Ashton Bell helps Charge ring up Victoire 3-1; Ottawa closes in on PWHL playoff spot

Darren Desaulniers · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Apr 26, 2025 3:57 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

Ashton Bell scored twice, including erstwhile shorthanded, to springiness the Ottawa Charge a 3-1 triumph implicit the Montreal Victoire successful Professional Women's Hockey League enactment Saturday successful Ottawa.

After opening the scoring successful the archetypal period, Bell closed the scoring with 13 seconds remaining successful the 3rd period, portion the Charge were shorthanded for the 3-2 pb and yet the win.

WATCH | Ashton Bell scores a brace including the precocious victor arsenic Charge decision Victoire:

Brianne Jenner besides scored for the Charge (12-11-4-11), who inched person to earning their archetypal PWHL playoff berth, successful this the 2nd play of the league. Shianne Darkengelo had 2 assists for Ottawa portion Gwyneth Philips made 25 saves for the win.

After the Charge had taken a 2-0 first-period lead, Anna Wilgren scored for the Victoire successful the last infinitesimal of the archetypal play and Catherine Dubois tied the crippled six minutes into the 3rd period.

Elaine Chuli made 24 saves for Montreal (11-6-3-8) who person already clinched a playoff berth but failed to unafraid 1 of the apical 2 seeds with 2 games remaining.

Ottawa went 0 for 1 connected the powerfulness play with the Victoire were held scoreless successful 3 power-play opportunities.

Takeaways

Charge: Ottawa looks to already beryllium successful post-season signifier arsenic it makes a propulsion toward a playoff spot. The Charge were coagulated astatine some ends of the crystal Saturday and collected their 3rd consecutive triumph portion allowing conscionable 3 goals successful the process. They besides person 4 wins successful their past five.

Victoire: Although determination were 3 weeks betwixt games, a streak is simply a streak and Montreal is not connected a bully one. Following Saturday's game, the Victoire person mislaid 2 consecutive and six of their past 8 games. Not a large assurance boost with conscionable 2 games remaining earlier the playoffs.

Key moment

While determination were a few, including a afloat 2 infinitesimal five-on-three punishment termination by the Charge and large saves astatine cardinal moments by some netminder, the biggest infinitesimal was Bell's jailbreak extremity with 13 seconds near to springiness Ottawa the win.

Key stats

When the Victoire scored past successful the archetypal play Saturday, it snapped a shutout streak for the Ottawa Charge and Philips astatine 131:14. It was the 2nd longest specified streak of the play down lone Corinne Schroeder of the New York Sirens astatine 178:46.

Up next

Charge: Ottawa volition big the Minnesota Frost connected Wednesday successful what could find a playoff spot for either team. The Charge past adjacent retired their regular play successful Toronto adjacent Saturday against the Sceptres.

Victoire: The Victoire big the Boston Fleet connected Monday and past volition beryllium connected the roadworthy for their regular play finale arsenic they question to New York to instrumentality connected the Sirens adjacent Saturday.