Emily Clark’s OT goal lifts Charge over Frost 2-1 in final series opener
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — After enduring a grueling quadruple overtime in the semifinals, Emily Clark was ready for a quicker finish this time around — and she delivered.
Clark scored just 2:47 into overtime Tuesday night, lifting the Ottawa Charge to a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Frost and giving her team a 1-0 edge in the best-of-five Professional Women’s Hockey League championship series for the Walter Cup.
Game 2 is set for Thursday in Ottawa, where the Charge remain undefeated in the playoffs with a 3-0 record. Minnesota, meanwhile, continues to struggle in series openers, having now lost Game 1 in all four of their playoff appearances. They did, however, rebound in the semifinals against Toronto by winning three straight after an opening loss.
In Tuesday’s overtime, Clark raced down the wing and fired a pinpoint shot past Minnesota goaltender Nicole Hensley, who made 17 saves in the loss.
The game went into overtime after a rare error by Charge netminder Gwyneth Philips early in the third period. Attempting to play the puck behind the net, Philips mishandled it and turned it over to Katy Knoll, who quickly set up Klara Hymlarova for the tying goal. Despite the miscue, Philips had a strong game, stopping 25 shots.
Ottawa thought they were heading to the power play with just over six minutes left in regulation after Rebecca Leslie drew a penalty. However, after a review, Leslie was penalized for cross-checking Mellissa Channell-Watkins. What was initially called a major was reduced to a minor, resulting in offsetting penalties instead.
Leslie had earlier electrified the home crowd with a goal midway through the second period, snapping a high glove-side shot past Hensley to open the scoring. The play developed just as Ottawa killed off a penalty, with Jocelyne Larocque clearing the puck and connecting with Tereza Vanisova, who set up Leslie for the finish. Hensley, partially screened by teammate Lee Stecklein, never saw the shot coming.
