In this article, we’ll outline our best PWHL Victoire vs Charge prediction for Game 4, as well as the relevant betting notes for both teams.
It certainly wouldn’t have felt right for the Charge to be swept in this series based on how competitive each matchup has been, and the Charge finally had some breaks go their way in their 2-1 win in Game 3. After a controversial finish to Game 2, it wouldn’t have felt right for Rebecca Leslie’s late go-ahead goal to come off the board, and the goal eventually stood up as the winner following a lengthy review.
Home teams have now won the first three games of the series, though all three games were closely contested and could have gone the other way. We will be counting on another cagey start to Game 4, with our best bet on the first period under.
Victoire vs Charge Game 4 Prediction: First Period Under 0.5 Goals +160
This is a play we have leaned on a lot on the NHL side of things this postseason, specifically in high-pressure elimination games. Players often lean toward making more conservative decisions with the puck in this type of situation, and defensive miscues or moments where players are caught out of position tend to dry up.
Throughout the first three periods of this series we have seen just one combined goal. 2-on-1’s and quality chances off the rush have been particularly rare, and though the series as a whole has been quite cagey, that’s been especially true with neutral score-lines.
As was to be expected, entering the series, Ann-Renee Desbiens and Gywneth Philips have both made all of the saves they are supposed to, and it continues to feel as though only full-fledged defensive breakdowns are likely to lead to goals, aside from some fluky bounces out front.
Typically, things tend to tighten up to an even greater extent in the later stages of a series, and with that in mind, a price of +160 looks quite appealing for a bet that has already hit in two of three games in the Walter Cup Final.
Victoire vs. Charge First Period Under 0.5 Goals
Victoire vs. Charge Odds
| Victoire Moneyline Odds | -130 |
| Charge Moneyline Odds | +100 |
| Game Total Odds | Over 3.5 -120, Under 3.5 -110 |
| Game Spread Odds | Victoire -1.5 (+240), Charge -1.5 (-330) |
| To Win Series | Victoire -500 Charge +350 |
Odds courtesy of bet365.
Betting Montreal Victoire
Head coach Kori Cheverie noted ahead of Game 3 that she knew it would be the hardest win of the series for her team to obtain. By no means was it a bad effort, and it was arguably a much stronger effort than the Victoire authored in their Game 1 victory. Both teams generated 28 shots on goal in Game 3, and the Victoire did a fairly good job of limiting the Charge’s chances from the inside.
It felt like it was only fair for the Charge to get somewhat of a fortunate win, after the Victoire’s controversial overtime winner in Game 2, after a pretty blatant missed tripping penalty.
Hayley Scamurra finally broke the ice in Game 3 with what felt surely to be the championship-winning goal, but the Charge showed plenty of resiliency once again in authoring a spirited comeback.
While the Victoire have generated slightly more scoring chances in the series and have seemingly elevated their level of play following a slow start in Game 1, they arguably have not controlled play to the extent that was expected based on their dominant regular season.
The idea that these matchups have been slightly more even than was to be expected has not been lost on oddsmakers, as the Victoire have been gradually less favoured in each of the four games.
Neither team has scored a power play goal in the series, but it’s been the Victoire penalty kill that has looked especially sharp and well-organized, while, when needed, Desbiens has been rock-solid in goal.
Montreal allowed just 1.36 goals against per game in the regular season, and from an analytical perspective, was the best defensive team in the league. Aside from the early portion of Game 1, it has been as sharp as expected in the series, but it has had a tough time generating the type of chances needed to beat Philips at the other end, which was likely something the team feared when it opted to pass on selecting the Charge as a first-round opponent.
Betting Ottawa Charge
Given how dominant the Victoire have been defensively this season and the cagey, low-event nature of Game 3 overall, the Charge’s eventual comeback win was logically quite unlikely. But for those who have closely followed the team this season, it probably felt more likely than it actually was, as they have shown plenty of resiliency when their mettle has been tested all season long.
Head coach Carla McLeod continues to provide the team with plenty of motivation to dig in when things get tough, and from a tactical perspective, has the team playing a well-organized brand of hockey, even if to some extent the Victoire have carried more of the overall run of play.
Based on the superior talent on Montreal’s roster, it’s not overly realistic for the Charge to carry more of the overall run of play. Ottawa has done a relatively good job of protecting against plays through the seams and allowing Philips to be set and square to shooters this postseason, though, and seemingly has a strong understanding of how to maximize the effectiveness of its elite netmindeer.
Hometown hero Rebecca Leslie scored the game-winning goal in Game 4 and, across the regular season and playoffs, now has 18 tallies to lead the PWHL. The Charge have seemingly proven capable of hanging around in the depth minutes in this series, but may need Leslie and Brianne Jenner to continue to match the production of Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey on the other side in order to hang around in the series.
