Latest news with #AlexaVasko
Globe and Mail
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Charge moving on from 4OT loss to Victoire as PWHL playoff hockey makes Ottawa debut
With a quadruple-overtime loss in Montreal behind them, the Ottawa Charge are focused on responding Tuesday night when they host a Professional Women's Hockey League playoff game for the first time. The Charge returned home with their best-of-five semi-final series against Montreal tied 1-1 after a gruelling Game 2 that lasted over 140 minutes – the longest game in PWHL history – with the Victoire winning 3-2 on a goal from Catherine Dubois. Ottawa forced Sunday's game at Place Bell to overtime scoring twice in a span of just over four minutes in the third period. 'I think for us, it was just a matter of, okay, this is playoff hockey,' Ottawa coach Carla MacLeod said Monday, as the teams made most of a day off to recover from the physical and emotional toll of Sunday's marathon match. 'You know, they're a great team, we're a great team, it's going to go back and forth, and we recognize that.' Montreal may have some momentum in the series with the overtime win, but the Charge are feeling confident after winning the series opener on the road and coming close in Game 2. 'I think we talked about it yesterday in the locker room after the game, like there was no reason to hang our heads,' Charge forward Alexa Vasko said. 'I think as a group, we believe we played a great game. And, you know, it was, it was a game for the ages, so I think we're really proud of what we showed that game, and we're just building on that and we're excited to go tomorrow.' The series now becomes a best-of-three, with Games 3 and 4 in Ottawa. Montreal finished first in the regular-season standings, but the Charge aren't really buying into the underdog label. 'Well, I don't know how we're the underdog,' MacLeod said. 'Top four teams in this league, everyone's really good. Obviously, they won the regular season, we recognize that, but we had an incredible season ourselves. I think for us, we're not worried about sort of what the outside world's thinking or saying or what they're not saying.' MacLeod said she and her coaching staff are looking to improve with each game and find areas to capitalize on. 'That's just part of the process in playoffs,' said MacLeod. 'Because you're facing the same opponent it becomes a bit of a chess match, which is a lot of fun, really.' Charge players have largely looked composed in what is the first playoff series for many on the team. Rookie goaltender Gwyneth Philips, who started the season as a backup, has been a steady presence for Ottawa since Emerance Maschmeyer was sidelined with a leg injury. Philips was solid making 53 saves Sunday and will need to be equally as good the rest of the way. 'She's just a gamer, you know, she's proven that time in and time out,' MacLeod said. 'You know, here, she's proven it on the world stage, she's an elite level goaltender, and, you know, I think she's earning her credibility pretty quickly here, so she's been just tremendous for us in the back half of the season here, and obviously in the playoffs.' With the Charge preparing to host their first-ever playoff game, there's an undeniable buzz around the city and players are feeding off of it. 'It's really exciting,' said Ottawa native Rebecca Leslie. 'I'm obviously from Ottawa so for me it's a dream come true to play playoffs in my hometown and I'll have tons of family and friends in the stands and I'm just really excited.'
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alexa Vasko's Pair Of Goals Lift Ottawa Over Minnesota
It was Alexa Vasko's first pair of goals in an Ottawa Charge sweater that lifted her team over the Minnesota Frost just days after a 5-0 romp in their Takeover Tour game in Carolina. Sitting in fifth place in the PWHL standings, the win brings Ottawa within five points of the final playoff position with just eight games remaining in the regular season. Captain Brianne Jenner said her team is getting closer to the hockey required to see the postseason for the first time in franchise history. 'At this point in the season, our goal is just to get a playoff spot, but we've also gotta figure out how to start playing our playoff hockey style and I thought tonight we had glimpses of that,' Jenner said. The Charge led the contest right off the hop after captain Brianne Jenner tucked a rebound past Frost goaltender Maddie Rooney. Ottawa also held the visitors to just two shots in the opening frame, relieving the usually busy Emerance Maschmeyer after a rough start in Carolina. 'We wanted to just prove to ourselves that we could get back to our game,' Jenner said. 'We were just chomping at the bit to get out there tonight.' Scoring has been a struggle for the Charge since their very first PWHL game, but the depth delivered with Vasko netting her first two goals of the season. The first cushioned Ottawa's lead midway through the second period after Natalie Snodgrass pounced on a giveaway to set up Vasko for a one-timer. 🚨 Alexa Vasko (1)🍎🍏 Natalie Snodgrass — Ottawa Charge (@PWHL_Ottawa) March 12, 2025 '[Snodgrass] did a great work on that forecheck there and made a nice pass and all I had to do was put it in the net, so props to her on that one,' Vasko said. Armed with a 2-0 lead headed into the final frame, the Charge faltered midway through the period to squander their lead entirely. First came Taylor Heise's snipe from the point. Things we love to see: a Heise snipe 🎯 — Minnesota Frost (@PWHL_Minnesota) March 12, 2025 In another stroke of bad luck for Ottawa, just moments after Maschmeyer made her 1000th career save — the first PWHL goaltender to reach the mark in regular season play — she sustained an injury, needing to be helped off the ice by two trainers. 'It's certainly a moment that you're just trying to rally the girls and just say, 'hey, let's go get this one from Masch,' and that's exactly what the team did,' said head coach Carla MacLeod. Gwyneth Philips came into the net in relief, but was soon embroiled in a controversial goal on Claire Thompson's one-timer just minutes later. Minnesota's Michela Cava stayed close to Philips in her crease as she tried to track the play across the ice, but Philips was unable to stop Thompson's blast. A look at the one timer by Claire Thompson 😮💨 — Minnesota Frost (@PWHL_Minnesota) March 12, 2025 After a lengthy video review following Ottawa's challenge of the goal, the play was determined a good goal, much to the dismay of the Charge faithful. It was back to square one, and an ensuing penalty call against Ottawa even threatened to put them behind with just minutes remaining in regulation. But Vasko had other plans, taking a diving sweep pass from Ronja Savolainen and beating Rooney all alone. 🚨 Alexa Vasko (2)🍎 Ronja Savolainen🍏 Zoe Boyd — Ottawa Charge (@PWHL_Ottawa) March 12, 2025 '[Savolainen] made a heck of a play diving for the puck just to pop it loose and I just had to put it in, so a huge team effort there,' Vasko said. The 26-year-old depth player wasn't willing to divulge any secrets as to how she knew where to shoot on the veteran goalie. 'I can't give any secrets there, but our staff does a great job giving the resources that we need and prepares us for the game.' Jenner praised her team's ability to bounce back from a situation it hasn't been able to claw out of many times in the past. 'There was sort of a balance of calm, but also desperation and urgency to make plays and especially in the end to kind of seal that win,' she said.
