Latest news with #KaterinaMrazova
National Post
24-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
'I want to be a nuisance': Britta Curl-Salemme puts words to her villain status
Article content On Thursday night, two goals and an arena full of boos said enough for Britta Curl-Salemme in Game 2 of the PWHL Finals. Article content Article content After taking Curl-Salemme's spot in the Minnesota Frost's post-game press conference, defender Lee Stecklein said she wouldn't put words into her teammate's mouth about her reception in Ottawa. Article content So the next day, in a Friday afternoon virtual media availability, Curl-Salemme had the opportunity to put words to the massive impression she made in the first two games of the series. Article content Article content Between the relentless jeering, her knee-on-knee collision with Ottawa's Katerina Mrazova and her pair of goals in Game 2 to even the series, the 25-year-old forward has only cemented her status as public enemy No. 1 amongst Charge fans. Article content The fact that she's managed to heighten the already deafening noise around her name is a testament to her physical, hard-nosed game, not simply the controversy swirling around her. She gave the sense that the recent attention to her play has only motivated her more. Article content 'I'd rather play in front of a full crowd that's booing me than an empty one,' she said. 'That type of passion, it's really cool to see. I can't control how they may feel towards me. It's all in good fun I think. I think they enjoy that passion and putting it towards something.' Article content While Curl-Salemme may not have admitted it to the media, a Frost social media post from inside the team's locker room after Game 2 indicated the adversity is being used as ammunition for their championship repeat bid. Article content Article content 'I just have one message,' Curl-Salemme said with a grin on her face, while receiving the team's player of the game belt. 'It's Minnesota Frost versus the world.' The short speech was met with a roar of cheers from her teammates, who swung towels and clapped thunderously. Article content Article content By all accounts, the Wisconsin graduate became the PWHL's very first villain the moment she was selected ninth overall by the Frost in the 2024 PWHL Draft. That was the reality with Curl-Salemme being involved in a controversy in which many fans labelled her social media activity as anti-transgender and politically polarizing. Article content 'I'm sure some people think that (I'm a villain),' she said. 'I try not to get too involved with outside noise or perspectives. I just don't think that's helpful for me, for our team, or what I'm trying to do on the ice.' Article content Article content While the off-ice controversy may not help the team, Curl-Salemme's physical presence on the ice certainly has. Ironically, the main source of the backlash she now faces arguably stems not from her actions off the ice, but from her assertive play on it. And that's exactly how she wants it.
National Post
12-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Despite 'Mustard Marathon' loss, Ottawa Charge listed as favourites to eliminate Montreal
Among the newer kids on the pro sports team block in the nation's capital, Ottawa Charge people don't fully understand those of us who have lived here for a long time. Article content They don't get our skepticism. Article content They surely know about the rarity of playoff appearances around these parts, but they probably don't realize that next year will mark the 100th anniversary of the Ottawa Senators' most recent Stanley Cup win and that Ottawa CFL teams have brought home exactly one Grey Cup in the past 47 seasons. Article content So when Charge coach Carla MacLeod suggested a few times over the past few months that her team had a one-in-six shot of capturing the PWHL championship, we thought, yeah right, sure it does. The cynicism, in large part, was backed by the stats. Article content The Charge finished the season with the same goals for (71) and against (80) as the cellar-dwelling New York Sirens. Article content In both categories, the two teams were last in the league. Article content The Charge also had the worst power-play percentage (14.9) and the second-worst shorthanded percentage (80.2). Article content When Ottawa snuck into the playoffs on an overtime goal by Katerina Mrazova in the regular-season finale, it was a pleasant surprise. Article content Along with providing a little excitement, the experience would be good for the group — even in getting swept from the best-of-five by the mighty Montreal Victoire, which not only finished in first-place with a powerful core, but would also be hungry to avenge last season's failure to win a single game in a similar post-season showdown with Boston. Article content Not only does Montreal have the best line of women's hockey players in the world — with Laura Stacey flanked by her spouse, the great Marie-Philip Poulin, and another national team member in Jennifer Gardiner — but they would be going against an Ottawa defence missing injured veteran Jincy Roese and with rookie Gwyneth Philips in goal. Article content When the two teams meet for Game 3 at TD Place on Tuesday (7 p.m.), many expected it would be the swan song for the 2024-25 Charge. Article content Article content But a funny thing happened in two games over four days at Place Bell. Article content The Charge proved that a stretch of four victories in its last five games was more than just a run of desperation. Article content If taking the series opener against Montreal wasn't enough, Ottawa was also the superior team for most of the 5 1/2 hour 'Mustard Marathon' that the Victoire pulled out with fear of reaching the brink of elimination for Game 3 at TD Place on Tuesday (7 p.m.). Article content And do you know what? Ottawa not only is a legitimate Walter Cup contender, but might be considered a good bet.
Ottawa Citizen
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Despite 'Mustard Marathon' loss, Ottawa Charge listed as favourites to eliminate Montreal
Article content Among the newer kids on the pro sports team block in the nation's capital, Ottawa Charge people don't fully understand those of us who have lived here for a long time. Article content They don't get our skepticism. Article content They surely know about the rarity of playoff appearances around these parts, but they probably don't realize that next year will mark the 100th anniversary of the Ottawa Senators' most recent Stanley Cup win and that Ottawa CFL teams have brought home exactly one Grey Cup in the past 47 seasons. Article content Article content So when Charge coach Carla MacLeod suggested a few times over the past few months that her team had a one-in-six shot of capturing the PWHL championship, we thought, yeah right, sure it does. Article content Article content The cynicism, in large part, was backed by the stats. Article content The Charge finished the season with the same goals for (71) and against (80) as the cellar-dwelling New York Sirens. Article content In both categories, the two teams were last in the league. Article content The Charge also had the worst power-play percentage (14.9) and the second-worst shorthanded percentage (80.2). Article content When Ottawa snuck into the playoffs on an overtime goal by Katerina Mrazova in the regular-season finale, it was a pleasant surprise. Article content Along with providing a little excitement, the experience would be good for the group — even in getting swept from the best-of-five by the mighty Montreal Victoire, which not only finished in first-place with a powerful core, but would also be hungry to avenge last season's failure to win a single game in a similar post-season showdown with Boston. Article content Article content Not only does Montreal have the best line of women's hockey players in the world — with Laura Stacey flanked by her spouse, the great Marie-Philip Poulin, and another national team member in Jennifer Gardiner — but they would be going against an Ottawa defence missing injured veteran Jincy Roese and with rookie Gwyneth Philips in goal. Article content Article content When the two teams meet for Game 3 at TD Place on Tuesday (7 p.m.), many expected it would be the swan song for the 2024-25 Charge. Article content But a funny thing happened in two games over four days at Place Bell. Article content The Charge proved that a stretch of four victories in its last five games was more than just a run of desperation.
Forbes
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
2025 PWHL Playoffs: Matchups Are Set, Walter Cup Quest Begins Wednesday
The first-place Montreal Victoire selected the Ottawa Charge as their first-round opponent in the ... More 2025 PWHL playoffs. (Photo by) It's a small thing, but a big thing. The Montreal Victoire took advantage of their opportunity to choose their first-round opponent in the 2025 PWHL playoffs. Rather than follow the bracket and play the Minnesota Frost in the best-of-five series, the Victoire will open against the Ottawa Charge. As a result, the Frost will meet the Toronto Sceptres in the other matchup. The league's playoff seedings came down to the final day of the season. On Saturday, Katerina Mrazova scored at 2:52 of overtime to give Ottawa the win over Toronto, and the two points they needed to punch their ticket to the playoffs. An hour later, Minnesota crushed Boston by a score of 8-1. Finally, Montreal finished out the year with a 3-2 win over the New York Sirens. When the dust settled, Montreal finished with a five-point edge over Toronto at the top of the standings. Below them, Ottawa, Minnesota and Boston all finished with 44 points. But because the Fleet had the fewest regulation wins (nine), they lost the tiebreaker and finished outside the playoff picture, along with New York. In 2024, Toronto finished first in the regular season and the same three teams battled down to the wire for playoff positioning. Boston and Minnesota squeaked in, then both teams upset their higher-seeded first-round opponents before an epic final that saw Minnesota capture the first Walter Cup. Montreal general manager Daniele Sauvageau announced that her team had selected Ottawa on a live edition of the PWHL's 'Jocks in Jills' podcast on Sunday. 'At the beginning of the year, what we have done is we put a process together,' she said. 'If we had the privilege to be in this situation, we were going to follow a process.' Good thing. Not only did Ottawa and Minnesota finish with the same number of points, but Montreal's record against both teams was the same, at 4-2. According to Savageau, the decision was made collaboratively between the players, the coaching staff and the front office. She didn't tip her hand on the factors that made the Charge the more attractive opponent, but a few details stand out. First, the travel will be easier. Montreal and Ottawa are just over 100 miles apart. Even NHL teams sometimes take the train between the two cities. That offers opportunity for fans as well. 'I think you're going to see some fans probably making the trek to the opposing arena,' said Ottawa captain Brianne Jenner of the PWHL's first-ever all-Canadian playoff matchup. 'I think it's going to be really cool for Canadian hockey fans across the country to tune into this.' Experience levels also may have factored into Montreal's decision. The Charge are in the playoffs for the first time, while the Frost aren't just returnees — they're the defending champions. And while it might not turn out to be much of an advantage, the Charge are also missing their No. 1 goaltender, Emerance Maschmeyer, who has been sidelined with a lower-body injury since mid-March. Ottawa Charge rookie goaltender Gwyneth Philips - (Photo by: Josh Kim / Ottawa Charge) But rookie Gwyneth Philips hasn't flinched in Maschmeyer's absence. She started the Charge's last eight games, going 5-3 with one shutout, and finished the year with a 2.11 goals-against average and .911 save percentage. 'She's been incredible,' said Ottawa coach Carla MacLeod. 'You never want to see injury for any of the players, but to see Gwen be able to step in, she's just been able to take the reins and settle in. Everyone's been seeing what we see, and it's just been her rising in these moments. This is just the next step for her.' The series is likely to be a goalie battle. While Montreal is led by Marie-Philip Poulin, who led the league with 19 goals this season, the Victoire are backstopped by Ann-Renee Desbiens in net. Appearing in 21 games this season, she finished with a record of 15-2-1-1 and a 1.86 goals-against average. The other series is a rematch from last season, with Toronto holding home-ice advantage over Minnesota. Last year, Toronto jumped out to a 2-0 series lead on home ice before losing the next three games — after Minnesota coach Ken Klee complained that his team wasn't given enough runway to make its travel plans and get settled in Toronto before Game 1. With that knowledge, the Frost took a different approach this year after finishing out the regular season in Boston. 'We were already on the road, so we had made the decision that if we got to where we wanted to be, we were just going to stay on the road and hang and wait and see,' Klee said. 'There's no sense flying all the way home to turn around and and fly back.' This season, the Frost were led by their captain, Kendall Coyne Schofield, who finished the year with 12 goals and 24 points. They also got big boosts on the blue line from Sophie Jaques, a mid-season trade acquisition in Year 1, new arrival Claire Thompson, and the steady presence of veteran Lee Stecklein. Toronto and Minnesota will meet for a second-straight year in the 2025 PWHL Playoffs. (Photo by ... More) Toronto went through half of its season without the 2024 league leading scorer and MVP, Natalie Spooner, and also missed Sarah Nurse for nine games. This year, Spooner appeared in 14 games and finished with five points, while Nurse had 14 points. But other Toronto players had strong seasons, including defender Renata Fast and forwards Daryl Watts and Hannah Miller. As the post-season unfolds, the league continues to evolve behind the scenes. Last Wednesday, the PWHL announced its second expansion team for the 2025-26 in Seattle, joining Vancouver. The business and hockey operations departments for those clubs will need to be staffed quickly: an expansion draft will take place to start stocking those rosters will take place sometime before the 2025 Draft, which is set for June 24 in Ottawa. Details are yet to be announced. Toronto and Minnesota will open the 2025 PWHL Playoffs on Wednesday at Coca Cola Coliseum (7 p.m. ET). Montreal and Ottawa will kick things off on Thursday at Place Bell in Laval, Que.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Win Or Lose, Czechia Continues To Get Closer
Czechia might fall in the IIHF women's World Championship semi-finals. They might not even win a medal. However the tournament ends for Czechia, the nation is here to stay on the women's hockey stage, and continues to get better. When Czechia won their first bronze at the 2022 World Championships, it was a monumental moment for their program. When they repeated in 2023, it was a sign that Czechia had firmly moved alongside Finland to form a new second tier behind only Canada and the USA. In the past, this is where nations have stopped their climb. Whether it was Finland, Sweden, Russia, or Switzerland, climbing beyond bronze has been impossible aside from Finland's aberration in 2019. But Czechia could be more. Czechia could soon be the first real challenge to Canada and USA. This season, there were nine members of Czechia's national team in the PWHL. It includes forwards Katerina Mrazova, Tereza Vanisova, Denisa Krizova, Klara Hymlarova, and Noemi Neubaurova; defenders Aneta Tejralova, Dominika Laskova, and Daniela Pejsova; and goaltender Klara Peslarova. Next year, Kristyna Kaltounkova and Natalie Mlynkova will join the PWHL as top draft picks, and within a few seasons defenders Sara Cajanova and Tereza Radova could join too. The same goes for Andrea Trnkova, Adela Sapovalivova, Tereza Plosova, and Michaela Hesova who will all be in the NCAA next season. Czechia may not gain in numbers at the PWHL level next year as it would not be surprising to see Peslarova or Neubauerova return to Europe to get playing time in an Olympic year, but PWHL expansion could change that. Ideally Tereza Pistekova joins Plosova and Sapovalivova, and a growing cohort of Czechia hockey players in the NCAA. Within the next two seasons, that list will also include Anezka Cabelova, Linda Vocetkova, Aneta Senkova, Adela Pankova, Julie Jebouskova, and Barbora Juříčková. When you go even further, young players like Klara Sramkova, Rozale Sale, Adela Mynařikova, Dana Březinova, Ellen Jarabkova, Lucie Sindelarova, Adela Křenkova, Nikola Skokanova, and Ester Skálová-Rosenbaumová show the waves of reinforcements are not slowing down. Sometimes a special cohort pulls a nation up, but sustainable development doesn't keep them there. Czechia looks to be more than a singular group.
