The Ottawa Charge’s semifinal grind and a consistent approach against elite goaltending could be key to winning the Walter Cup.
Against Boston, Philips averaged 34 saves a game and faced 142 shots over the four-game semifinal.. It was an enormous workload, even for an elite goaltender.. But, at the other end, Desbiens has also proven she can steal playoff games, and she has already done exactly that this postseason.. Take Game 5 of the semifinal as an example.. Montreal was outshot 13-5 through the first period, yet Montreal still found a way to win.. Sound
familiar, Charge fans?. Statistically, Desbiens also enters this series with the top numbers of any goalie in the postseason.. Through five games, she has a 1.56 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage, narrowly edging Philips in both categories.. Still, Ottawa has already shown it can adapt against elite goaltending, as it did against Boston’s Aerin Frankel.. So, Jenner said, the game plan doesn’t really change.. “In this league, we face a lot of elite
goaltending,” she said.. “I think (Desbiens) is at the top, and the recipe doesn’t really change.. It’s how hard you’re going to work to get in front of her, to get in on those loose pucks around the net and just make life as difficult as possible because we know she’s a great player.”
Ottawa Charge, Walter Cup, Desbiens, Philips, elite goaltending, semifinal adjustments, playoff hockey