Ottawa's own PWHL Charge are heading into playoff hockey, and the city's women's hockey faithful have every reason to get loud about it.
The Charge open their semifinal series against the Boston Fleet on Thursday, April 29, with Game 1 dropping at 7 p.m. ET in Boston. It's the beginning of what promises to be a bruising battle for the Walter Cup — the PWHL's championship trophy — and Ottawa fans will want to be locked in from the very first faceoff.
The Road to the Semis
The PWHL's third playoff season is officially underway, and four teams have punched their tickets to the semifinal round. Alongside the Ottawa–Boston matchup, the Montreal Victoire will take on the defending champions, the Minnesota Frost, on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
Minnesota enters as the team to beat, having hoisted the Walter Cup last season and proving they can grind out wins when it matters most. But the Charge have shown they're no pushover, and playoff hockey has a way of resetting the board entirely.
Ottawa vs. Boston: What to Watch
The Fleet are a formidable opponent — physically demanding, disciplined in their own zone, and dangerous off the rush. For the Charge to advance, they'll need to lean on the strengths that got them here: speed, puck movement, and depth scoring.
Goaltending will be critical in a tight playoff series, and special teams tend to decide close games. Ottawa will need to stay disciplined and capitalize when they have the man advantage — series like this often come down to a single bounce or a key penalty kill.
Why This Matters for Ottawa
The PWHL has been a genuine phenomenon since its launch, and the Ottawa Charge have quickly become a source of pride for the city's sports community. Women's professional hockey at this level — played by elite athletes who have dedicated their careers to the game — deserves the same energy and attention as any other playoff run in this town.
If you haven't caught a Charge game yet, the playoffs are the perfect entry point. The intensity ratchets up, every shift carries weight, and playoff overtime is about as pure as hockey gets.
How to Watch
Game 1 between the Ottawa Charge and Boston Fleet tips off Thursday evening at 7 p.m. ET. Check CBC Sports and the PWHL's official broadcast partners for TV and streaming options — CBC has been a strong home for PWHL coverage all season.
The Montreal–Minnesota series gets going Saturday at 2 p.m. ET, so the weekend is stacked with elite women's hockey if you want to go deep on the bracket.
Go Charge Go
Ottawa knows its hockey, and this city has never needed much convincing to get behind a playoff run. Whether you're watching from your couch or finding a bar with the game on, lock in and cheer the Charge on. The Walter Cup is three wins away — let's see if Ottawa can bring it home.
Source: CBC Ottawa via CBC Sports
