Will the Ottawa Charge try to 'push the buttons' of feisty scorer Tereza Vanisova?

1 day ago 4

Ottawa Charge defender Ronja Savolainen.

Article content

Old acquaintances will be remembered when newly extended Ronja Savolainen and the rest of the Ottawa Charge hosts the Vancouver Goldeneyes on Wednesday.

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Unlimited digital access to the Ottawa Citizen.
Analysis on all things Ottawa by Bruce Deachman, Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, and others, award-winning newsletters and virtual events.
Opportunity to engage with our commenting community.
Ottawa Citizen ePaper.
Ottawa Citizen App.

SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office.
Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account.
Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.
Support local journalism.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.
Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
Enjoy additional articles per month.
Get email updates from your favourite authors.

THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account
Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments
Enjoy additional articles per month
Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

Article content

And their tendencies, at least in the case of Tereza Vanisova, could very well be exploited.

Article content

While the Charge announced on Tuesday that Savolainen and Gabbie Hughes have signed contact extensions that will keep them in the fold through the 2026-27 season, when the Goldeneyes make their debut appearance at TD Place, it will be a reminder of the damage done to Ottawa by the expansion draft.

Article content

During the selection process, Vancouver nabbed defender Ashton Bell with its first pick after plucking goalie Emerance Maschmeyer from the Charge’s list of unprotected players.

Article content

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

Article content

Bell, whom the Goldeneyes made team captain, will be a presence and Maschmeyer will be out to prove the Charge made a mistake by not keeping her.

Article content

It also will be a reminder of the perils presented by free agency.

Article content

Vanisova, the top-scoring player on a Charge team that had its troubles producing offence in 2024-25, signed an offer she felt she couldn’t refuse on June 17.

Article content

Along with her 15 goals, which were tied for second most in the league, the feisty 29-year-old Czech also led the PWHL in penalty minutes.

Article content

True, the Charge power play had a league-low efficiency rating of 14.9% last season — and it was 0-for-6 in Saturday’s season-opening loss to the New York Sirens — but Ottawa’s chances in Game 2 are obviously better with Vanisova in the box than on the ice.

Article content

“We benefited from her ability to play on the edge like that and you know that about her,” coach Carla MacLeod said when asked about trying to draw Vanisova into taking penalties. “But at the end of the day, you just have to be respectful for how threatening she can be.”

Article content

The first-year Goldeneyes have a roster that looks a lot more like the Stanley Cup-contending 2017-18 Vegas Golden Knights than the hapless 1992-93 Ottawa Senators.

Article content

Among the list of dangerous Vancouver forwards are proven PWHLers Sarah Nurse, Hannah Miller, Jenn Gardiner, Brooke McQuigge and Michela Cava.

Article content

But, as one Charge’s top defenders, Savolainen knows she’ll also see a lot of Vanisova, her old friend and teammate, after the opening faceoff.

Article content

“She made a huge difference for us last season,” the 27-year-old Finn said. “I think there’s going to be a lot of battles with her.”

*** Disclaimer: This Article is auto-aggregated by a Rss Api Program and has not been created or edited by Bdtype.

(Note: This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News Rss Api. News.bdtype.com Staff may not have modified or edited the content body.

Please visit the Source Website that deserves the credit and responsibility for creating this content.)

Watch Live | Source Article