PWHL Ottawa snaps Toronto’s 11-game winning streak with 5-3 victory

Hockey fans saw a massive upset in the PWHL on Saturday afternoon as Ottawa defeated Toronto 5-3, snapping Toronto’s 11-game winning streak.

Toronto jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to back-to-back goals in the second period from league-leader Natalie Spooner, who now has 15 on the season. With five seconds left in the frame, Daryl Watts scored her sixth of the season to cut the deficit to one.

Just over 30 seconds in the third period, Gabbie Hughes scored her eighth to tie it at two, then captain Brianne Jenner netted her fifth to give Ottawa a 3-2 lead. With five minutes to go in the final frame, Watts were score her second of the game to make it 4-2.

Toronto’s Sarah Nurse would score a minute later to make it 4-3, but Watts would score an empty netter, giving her a hat trick and Ottawa just their seventh win of the season.

The loss is Toronto’s first since Jan. 23, which just so happened to be in TD Place when Ottawa defeated them 3-1. Throughout the 11-game winning streak, Toronto only trailed in a game once.

Ottawa is now 7-6-6 with 27 points, giving them a five-point lead ahead of Boston for the fourth and final playoff spot in the league.

Meanwhile, Toronto is still in first place, now 13-6-0 with 36 points. They’re three points clear of second-place Minnesota and six points of third-place Montreal.

There’s two games left on the PWHL schedule before a three-week international break for the 2024 World Championships in Utica, N.Y. On Sunday, Minnesota hosts Montreal, then on Monday, New York hosts Boston.