Alina Müller and Jamie Lee Rattray scored 1:31 apart late in the second as the Boston Fleet beat the Ottawa Charge 2-1 in Game 1 of the PWHL semifinal.
Boston’s playoff message arrived fast and late, with Alina Müller and Jamie Lee Rattray finding the net in quick succession to give the Fleet a 2-1 Game 1 win over the Ottawa Charge.
The decisive stretch came in the closing minutes of the second period.. Müller used a pass from Jessie Eldridge. split defenders. and beat goaltender Sanni Ahola with 2:03 remaining. marking her third career playoff goal.. Less than two minutes later. Rattray made it a two-goal swing. finishing a backhand attempt through Ahola’s pads at 1:31 after Müller’s strike.
This matters because those back-to-back goals changed the tempo of the series, shifting momentum to Boston just as the game tightened.
Ottawa did get on the board first. Jocelyne Larocque scored on the power play at 1:54 left in the opening period, tipping in Rory Guilday’s shot for her second goal of the season. It was a reminder that the Charge were never out of the fight, even as Boston took control of the middle stretch.
Misryoum notes that the scoring rhythm felt different from recent meetings between the teams. In this game, Boston and Ottawa played through the full 60 minutes without needing overtime or a shootout, a departure from how five of their previous matchups were decided.
Still, Game 1 outcomes often set the psychological tone more than they settle the standings. With Boston securing the early advantage, the next step is about sustaining intensity rather than chasing panic.
Looking ahead, the Fleet will host Ottawa in Game 2 on Saturday, where both sides will have to adjust quickly to the adjustments that naturally follow a tightly contested opener.
In this context, the semifinal’s first chapter underlines what both teams already know: small margins and timely scoring will be at a premium as the best-of-five unfolds.