Sparked by a controversial call in the second period, the Ottawa Charge staged a dramatic rally in an effort to take a stranglehold on their first-ever playoff series Sunday afternoon at Place Bell.

Shiann Darkangelo broke a third-period tie, Gwyneth Philips made 31 saves and the Ottawa Charge beat the Montreal Victoire 3-2 on Thursday night in Game 1 of the PWHL semifinal series.

It would be great for Toronto if Spooner entered the 2025 playoffs in MVP form. But if she’s not, and she’s just fine, the Sceptres have proven that it’s not a death knell for them. Not the way it was last year.