Katerina Mrazova scores shootout winner and Ottawa beats Boston 3-2
Ottawa goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer (38) celebrates the team's shootout win against Boston in a PWHL hockey game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Ottawa, Ontario. Credit: AP/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA, Ontario — Katerina Mrazova scored the shootout winner to lead Ottawa to a 3-2 win over Boston in a Professional Women’s Hockey League game on Wednesday night.
Both teams are vying for the fourth and final playoff spot. Ottawa, with 32 points, now has a three-point lead over Boston with three games to play. Boston has two to play.
Emerance Maschmeyer turned away 30 shots, while Brianne Jenner and Gabbie Hughes scored in regulation for Ottawa.
Hilary Knight and Jamie Lee Rattray scored for Boston. Aerin Frankel made 22 saves.
“Some nights you’re not playing your best hockey, you’re not feeling your best and I think that was actually one of our nights,” Ottawa coach Carla MacLeod said. “But we talked about it. At this time of year, you’ve got to find a way to win and that’s what we’ve been talking about.”
Ottawa extended its winning streak to four games and earned its first victory in extra time.
“I think we’re in a really good spot and good groove,” said Emily Clark, who had an assist. “I just think that we have such a special group and we got that win together, which I think is a really good sign moving forward.”
Ottawa's Katerina Mrazova (16) scores against Boston Aerin Frankel (31) during the shootout in a PWHL hockey game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Ottawa, Ontario. Credit: AP/Sean Kilpatrick
Trailing 2-1 to start the third, Ottawa got the equalizer at 11:14 of the period when Clark outmuscled Emily Brown on her way to the net and dished a pass through the crease to Hughes, who jammed it in from in close.
Jenner had a chance to seal the win in the final minute of regulation but Frankel made a huge save.
“Maschmeyer played fantastic and then (Frankel) was going down making the same save at the opposite net,” Boston coach Courtney Kessel said. “Just tremendous goalies across the league and we saw a show tonight by both of them.”
Knight opened the scoring 90 seconds into the game on Boston’s first shot. Ottawa lost a faceoff in its own end allowing Hannah Brandt to find Knight in front and she beat Maschmeyer.
Ottawa goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer (38) celebrates the team's shootout win against Boston with teammate Daryl Watts (9), after a PWHL hockey game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Ottawa, Ontario. Credit: AP/Sean Kilpatrick
Ottawa tied the game at 7:43 of the first period after Natalie Snodgrass made a pass through the crease and Jenner backhanded it past Frankel.
The Ottawa captain now has nine points (six goals, three assists) in her last four games.
A turnover at Ottawa’s blue line gave Rattray, an Ottawa native, a clear break alone and she beat Maschmeyer for her third of the season with less than a minute to play in the first.
UP NEXT
Boston visits Minnesota on Saturday.
Ottawa hosts Montreal on Saturday.
