Flaherty’s OT Goal Lifts Montreal to 2-1 Victory Over Ottawa in Walter Cup Finals

Maggie Flaherty became the hero for the Montreal Victoire, scoring the decisive goal just 14:12 into overtime to secure a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Charge in Game 2 of the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Walter Cup final. Flaherty’s one-timer from the slot, set up by a precise pass from Marie-Philip Poulin, found the back of the net past goaltender Gwyneth Philips, marking her second goal of the playoffs.

This victory puts Montreal ahead 2-0 in the best-of-five series, following their dramatic 3-2 overtime win in the opener just days earlier. As they prepare for Game 3, set to take place in Ottawa on Monday, the Charge face the pressure of elimination for the first time this postseason.

Kati Tabin also contributed to Montreal’s scoring, netting their first goal of the game. For Ottawa, Sarah Wozniewicz found the back of the net, giving the Charge a brief lead. The game started slowly for Ottawa, which didn’t register a shot in the first eight minutes. However, they capitalized on their first opportunity when Wozniewicz discovered a loose puck in the crease after a shot ricocheted off the post behind Montreal goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens.

Despite Ottawa’s early lead, the Victoire dominated the first period in terms of shots, outshooting the Charge 11-5. They also managed to kill off the only penalty of the period. The turning point came just 32 seconds into the second period when Tabin picked up a loose puck off a faceoff and skillfully roofed a backhand shot over Philips, tying the game. This marked Tabin’s first goal of the playoffs.

The middle period was a physical affair, with Ottawa outshooting Montreal 6-4. The best chance came from Montreal’s Laura Stacey, whose breakaway wrist shot hit the crossbar, keeping the game tied heading into the final frame.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.