Ottawa Charge walked into Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday and left with a 2-0 regulation victory over Seattle Torrent. The win pushes the Charge to 33 points on the season, good for fourth in PWHL standings with seven games remaining.
Gwyneth Philips turned aside every shot she faced to earn the shutout. On the season, Philips holds a .924 save percentage and a 2.35 goals-against average across 21 appearances. She has been one of the steadiest goaltenders in the league since January.
Seattle managed little in the way of sustained pressure. Corinne Schroeder stopped everything she could in the Torrent crease, but the two goals that beat her were enough to decide things. Schroeder carries a .930 save percentage this season across 15 starts.
The Charge got contributions from a deep forward group that has produced all year. Brianne Jenner leads Ottawa with 20 points in 24 games. Rebecca Leslie has 12 goals in 23 games, and Michela Cava and Emily Clark each sit at 19 points on the campaign.
For the Torrent, the loss drops them to 7-14 and 22 points, last in the eight-team league. Hilary Knight continues to carry the offensive load with 29 points in 30 games, but the team around her has struggled to find consistency. Alex Carpenter has 20 points in 26 games as the second option.
Ottawa controls its own path to the postseason. At 13-9, the Charge sit two points clear of fifth-place Toronto. The remaining schedule is manageable, but they cannot afford many more stumbles.
Seattle's situation is far more dire. Seven wins through 23 games leaves little margin for error, and the Torrent would need a historic run to climb into playoff contention.
Ottawa returns to action at Canadian Tire Centre. Seattle stays home at Climate Pledge Arena for their next contest.