Ottawa defeated Seattle 4-3 at TD Place on Mar. 4 in a back-and-forth affair that showcased two teams capable of offensive pressure but inconsistent defensively.
Fanuza Kadirova scored twice, while Emily Clark and Alexa Vasko added single goals for the Charge. Jessie Eldridge matched Kadirova with two goals for the Torrent, while Alex Carpenter contributed one. Seattle's recent struggles continued despite competitive play throughout.
The first two periods moved quickly, with both teams trading momentum shifts and chances. Kadirova opened the scoring early, establishing Ottawa's advantage. The Charge's top line moved the puck efficiently. Katerina Mrazova and Kathryn Reilly provided strong support from the blue line, each recording two assists.
Seattle refused to fall behind by more than a goal. Eldridge answered Kadirova's first with a goal of her own, keeping the Torrent in the game through 40 minutes. Carpenter's goal-and-assist performance kept Seattle afloat despite being on the road in a building where Ottawa holds a clear edge.
The third period became chaotic. Kadirova scored her second to extend Ottawa's lead, but Eldridge answered again to make it 3-3. Then Vasko's goal proved decisive. The Torrent could not equalize in the final minutes.
Vasko's insurance goal with under three minutes remaining showed how much space existed in this game. Both penalty kills and power plays felt vulnerable. Ronja Savolainen, Gabbie Hughes, Emma Greco, and Peyton Hemp all assisted for Ottawa.
Julia Gosling's two assists for Seattle and Aneta Tejralova's assist showed the Torrent's skill, but skill alone couldn't overcome defensive lapses.
Ottawa improves to 10-7-0 (26 pts) and maintains fourth place in the standings. The Charge did what they needed to by weathering Seattle's third-period push.
Seattle drops to 5-9-1 (16 pts). The Torrent have lost four of their last five and sit last in PWHL. Scoring three goals on the road and still losing indicates structural problems beyond individual performances.