The Ottawa Charge dropped a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Goldeneyes in their first game back from the international break, and while the late push made things interesting, it also highlighted a familiar issue for the team: difficulty maintaining momentum and controlling play over a full 60 minutes.
Ottawa finished the night with a 32-29 edge in shots and looked like the more dangerous team during stretches of the game, particularly late in the third period. That pressure eventually paid off in Anna Shokhina’s first PWHL goal, which looked to be a turning point for the team. Still, the final score marked the fourth time in five outings that the Charge have scored one or fewer goals, once again highlighting their ongoing issue with sustained offensive pressure throughout games.
For much of the night, Ottawa struggled to string together shifts where they could control play and build momentum. That inconsistency showed most clearly in the faceoff circle, a place which should provide the team an opportunity to set the pace of play. An area of strength for Ottawa through the prior four games, faceoffs became an issue against Vancouver, which won 65.3% of the draws at the final whistle. Losing the majority of those draws, especially in the third period, limited Ottawa’s ability to maintain offensive zone time and dictate the pace.
Ottawa’s late push showed what this group looks like when it’s able to play with pace and confidence. In those final minutes, the Charge generated sustained pressure, forced Vancouver into defending, and looked far more comfortable dictating play. That stretch made it clear that the issue was not a lack of ability, but lack of sustained execution earlier in the game.
What Ottawa needs now to get back into the win column is to start stronger, especially in the first period where they’ve struggled so far this season. In addition, they need all four of their lines rolling as they were in this game, and their defence to continue boxing out in front of the net and getting in lanes. The talent and effort is clear, as this game showed, but until the Charge can find a way to sustain that level for longer stretches, they’ll find themselves at home near the bottom of the league standings.
