The Ottawa Charge have won their first game of the 2025 Professional Women’s Hockey League Finals, otherwise known as the Walter Cup. On Tuesday at the Toronto Dominion Place in Ottawa, Ontario, the Charge defeated the Minnesota Frost by a score of 2-1 in overtime. This was the first ever game by a Canadian team in the Professional Women’s Hockey League Finals. Last year, the Frost defeated the Boston Fleet three games to two in a five game series that went the distance.
In Ottawa’s win on Tuesday, Canadian Olympic gold medalist Emily Clark of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan scored the game-winning goal at 2:47 of the extra period. Clark, who won the gold medal for Canada in women’s hockey at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, came down the wing, and rifled a shot that beat Frost goaltender Nicole Hensley.
The other Charge goal scorer was Rebecca Leslie of Ottawa, Ontario. Leslie opened the scoring at 11:34 of the second period from Tereza Vanisova and Canadian Olympic gold medalist Jocelyne Larocque of Ste. Anne, Manitoba. Larocque won the gold medal for Canada at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi and the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. Game two will take place Thursday evening in Ottawa.