In a thrilling Game 3 of the PWHL Walter Cup final, the Ottawa Charge overcame a late deficit to defeat the Montreal Victoire 2-1, keeping their championship hopes alive.Facing elimination in front of a playoff-record crowd of 16,894 at the Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa displayed resilience and determination.

Montreal's Hayley Scamurra opened the scoring with under 13 minutes left, but rookie Peyton Hemp tied the game with five-and-a-half minutes remaining.Ottawa’s hometown hero, Rebecca Leslie, then scored the game-winning goal with just 56 seconds left, forcing a decisive Game 4 back in Ottawa.Leslie’s goal underwent review due to a potential hand pass, but was ultimately confirmed, sending the crowd into celebration.Leslie, who has had a remarkable season and previously won a CWHL championship with Calgary Inferno, described the goal as the biggest of her career.Head coach Carla MacLeod emphasized the team’s unity and calm approach under pressure, praising their scrappiness and perseverance.Both goaltenders, Gwyneth Philips and Ann-Renée Desbiens, delivered strong performances, with 27 and 26 saves respectively.

With the series now 2-1 in Montreal’s favour, the Charge will need to replicate their late-game heroics in Game 4 to extend the series and continue their pursuit of the Walter Cup.