Report: Charge goalie Emerance Maschmeyer could miss rest of season

The Ottawa Charge may have to rely on backup netminder Gywneth Philips as they chase a spot in the PWHL playoffs.

According to the Ottawa Sun‘s Don Brennan, Charge goalie Emerance Maschmeyer could miss the rest of the season with a lower-body injury she suffered in Wednesday’s win over the Minnesota Frost. Brennan reported that the injury could keep her out “until the end of April, if not longer.”

At first glance it looked like Maschmeyer made a rather innocuous save, but silence fell as the 30-year-old was unable to get up on her own and needed to be helped off the ice.

Moments earlier, Maschmeyer had been given a standing ovation for making her 1,000th regular-season career save.

Maschmeyer was placed on long-term injured reserve earlier Friday. In a corresponding move, Ottawa signed goaltender Lucy Morgan on Friday to serve as the team’s third-string option.

“We don’t know, to be honest,” Charge GM Mike Hirshfeld told reporters Friday morning when asked if Maschmeyer could return before the end of the regular season.

“It’s to be determined. It depends on the course of treatment and how it goes. We’ve got the world championship break for three weeks next month, so she won’t play for Team Canada, and we’ll see where we are towards the end of April.”

Five of the Charge’s eight remaining games come before the PWHL goes on a break from April 3 to 26 for the Women’s World Championship in Czechia. Ottawa returns to the ice on April 26.

Maschmeyer has been one of the top goalies in the PWHL this season. She has a 2.58 goals-against average and .913 save percentage through 18 games as Ottawa looks to crack the PWHL’s top four.

It entered Friday sitting in fifth place with 30 points, five out of the league’s final post-season spot.

The Charge will now lean on Philips, who has been solid in seven games. She has a 2.29 goals-against average and .908 save percentage this season for Ottawa.

“This is where we’re thrilled to have Gwyneth,” Hirshfeld said. “It’s exactly why we drafted her, to have to cover in this situation. We feel that she’s capable of stepping in and playing at a very high level.”

— With files from the Canadian Press

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