PWHL Players of the Week: Leslie, Kjellbin, Philips spread holiday cheer
As we come out of the holiday season, it’s worth looking back at some of the best performances from the PWHL. Players delivered gifts of joy to their team’s fanbases, though it might’ve felt like lumps of coal to opposing teams.
This week’s honorees did battle prior to the holiday break, before powering their respective clubs to victory just a couple of days after Christmas.
Rebecca Leslie, F (Ottawa Charge)
The first big game of the week was another edition of the Battle of Ontario, and it was a local star who led the Charge to victory. Leslie, who had scored just three goals in her first two seasons in the league, continued her string of hot play against her former team. After falling behind 3-0 to the Sceptres last Tuesday, the Ottawa native got the Charge on the board with her third goal of the season.
Goodness gracious Rebecca Leslie what a snipe! 🎯 @PWHL_Ottawa on the board!
After her team managed to tie the game early in the third period, Leslie played the hero in overtime, scoring the game-winner on the power play thanks to a second snipe of Toronto netminder Raygan Kirk. It marked Ottawa’s second straight victory in the extra period, and the team’s first winning streak this season.
LESLIE CALLS GAME ‼️ @PWHL_Ottawa wins BACK-TO-BACK overtime games thanks to a Rebecca Leslie snipe!
For someone who was viewed more as a depth piece with the Charge last season on their way to the PWHL Final, Leslie has really stepped into a top role for a retooled Ottawa team. If the squad wants to climb back up the standings, it will need players like the 29-year-old to continue producing.
Anna Kjellbin, D (Toronto Sceptres)
Though the Sceptres dropped that tough decision to the Charge, the team came away with four points with a little bit of help from one of the team’s defenders. Anna Kjellbin helped Toronto kick off the scoring against Ottawa last week, thanks to doing the simple task of putting the puck on net, with Maggie Connors tipping in her first of the season.
Another first as Maggie Connors scores her first goal of the season! 🚨
With Renata Fast already out due to a day-to-day, and Allie Munroe getting hurt early in the game against the Charge, Kjellbin also played a career-high 20:09 in the overtime loss, but still managed to register a plus/minus of +2.
Then, in the highly anticipated Duel at the Top against the Montreal Victoire on Saturday, Kjellbin picked up a secondary helper, her third on the season, on Daryl Watts’ goal late in the second period, which proved to be the winner in a 2-1 victory.
As the Sceptres continue to try and stay near the top of the pops, Kjellbin’s role will be crucial, especially with Munroe and Fast out for the foreseeable future.
Gwyneth Philips, G (Ottawa Charge)
It was only a matter of time that last year’s playoff MVP earned our weekly honors. Even when the Charge got off to their rough start, Philips was doing everything in her power to give her chance to win. Things are finally starting to trend upward for the reigning runners-up, and the right-handed catching netminder is a key reason why. After making 41 saves in an overtime win over the Minnesota Frost over a week ago, Philips was sensational in the team’s wins oer the Sceptres and Boston Fleet.
The Athens, Ohio natve turned away 34 shots in both games, giving up just two goals against the first-place Fleet on Saturday at TD Place. She made six saves in the record-breaking eight-round shootout, giving the Charge three wins in a row, and handing Boston just its second defeat of the season.
Through eight games, Philips has faced 273 shots, currently the only backstop in the PWHL to hit the 200-mark. Yet, she still has a .930 save percentage, which places her fourth in the league among goaltenders who have played at least four games.