By Canadian Press

Susanna Tapani’s OT winner helps Fleet escape late scare from Charge

Feb 20, 2025 | 9:02 PM

OTTAWA — Susanna Tapani scored on a breakaway with just 47 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Boston Fleet a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Charge in Professional Women’s Hockey League action on Thursday night.

The Charge dominated play in the overtime period but Tapani broke free in her own end and outskated Ottawa’s defenders before beating Emerance Maschmeyer.

Tereza Vanisova tied the game for the Charge with 2.9 seconds left in the third period after Ronja Savolainen scored the first Charge goal. That came at 16:37 of the third period to cut the Fleet lead to 2-1.

There were some other fireworks in the third period. With eight minutes to play in the game, the fists were flying and several punches landed between Vanisova and Boston’s Jill Saulnier, but at the end of the battle, the combatants were handed just a roughing minor each.

Theresa Schafzahl and Alina Muller scored first-period goals for Boston (6-3-3-6) before Ottawa’s (6-1-3-8) third-period comeback.

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Aerin Frankel finished the game with 21 saves for the Fleet while her counterpart, Maschmeyer turned aside 27 shots in the Charge goal.

The Fleet took control of the game early and were much quicker on the puck. That early pressure led to a 2-0 Boston lead after the opening 20 minutes.

Schafzahl opened the scoring at 8:18 as she took a pass from Ottawa native Jamie Lee Rattray and beat Maschmeyer glove side with a shot from the slot.

Just under eight minutes later, the Fleet went up 2-0 has Muller went five-hole on Maschmeyer on a short-handed partial breakaway.

The play was much more evenly distributed in the second period, although neither side was able to score.

NOTES: Five of the seven meetings between these teams have been decided by one goal, including both this season, both Fleet wins… Frankel recently surpassed 1,000 saves to lead all PWHL netminders all time. Maschmeyer is second with 951 saves after Thursday’s game… The two were also ranked first and second in save percentage this season with Frankel at .932 and Maschmeyer at .922.

UP NEXT: The Charge host the Montreal Victoire on Saturday. and the New York Sirens Feb. 26.

The Fleet will be up next on the Takeaway Tour when they will be in Buffalo, N.Y., to face the New York Sirens on Sunday at KeyBank Centre.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.

Darren Desaulniers, The Canadian Press