Hannah Brandt secured the decisive goal in a shootout, propelling the Boston Fleet to claim the top spot in the Professional Women’s Hockey League standings after a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Charge on Saturday. Abby Newhook and Alina Müller notched goals in regular play for the Fleet (8-3-2-2), while Aerin Frankel made 23 saves. Rebecca Leslie scored twice for the Charge (4-5-1-7) with Gwyneth Phillips stopping 21 shots.
In the first period, the Charge displayed a strong performance, but it was the Fleet that took advantage of the opportunities. Müller set up Newhook near the blue line with 5:08 remaining, allowing Newhook to find the back of the net past Phillips.
During the lackluster second period where Ottawa struggled to create chances, Leslie kickstarted the third period by equalizing 1-1 on a power play goal assisted by Emily Clark. Leslie then swiftly scored her second goal, giving the Charge a 2-1 lead.
With her 10th goal of the season, Leslie joined a five-way tie for the league’s scoring lead with 16 points. Brianne Jenner of Ottawa also reached 16 points with an assist on Leslie’s first goal. Despite Leslie’s strong offensive display, the Fleet managed to level the score at 2-2 on a power play goal by Müller that deflected off Ottawa’s Kathryn Reilly.
The game featured 15 Olympians from the Milano Cortina 2026 Games. Looking ahead, Ottawa is set to face the Seattle Torrent on March 4, while Boston will travel to play against the New York Sirens on March 5.
