Ottawa goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer was a key part of PWHL Ottawa’s victory Saturday stopping all 35 shots Minnesota directed towards her net in the team’s first game after the World Championships.
This was her second shutout of the season and extended a personal hot streak begun at the worlds where she allowed only one goal in two games for Team Canada.
Maschmeyer was one of 11 Ottawa players playing in the tournament that paused the PWHL for almost a month. Maschmeyer, Brianne Jenner, Emily Clark and Ashton Bell were part of the gold-medal winning Team Canada
Ottawa defenders Savannah Harmon, and Haley Scamurra represented Team USA, bringing home a silver medal.
Forwards Tereza Vanišová, Kateřina Mrázová and defender Aneta Tejralová represented Team Czechia while forward Akane Shiga represented Team Japan and goaltender Sandra Abstreiter tended the goal for Team Germany. Mrázová was leading Ottawa in points heading into the game Saturday but didn’t play because of injury.
Minnesota, who had already lost to Montreal in a close 4-3 game, were hot out of the gate on Saturday leading 9-1 in shots halfway through the first period.
“We needed [Mashmeyer],” said Ottawa coach Carla MacLeod after the game. “We had to find our feet and hers were steady, and we benefited from that. … She certainly allowed us to find our rhythm.”
Ottawa’s road to the win started late in the first period, Minnesota goalie Nicole Hensley mishandled the puck behind her own net as it slipped to the front of the net. “Just don’t miss” was going through Captain Brianne Jenner’s mind as the puck ended up on her stick. She did not miss and made it 1-0 Ottawa.
Four minutes into the second period, Jenner doubled Ottawa’s lead on a pass from Emily Clark behind the Minnesota net.
Later in the same period, Vanišová came out of the box at full speed after an impressive penalty kill from Ottawa. She grabbed the puck, skated directly towards the net and passed the puck cross-crease to Ashton Bell who buried it past Hensley to make it 3-0 Ottawa.
Minnesota came into the third period with a lot of intensity.
“We can’t change our game and try to play risky because when we did we gave up some odd-man rushes and we don’t give many odd-man rushes.” said Minnesota coach Ken Klee. “I said ‘Let’s get back to playing the way we play and give ourselves a chance to get back in the game’.”
The added intensity from Minnesota did not deter Maschmeyer who stood on her head for the rest of the game. Jenner took advantage of a three on one rush and completed the hat trick after receiving a beautiful pass from Daryl Watts. Dozens of hats rained onto the ice from the enthusiastic crowd in TD Place Arena.
Jenner now has 12 points in her last six PWHL games and is tied with Watts as Ottawa’s leading goal scorer with eight.
PWHL Ottawa sits in fourth place in the league with a game in hand on fifth place Boston who they will play Wednesday at TD Place.
