Ottawa Charge falls 2-1 in PWHL playoff opener against Boston Fleet

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But shortly after the latter, Muller erased Ottawa’s lead when she finally cracked Philips’ shell with a shot to the short side, over the goalie’s catching glove.

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Just 1:31 later, Kanata’s Jamie Lee Rattray put the Fleet ahead, sliding a backhand between Philips’ pads with Charge defender Rory Guilday all over her, 33 seconds before the second intermission.

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Concerning moment

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Gabbie Hughes played an instrumental role in the Charge’s run to the Walter Cup final last spring, primarily as a shutdown centre on a line that took care of the Montreal Victoire’s top guns in Ottawa’s first-round upset.

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In the first period of this post-season opener, it looked like the Charge veteran could be shut down herself.

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Hughes was the victim of a brutal head shot when hit by Boston defender Rylind MacKinnon just inside the Fleet blue line late in the first period, and there was immediate concern for her well-being. After lying prone for a few seconds, she was helped to the Ottawa bench. Moments later, TV cameras focused on her conversation with a member of the team’s medical staff, and Hughes was clearly upset. She left for the dressing room thereafter.

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Hughes returned in the second period.

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Expect the unexpected

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The Charge took advantage of the five-minute major that MacKinnon received, along with a game misconduct, for the head shot by scoring the game’s first goal.

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And of course, it was defensive defender Jocelyn Larocque doing the honours. Was that written with tongue in cheek? Maybe, and maybe not.

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Approaching her 38th birthday, Larocque has just four goals in 97 career PWHL games. That includes two in only nine playoff games and two in her last three outings, including the winner in Ottawa’s penultimate game of the regular season against the New York Sirens.

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So not only has the league’s oldest player saved half her offensive production for the most important games, but she’s also on fire.

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For someone who otherwise doesn’t score much, Larocque displayed a nice touch, re-directing a Guilday point shot after she had raced to the blue line to keep the puck in, and then cruised to the front of the net.

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Special teams wash

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There were 11 power plays in the game, but they didn’t have much of an impact.

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Ottawa, which was ranked third with a player advantage during the season, scored on one of six power play chances in Game 1, while its penalty killing was perfect, surviving all five such opportunities for the Fleet.

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