In a night of hockey that could be called a mix of magic and misfortune, the Ottawa Charge fell to the New York Sirens, 3-0, on Monday. Fans at TD Place were treated to a spectacle of blind backhands, clever plays, and a hometown hero shutting the door on her old stomping grounds.
The Sirens struck fast and flashy. Just 2:04 into the game, Chloe Aurard pulled off a no-look backhander that floated in like it had its own GPS. Charge goalie Emerance Maschmeyer judged the puck, and Ottawa found themselves down 1-0 before they’d even broken a sweat.
But the Sirens weren’t done with the trickery. Less than 10 minutes later, Jessie Eldridge served up an assist so sneaky it could’ve been a magician’s act. From the slot, she delivered a blind pass that landed perfectly on Alex Carpenter’s stick for a power-play goal. Carpenter didn’t miss, slamming the puck into a wide-open net to make it 2-0.
Eldridge’s move had fans wondering if she had eyes in the back of her head — and wishing the Charge’s offense had some of that same vision.
Osbourne Owns the Night
While the Sirens dazzled with their stick work, it was Kayle Osbourne who truly stole the show. The Barrhaven native made her professional homecoming one to remember, stopping all 31 of Ottawa’s shots and earning her first career shutout.
Holding space for Kayle Osborne. pic.twitter.com/yNplJtEflH
— New York Sirens (@PWHL_NewYork) January 28, 2025
The Charge peppered Osbourne with opportunities, outshooting the Sirens 31-20, but they couldn’t crack her cool composure. Every slap shot, wrist shot, and rebound seemed to meet the same fate: caught, deflected, or blocked.
For the offensively challenged Charge, it was another frustrating night. The team has struggled to find the back of the net all season, averaging just 1.84 goals per game — the lowest in the PWHL. Not even the return of Katerina Mrazova from a five-game absence could light a fire under the team.
Making matters worse, penalties derailed any hopes of a late comeback. Tereza Vanisova’s five-minute boarding major midway through the third period, followed by another boarding call on Gabby Hughes, left the Charge with a two-player disadvantage. The Sirens capitalized, with Eldridge adding insult to injury by notching her second point of the night and sealing the 3-0 victory.
Home-Ice Woes
TD Place hasn’t been kind to the Charge since their home opener win in December. They’re now 0-0-1-3 at home since that victory and seem to be stuck in a rut in front of their fans.
With the loss, the Charge drop to fourth place in the standings, two points behind the Sirens. But there’s no time to dwell on defeat — they hit the road for games in Montreal on Wednesday and Toronto on Saturday.
Their next chance to redeem themselves at home comes on Feb. 13, when they’ll face the Minnesota Frost. Here’s hoping Cupid brings some scoring luck, because the Charge could definitely use some love from the hockey gods.
Until then, Ottawa fans will be left wondering: Can this team find their spark, or will they keep missing the mark?
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