PWHL Ottawa misses shot to clinch playoffs as New York sews up top pick in draft

Kayla Vespa scored a go-ahead goal in the second period and New York rallied to beat Ottawa 4-3 on Tuesday night to secure the first overall pick in the 2024 PWHL draft.

New York (4-4-3-12), which had already been eliminated from playoff contention, snapped a three-game losing streak with just its third win at home this season.

New York scored three goals in less than five minutes to take a 3-2 lead with 7:40 remaining in the second. Jade Downie-Landry started the sequence with her seventh goal of the season and Ella Shelton tied it at 2-all with her sixth.

Vespa backhanded a loose puck in front of the net to put New York ahead and Elizabeth Giguere scored the fourth straight goal for a 4-2 lead.

WATCH | Vespa leads New York past Ottawa:

Ottawa (8-1-6-8), which had a four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday, could have clinched a playoff spot with a regulation win.

Hayley Scamurra gave Ottawa a 2-0 lead with 5:35 left in the first by beating Schroeder on the glove side with a shot from just inside the right circle.

Ottawa got within 4-3 with 58.1 seconds remaining when Daryl Watts slotted a shot between the pads of Schroeder for her ninth goal of the season.

WATCH | Hockey North takes you through the latest on the PWHL: