points On The Line
Jincy Roese and Hilary Knight watch the puck during PWHL action - Photo @ Ellen Bond
The PWHL Takeover Tour is making its next stop in St. Louis, where the Ottawa Charge will take on the Boston Fleet this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. This game will give fans in Missouri their first opportunity to see the league's skill, speed, and physical play in action.
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For Ottawa, this game represents a crucial opportunity to snap a tough Takeover Tour losing streak. The Charge have dropped all three of their previous Takeover Tour games this season—falling to Montreal in Quebec City, Toronto in Edmonton, and most recently, Minnesota in Raleigh.
Despite their previous Takeover Tour struggles, Ottawa players are embracing the Takeover Tour experience. Goaltender Gwyneth Philips, who played a key role in their win over New York, is eager for another chance to showcase the team in front of a new audience.
'It's great to do these Takeover Tour games. I really enjoyed Raleigh, and I'm excited to go to St. Louis,' she said.
This game holds extra significance for Ottawa defender Jincy Roese, who hails from O'Fallon, Missouri. Playing in front of a hometown crowd is a special moment, especially given her deep ties to growing the game in the area, as each summer, Roese runs hockey camps for young girls back home.
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Both Philips and Roese have ties to the St. Louis Blues organization through Hockey Hall of Famer Al MacInnis, as Philips attended college with MacInnis's daughter, while Roese credits him for helping her take a key step in her hockey journey. It was MacInnis who called a local boys' team and encouraged them to take Roese on, giving her an opportunity to continue to develop her game.
With the Takeover Tour bringing the PWHL to new cities, many fans have wondered if St. Louis could one day be home to an expansion team. It's an idea Roese would love to see become a reality.
'That would be very cool and very convenient for myself,' she said. 'I know they're doing their due diligence. I could advocate for it, but I don't make the decisions.'
Across all Takeover Tour stops, a total of 106,511 fans have shown up to support the events, including the latest matchup between the New York Sirens and Minnesota Frost at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, which drew an impressive 14,288 fans—a game that helped the league surpass the one-million-fan mark. These games highlight the growing excitement and demand for professional women's hockey in new markets.
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Despite the challenges they've faced this season, the Charge are staying focused on their ultimate goal.
'At the end of the day, we're here to win games and make the playoffs,' said Roese. 'We're getting paid to play hockey, and we've got a job to do.'
With St. Louis set to host this weekend's showdown, Ottawa is determined to keep climbing the standings and secure a playoff spot. 'We haven't strayed from our goal,' Roese said. 'We know what it's like to have our fate in our hands and lose it. I feel good about where our team is right now.'
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