Ottawa Charge Steal the Show in Winnipeg
Ottawa's PWHL team did what they do best on Sunday — find a way to win when it matters most. The Ottawa Charge defeated the Montreal Victoire 2-1 in overtime at a PWHL Takeover Tour game held in Winnipeg, continuing their strong push through the second half of the season.
The hero? Rebecca Leslie, who has quietly become one of the most clutch players in the entire league.
Rebecca Leslie Is on a Tear
Leslie's overtime winner on Sunday was her second in just three games — a remarkable stretch of late-game heroics that's putting the Ottawa forward firmly in the conversation for the league's best players.
The goal brought her season total to 12, tying her with Minnesota's Kelly Pannek for the PWHL scoring lead. For a team that has built its identity around depth and grit, having a goal-scoring threat like Leslie hitting her stride at this point in the season is exactly what Ottawa needs.
It's the kind of performance that should have Ottawa fans feeling very good about where this team is headed.
PWHL Takeover Tour Brings Ottawa Hockey to Winnipeg
The game was part of the PWHL's Takeover Tour, which brings league matchups to non-home markets to grow the fanbase across Canada. Seeing Ottawa and Montreal — two of the circuit's marquee rivalries — take the ice in Winnipeg is exactly the kind of expansion the league has been pushing for since its inaugural season.
And games like this one, decided in overtime with a league-leading goal scorer at the center of it all, are exactly why women's hockey fans across the country are paying attention.
What This Means for Ottawa
The Charge have been a competitive team all season, but this stretch of results — including multiple overtime wins — signals that they're peaking at the right time. With Leslie tied for the league lead in goals and the team picking up crucial points late in games, Ottawa looks like a genuine contender heading into the home stretch of the PWHL regular season.
For Ottawa hockey fans who have watched the Charge build something real over the past year, Sunday's win in Winnipeg is another reminder that this team isn't just a novelty — they're a legitimate force in professional women's hockey.
Keep an eye on Rebecca Leslie. At 12 goals and rising, she's playing the best hockey of her career, and Ottawa is along for the ride.
Source: CBC Ottawa via PWHL / CBC Player
