Montreal Victorious In Shutout Win Over Ottawa In Front Of A Record Crowd
In front of a record 17,114, the Ottawa Charge dropped a 3-0 decision to the playoff-bound Montreal Victoire, setting up a very nerve-wracking final stretch of games for fans.
In what very well could be a preview of seasons to come for the Ottawa Charge, women's hockey fans packed into the Canadian Tire Centre and welcomed the home team back to the city after a month-long road trip for a matchup against the second-place Montreal Victoire. The game marked only the second time the Charge have played at the Canadian Tire Centre following their matchup against the same Victoire on December 6, 2025, which also resulted in a Montreal victory. Before this game, the largest-ever crowd for a women's hockey game in the nation's capital was set at the 2013 IIHF Women's World Championship, when 18,013 attended a preliminary-round matchup between Canada and Finland on April 5, 2013.
While that record still stands, it left the previous Charge record of 11,065 in the rearview mirror. It also becomes the third-largest Canadian crowd in the league this season, and the fifth-largest overall. "For me, obviously being from Ottawa, it was really special to see the community come out to support us," Rebecca Leslie said.
"Growing up here, I knew how special the women's hockey community was, and then to see it tonight is really special. We have the best fans in the league. " In terms of the game itself, this one is going to sting for Charge fans.
It wasn't just that Montreal shut them out, but how it happened. Ottawa had their chances, outshooting the Victoire in all three periods, finishing 39-26. They led in the faceoff circle, starting with a massive advantage before coming back down to earth, finishing 58.