Daryl Watts netted her second goal just 51 seconds into overtime, leading the Toronto Sceptres to a thrilling 3-2 win over the Ottawa Charge in a Sunday matchup held in Edmonton.
The Charge initiated the scoring with a power-play goal from Gabbie Hughes at 3:58 in the first period.
Toronto rallied back when Watts recorded her first goal via another power play with under five minutes remaining in the second period. Julia Gosling then added to the momentum by scoring on the power play just 24 seconds before the intermission, granting Toronto a 2-1 advantage heading into the third period.
In the third, Tereza Vanisova leveled the score for Ottawa with her own power-play goal at 4:10.
Hannah Miller was pivotal in Toronto’s offensive play, providing assists on all three goals, while Renata Fast contributed with two assists. Raygan Kirk made an impressive 33 saves in goal for the Sceptres, while Emerance Maschmeyer recorded 31 saves for the Charge.
The event was a sold-out occasion in Edmonton, marking the fifth of nine neutral-site matchups in this season’s PWHL Takeover Tour.
Notably, Toronto’s star player Natalie Spooner was rested for this game as part of “load management” following her return from injury in a recent win against Minnesota.
Takeaways from the match revealed that despite Kirk allowing a goal on Ottawa’s initial shot, the Sceptres entered the first intermission only trailing 1-0, even while being heavily outshot 17-2.
After a strong start to the game, the Charge seemed to lose their momentum in the second period, ultimately being outshot 19-5.
A defining moment unfolded during the three-on-three overtime when Watts skillfully maneuvered down the wing, darting behind the Charge’s net before executing a wraparound shot to clinch the victory.
As a result of this win, Toronto extended its winning streak to four games. Meanwhile, following an 8-3 defeat of Minnesota, this marks the second consecutive point-earning match for Ottawa.
Looking ahead, the Sceptres are set to visit the New York Sirens on Wednesday night, while the Charge will host the Boston Fleet on Thursday evening.
