OTTAWA – Emerance Maschmeyer had a 35-save shutout and Brianne Jenner had her first hat trick of the season to lead Ottawa to a 4-0 victory over Minnesota at The Arena at TD Place on Saturday evening.
Maschmeyer now has shutouts in two of her last three starts and has backstopped Ottawa to three straight victories.
With her trio of goals on Saturday, Jenner moves into fourth place in the PWHL scoring race with 18 points (8G, 10A) in 20 games played. She’s recorded two or more points in three straight games (5G, 3A).
Jenner first got on the board at 17:14 of the first period when she capitalized on a turnover by Minnesota goaltender Nicole Hensley, who was playing the puck behind the net, to give Ottawa a 1-0 lead.
Jenner doubled her team’s lead at 4:07 of the second period on a play that started after a Minnesota defender lost an edge behind the net.
Emily Clark took advantage of the slip, gaining possession of the puck before making a no-look pass to Jenner who was all alone in the slot. Jenner quickly fired the puck through Hensley’s pads for her second tally of the game and seventh of the season.
With the game 3-0, Jenner got her third goal of the game at 15:39 of the third period.
Ottawa forward Tereza Vanišová stole the puck from the Minnesota defender and found Daryl Watts as she was entering the offensive zone with speed. Watts then tapped the puck to Jenner who was rushing towards the net. Ottawa’s captain completed the play—and the hat trick— by roofing the puck over Hensley’s glove.
Vanišová also picked up an assist on Ottawa’s third goal of the game, scored at 11:01 of the second frame.
Just ten seconds after a Minnesota powerplay ended, Ottawa defender Ashton Bell jumped into the play and one-timed a pass from Vanišová into the back of the net to give the home team a 3-0 lead.
Minnesota had a 5-on-3 opportunity early in the third period with the game 3-0, but Maschmeyer stood tall, making six saves while her team was shorthanded.
Ottawa has collected points in each of their last six games played and, with the regulation victory, leapfrog Boston back into fourth place in the PWHL. Boston briefly had a one-point lead in the standings when the game began after defeating New York earlier in the day.
Hensley made 18 saves in the loss.
