Latest news with #Poulin
Ottawa Citizen
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
'Funny' hometown heroine Rebecca Leslie leads Ottawa Charge to new PWHL heights
At what point over the winter did anyone imagine the Ottawa Charge would kick off the May 24 weekend by reducing the best women's hockey player on the planet to tears? Article content 'This one hurts right now,' an emotional Marie-Philip Poulin said after her Montreal Victoire's season was ended by the Charge at TD Place on Friday night. 'And it will.' Article content Ottawa advanced to the Walter Cup final against the defending-champion Minnesota Frost because it held Poulin — the greatest goal scorer in the PWHL's brief history and captain of both the Victoire and Canada's national team — to one goal on 27 shots over the four-game opening-round series. Article content Article content 'We came (up) short … I came (up) short,' Poulin said. 'And the power play … A lot of things didn't come up. It's pretty fresh right now, and it's a lot.' Article content Article content Article content As stunning as Poulin's lack of production was, who had the only locally grown product ever to wear the Charge jersey scoring what, at this point, has to be the biggest goal in franchise history? Article content Rebecca Leslie, who had just one goal over 27 games this season, gave Ottawa a lead it would never relinquish at the two-minute mark of the series clincher. 'Becca's goal, getting us up early, just gave us a lot of confidence,' said Emily Clark, who skated around Poulin on her way to netting the winner in the first minute of the third period. 'It kind of allowed us to take a deep breath early on and play our game the whole way through.' Article content Leslie had three goals in 29 games last season for Toronto, including one in the deciding game of a first-round playoff loss to Minnesota. Article content But nothing compared to her first shift on Friday, when she broke up a play in the defensive zone and then finished off a 2-on-1 break with Anna Meixner (who, with two points this season, had just one less than Leslie) to get the ball rolling towards an outcome that prevented the series from going back to Montreal for a fifth and deciding game. Article content Article content 'We work hard all year to be in these moments,' Leslie said. 'And I think Meixie and I and (third-line centre Katerina Mrazova) have been playing really well this series. We've just tried to find a way to produce and be that depth scoring for our team. So, obviously, it felt really special to do that.' Article content Article content Being a hometown heroine with so many friends and family members among the 8,012 in attendance was pure gravy. Article content 'It's a dream come true,' Leslie said of playing for the Charge. 'I have to pinch myself every day. I grew up a 67's season-seat member, so I've been to a lot of games in this arena, but I don't think I've ever seen so many fans or it being so loud. I think we all love to represent the city, and we take great pride in it, and to continue playing here in the playoffs is really special.' Article content Leslie's point totals in her first season after signing as a free agent with the Charge didn't properly portray her worth to the team. Article content 'She's just a composed player,' head coach Carla MacLeod said. 'She's obviously got speed and skill, we knew that coming in, and a veteran experience level. She's built for this kind of moment. This one tonight, that's Becca Leslie for me. She just drives the back post and she's rewarded.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ottawa Charge eliminate Montreal Victoire in Game 4 to reach PWHL Finals: Takeaways
The Ottawa Charge will advance to the PWHL Finals after a 2-1 win over the Montreal Victoire in Game 4 of the semifinals on Friday night. Rebecca Leslie — an Ottawa-native — opened the scoring just two minutes into the game, giving the Charge an early lead they wouldn't relinquish. Maureen Murphy made things interesting late in the third period, cutting the Ottawa lead in half with five minutes remaining. But the Charge — backed by strong goaltending from Gwyneth Philips — were able to secure the win and pull off the upset. Advertisement Montreal entered the playoffs as the No. 1 team in the league and got to choose its semifinal opponent, the third-ranked Charge. Montreal was heavily favored to win the series, according to Dom Luszczyszyn's model, with 63 percent odds. But the Victoire mustered only one win — 3-2 in quadruple overtime — en route to another early exit from the postseason. 'We had to grind for every win. That's a great hockey club over there that gave us a great challenge,' Ottawa captain Brianne Jenner said. 'I think we're playing our best hockey at the right time of year, so it's exciting.' As the top remaining seed, Ottawa will have home-ice advantage in the PWHL Finals against the Minnesota Frost. Game 1 will be Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET at TD Place Arena. Here are some takeaways from Friday's deciding game. A quick opening goal Ottawa had about as good a start as they could have hoped for, scoring just two minutes after puck drop. That it was Leslie, a local product, who started the two-on-one, and buried the rebound that kicked out off Ann-Renée Desbiens' pad, was a nice touch. The Charge are known for strong starts, with the most games scoring first (21) in the league through the regular season and into playoffs. At times during the regular season, maintaining leads was perhaps Ottawa's biggest issue with a modest 10-1-3-4 record when scoring first. Advertisement But, in the first round, Ottawa has been able to gain and hold a lead much more effectively, scoring first three times and winning each time — including on Friday night. Montreal's top line One of the reasons to believe Montreal could get the job done against Ottawa was that it has the best forward in the world (Marie-Philip Poulin) and arguably the best top line in the PWHL (Poulin, Laura Stacey and Jennifer Gardiner). Poulin led the league in scoring this season with 19 goals and has been named a finalist for Forward of the Year, and is sure to be one for MVP whenever that is announced. No duo combined for more goals than Poulin and Stacey during the regular season. Gardiner fit in on the top line perfectly, putting together an excellent rookie season bested only in points by Sarah Fillier. Advertisement But Ottawa did an excellent job shutting that line down, with Ottawa's top line of Gabbie Hughes, Emily Clark and Mannon McMahon getting most of the head-to-head minutes. The trio played Poulin tough and did well to stop her from getting the puck, especially in high-danger areas of the ice, keeping Montreal's captain off the score sheet in Games 2 and 3 and for most of Friday's game — until Poulin's secondary assist on Murphy's late third period tally. It's a credit to Poulin that, despite the stingy defense, she still found pockets of open space and got more shots off in the series than anybody (27), save for Stacey (28). But she was only able to beat Philips once all series. Similarly, Stacey only had one goal. It's the second year in a row that Stacey and Poulin have been completely shut down in the first round of the playoffs. Advertisement On Friday, Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie made some tweaks to the top line, replacing Gardiner with Lina Ljungblom, last year's Swedish Women's Hockey League MVP. Then, in the second period, she moved Dara Greig to that line. None of those moves could get Montreal's stars going with the season on the line. Clark scores her first As excellent as Clark's line is on the defensive side of the puck, they also added a ton of value offensively over the last two games. In Game 3, it was McMahon who scored the lone-goal in a 1-0 win to give Ottawa a 2-1 series lead. On Friday, the top line combined again for a massive goal just 31 seconds into the third period to give Ottawa a much more comfortable 2-0 lead. Advertisement It was Clark's first goal of the playoffs, and the 8,011 fans at TD Place Arena erupted with 'Clarky' chants for the fan favorite player. Throughout the semifinals, the Charge have been at their best in the third period, with five of their seven goals scored in the final frame. In Game 1, it was Shiann Darkangelo with a game-winner. In Game 2, Aneta Tejralová and Jenner scored two goals in the final five minutes to force overtime – and ultimately quadruple overtime. It's been quite the departure from Ottawa's issues earlier in the year (and last season) with closing out games. And it's come at the right time. Philips wins the goalie battle This series was far different than the Toronto versus Minnesota semifinal, which featured 32 goals scored between the two teams and a league record for goals scored in a single game. Advertisement Goaltending was at times optional. That was not the case between Ottawa and Montreal. All four games were close, decided by one goal. Both teams only combined for 12 goals – the same amount as the record-breaking 7-5 Minnesota win on Sunday. And it's not because the games were low-event. In fact, there were more shots on goal in the Ottawa-Montreal series than Toronto-Minnesota. The low scores were largely due to excellent goaltending by Desbiens and Philips, who lead the PWHL postseason in shots against, saves, save percentage and goals against average. Philips – the rookie goalie who has been thrust into the starters crease with Emerance Maschmeyer on LTIR – has the edge in nearly every category. In her last two games, Philips has made 36 saves on 37 shots for back-to-back wins to lead Ottawa to the Finals. Advertisement This article originally appeared in The Athletic. NHL, Women's Hockey 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Chicago Tribune
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Sophomore utility Jordyn McBride gets cuts in for reigning state champ St. Charles North. ‘Really is a blessing.'
Do you know me? If it ever did, St. Charles North's Jordyn McBride shouldn't have that thought crossing her mind. Coaches, teammates and opponents have become very much aware of the grounded sophomore designated player eight weeks into her debut season on the varsity. 'I think she has this, what's the phrase, high ceiling,' North Stars coach Tom Poulin said of McBride. 'She's got such potential, hits the ball so hard and is strong.' First impressions are important. 'We gave her a pinch hit at West Chicago the first game of the year and she hit a triple that got out in a hurry,' Poulin said. 'Hit the top of the fence and she was around the bases in a flash. 'I remember on the bus ride back telling (assistant coach Thijs Dennison), 'Let's get her a couple more at-bats and see what she does.' On Wednesday, McBride did again what she's been doing, teaming up with senior pitcher Paige Murray in a 6-0 win at crosstown rival St. Charles East that strengthens St. Charles North's hold on first place in the DuKane Conference. McBride's three-hit day included a two-run double and two-run homer, her fifth of the season in her 19th appearance for the North Stars (19-5, 9-2), who have a two-game lead with three to play. 'It really is a blessing,' McBride said. 'Getting the opportunity to play with the upperclassmen on a state championship team made me want to push harder to get a starting spot. 'Just being with this team and coaches has pushed me to be the best I can be at this time.' She's embracing a utility role, adding outfielder to catcher, second and third base from travel. Murray, a pitching star in North's two state championship runs in the past three years, also hit a two-run double Wednesday and is batting .407. She threw a three-hitter with 13 strikeouts and one walk in shutting down the Saints (16-14, 5-6). Senior center fielder Mackenzie Patterson, a Loyola recruit who came up to the varsity as a freshman like Murray, understands McBride's situation. 'It's an honor to make it on varsity, but coming from a travel team, it is hard going from playing every single game to having upperclassmen playing ahead of you,' Patterson said. 'You're thinking, 'Let me have a chance.' 'Jordyn has crawled her way into a spot and she's doing great. She has excelled in every single role coach Poulin has given her.' Early in the season, Poulin figured she might help solidify the bottom of his batting order. 'She has forced us to notice her, keep her in the lineup and move her up,' said Poulin, who batted McBride fourth Wednesday. 'She's settling in right there in the heart of it. 'You look at the stats and she gets on base but she's driving in runs, is confident at the plate and doesn't chase and have bad at-bats.' In 49 at-bats, McBride is hitting .388 with seven doubles and 21 RBIs, both tied for second on the team. She's second in home runs. A multisport athlete since she was 4, McBride credited competitive gymnastics through age 13 for her strength. She still competes for the high school team. Her focus shifted to softball after the family moved here from Wisconsin when she was in seventh grade. 'I've struggled with strikeouts,' McBride said. 'I have issues with being antsy at the plate so this game did help me with my mentality at the plate.' Hitting a home run off Stanford recruit Elena Krause last weekend at Pontiac also helped. 'Gymnastics helps with my mental toughness, everything,' she said. 'As an individual sport, everything is on you and your work ethic. I get a balance of team picking you up and gymnastics, where you know how to pick yourself up. 'We're almost to the tournament so I have to get in the right mindset to have good, quality at-bats and not get over antsy.'
Ottawa Citizen
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Fans remind Montreal Victoire 'you picked us' with Ottawa Charge poised to deliver KO blow
Article content The two-part question was put to the stars of the night after the Ottawa Charge had just moved to within one victory of playing for the PWHL championship. Article content As nice as Montreal is in the spring, how much do you not want to go there this weekend? Article content 'Yeah, I'll take this one,' Gywenth Philips, who had handled everything else thrown at her that night, said with a glance at Mannon McMahon beside her in the packed TD Place interview room. 'Obviously, the games have been really close and I think after the long (4OT) game the other day and a gritty game today, that little extra bump from our fans cheering for us is really critical in these games. We're in a good position to close out, when we can, on home ice with the help of our fans. Article content Article content 'So we're not looking to go back to Montreal.' Article content Article content As much as the Charge likes to boast about having the best crowd support in the league, it didn't exactly translate into results this season. Article content But just as teams have to raise their level in the playoffs, so do fans. Article content And such was the case with the 7,282 customers witnessing the first PWHL playoff game in the nation's capital as the Charge grabbed command of the best-of-five semifinal. Article content After McMahon scored the night's only goal near the midway mark of the third period, the fans serenaded the visitors with repeated chants of 'you picked us' — a reminder that, as first-place finishers, Montreal chose the third-place Charge rather than the fourth-place Minnesota Frost as its opening-round opponent. Article content 'Is that what they were saying?' McMahon said, breaking out in laughter. 'That's awesome.' Article content The thing is, this series could still go either way. Article content Article content The two teams are about as evenly matched as it gets. Article content Of their nine meetings this year, seven have been decided by one goal. Article content Montreal has outscored Ottawa 20-19 because during a 4-1 home ice victory on Jan. 29, captain Marie-Philip Poulin beat Philips three times. Article content Philips and the Charge learned from the lesson, as they've done a good job on The GOAT since then. Article content In the two regular-season games against Ottawa that followed her outburst, Poulin had no points and just three shots on goal. Article content When the Charge opened this series with a 3-2 victory, Poulin scored once, on the power play, despite testing Philips a total of eight times. She had another 0-for-8 shots in the Game 2 marathon and was unable to get one past the Ottawa rookie puckstopper with seven attempts Tuesday.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ranking The Top 25 PWHL Players
The 2024-25 PWHL season is in the books. It was another year where the stars came out to play with the likes of Hilary Knight, Sarah Fillier, and Marie-Philip Poulin atop the league scoring leaders. Here's a look at the top 25 players from the PWHL this season: Poulin led the league in goals with 19, but her dominance spans well beyond her goal scoring total. In short, Poulin is the best player in the world. It seems like Fast never comes off the ice for Toronto. She can control the game at both ends. She's the best defender in pro women's hockey, and the only defender capable of challenging the top echelon of forwards for "best" in the world at any position. Her dominance this season was welcomed by the Boston Fleet and fans. Knight looked faster, her scoring returned, and the big, powerful forward we've known for a decade returned to full form, which was bad news for opponents. We knew she'd be good, but it might be a stretch to claim people expected Fillier would tie for the league lead in scoring as a rookie. She couldn't get New York to the playoffs, but she made them a much more dynamic team. She's the player that has changed so many conversations and misconceptions about the thought that all of the world's top players were already on national teams. Watts is dynamic, she thinks and executives high skill plays at a level few in the league can, and she's exciting to watch. She didn't lead Minnesota in scoring, but when you watch the deference teams pay to Heise, you know how good she is. She's got elite skills and remains one of only a handful of players capable of lifting fans from their seats night in and night out. Coyne Schofield's speed and competitiveness remain her calling cards. It's hard not to notice when she's on the ice, and her offensive production followed this season. If not for an early season hiccup, Carpenter and Fillier may have sat atop the league's scoring ladder together. She sees the game at a speed others can't, she's an elite playmaker, can score, and uses her speed to frustrate. Without Frankel, the Boston Fleet may have been the league's basement dweller. She remains in elite company among goaltenders and proves it night in and night out. Desbiens had a spectacular season making Montreal a tough team to beat even on the night's they weren't firing on all cylinders. She showed her international stardom can transfer to a full season campaign. Her consistent scoring across two seasons in the league, goal scoring prowess, and two-way game have earned Miller many accolades. It also earned her a spot on Team Canada until the IIHF deemed her ineligible. If not for her slow start, and a season ending injury at Worlds, Muller is likely a top five scorer in this league. She's the engine that drives Boston with her ability to read the ice, and hyper-competitiveness. Keller is carrying way too much load in Boston which at times is hurting her game. She's big, physical, can transport pucks, generate offense, and controls the game from the blueline. Boston has struggled to bring along a counterpart for her in order to truly let Keller flourish. While flash and points are what typically gets defenders noticed, with Stecklein it's consistency, smart plays, and the ability to shut down the best. She's big, she's mobile, and she's the quiet leader behind Minnesota's success. Perhaps the prototypical power forward in the PWHL, there's little stopping Stacey when she gets up to full speed, and heaven forbid you get in her way. She drives back defenders and makes room for her teammates, but can score with skill as well. There were several defenders who outscored Cayla Barnes this season, but few who had the same impact. She took an incredible load off the shoulders of Erin Ambrose which was a big part to Montreal's success. She played a key role at both ends of the ice, and will be a top blueliner in this league for the remainder of her career. What a season for Jaques. Is she still learning some of the finer points of the defensive position? Sure. But her impact on the ice is unquestionable. This season you could see her confidence rise, and when Jaques steps into the offensive attack, few are more dangerous. We only got a shortened sample size, but when she was in the lineup, Hannah Bilka was a difference maker. She's got great hands, can burn with her speed, and finds ways to get into scoring position. The Fleet were significantly better with Bilka around, and it will be exciting to see what a full season means to her output. Don't let Erin Ambrose's numbers fool you this season. She certainly didn't lose any of the effectiveness that made her the inaugural PWHL Defender of the Year. Ambrose remains one of the league's best blueliners, and was freed from the incredible expectations placed on her last year. Few are as consistent. The free skating, playmaking defender we all remembered didn't lose a step in her year away from the game. Instead Thompson stepped in and immediately asserted herself as one of the PWHL's top offensive blueliners. For how poorly the Sirens did this year, they certainly have a lot of top players. Shelton is a strong puck moving defender who played big minutes for New York. She is a consistent special teams threat and handles herself physically. When you look at the Ottawa Charge, night in and night out, Clark was their most consistent player. Her impact offensively is crucial, but it's her two way play, her smarts, leadership, and strong forecheck that keep Ottawa's motor running. Tapani doesn't get the credit she deserves. She seldom steps on the ice without generating chances, or making a key play in her own zone. Her veteran presence is felt and she remains one of the top European players in the league. Eldridge might be a beneficiary to a point of Fillier and Carpenter, but she's proven she can consistently carry her own offensively. Eldridge's 200-foot game is what keeps her off the national team, but in scoring position, few as as dangerous. She's gritty, in your face, can stick handle in tight spaces, and yes, she can score. Vanisova does it all despite playing far less than anyone on this list. Not only was she among league leaders in goals, she led the league in penalty minutes showing her unique combination of skill and pest.
