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Victory secured by Darkangelo's decisive goal, Charge triumph 3-2 against Victoire in the first round of PWHL semi-finals.

Montreal Victoire semifinal opposition underestimated by Ottawa Charge in their series encounter

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Montreal Victoire-Ottawa Charge Semifinal Showdown: Ottawa Charge Unfazed by Underdog Status...
Montreal Victoire-Ottawa Charge Semifinal Showdown: Ottawa Charge Unfazed by Underdog Status Against Montreal Victoire in Semi-Finals

Victory secured by Darkangelo's decisive goal, Charge triumph 3-2 against Victoire in the first round of PWHL semi-finals.

It was a tough night for the Montreal Victoire, falling to the Ottawa Charge 3-2 in Game 1 of their semifinal series. Captain Brianne Jenner opened the scoring for Ottawa, and they didn't look back, thanks to a clutch goal from Shiann Darkangelo late in the third period.

The Charge didn't let their underdog status get to them. They showed their confidence, standing tall against their conference rivals. Gwyneth Philips made 31 saves in net for Ottawa, showing why they were unafraid to face the Victoire.

Montreal topped the PWHL regular-season standings, earning the right to select third-seeded Ottawa. But instead of dwelling on Montreal's decision, head coach Carla MacLeod and her team focused on themselves.

"We don't need external motivation," MacLeod said. "We've come into this playoffs confident in what allowed us to get to this point."

Meanwhile, alternate captain Laura Stacey shouldered the weight of Montreal's four straight playoff losses, saying, "I had to take a deep breath before coming in here, because it hurts. Losing hurts, especially in the playoffs."

Montreal outplayed Ottawa in multiple aspects, going 2-for-2 on the power play, limiting Ottawa's Grade A chances, and even outshooting them. But they couldn't find that elusive game-winner.

Darkangelo's late goal proved to be the difference-maker, and Philips held strong in net for Ottawa, keeping the Victoire at bay.

Game 2 goes Sunday afternoon back in Laval, Quebec, where Montreal will try to exorcise their playoff demons. "We have to win a hockey game," said head coach Kori Cheverie. "If we dwell on what's in the past, we're not going to make it very far, so we have to regroup, move forward."

Here are the details of the game:

Game 1 Results: Ottawa Charge vs Montreal Victoire

  • Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025
  • Score: Ottawa Charge 3, Montreal Victoire 2
  • Location: Place Bell, Laval, Quebec

Key Highlights:

  • Scoring: Ottawa's captain Brianne Jenner opened the scoring. Other goals were scored by Ashton Bell and Shiann Darkangelo. Darkangelo's wrist shot at 9:17 proved to be the game-winner.[2][5]
  • Goalie Performance: Ottawa's Gwyneth Philips made 31 saves to help secure the win.[2]
  • Series Context: Montreal chose to play Ottawa in the semifinals after topping the PWHL regular-season standings, earning them the selection option. Ottawa, despite being the third seed, displayed confidence in their abilities, having won four of their last five games.[2]
  1. The loss against the Ottawa Charge in Game 1 has put the Montreal Victoire in a challenging position, as they fall to 0-1 in their NHL semifinal series.2.Montreal's underdog rivals, Ottawa, seemed unfazed by their status, displaying a strong performance, especially in the third period, which was highlighted by a clutch goal from Shiann Darkangelo.
  2. In Game 2, scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Laval, Quebec, the Montreal Victoire will have the opportunity to overcome their recent playoff losses, with head coach Kori Cheverie emphasizing the importance of focusing on the present and moving forward.
  3. Despite outperforming Ottawa in several areas, such as power play success and shot count, the Montreal Victoire were unable to secure a victory, raising questions about their ability to win, particularly in the playoffs.

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