When Emerance Maschmeyer skated on to the ice inside Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum last Friday, it was a return to game action that’s been nine months and a lot of rehabilitation in the making.

Last March, the goaltender, then with the Ottawa Charge, received a standing ovation from the home crowd for becoming the first PWHL goaltender to reach 1,000 saves.

Moments later, Maschmeyer had to be helped off the ice after sustaining a lower-body injury while making a save.

That injury ended what had been a spectacular season for Maschmeyer. She didn’t know it at the time, but it would also be the last game she’d play for the Ottawa Charge.

Gwyneth Philips took over the starting job in Maschmeyer’s absence and ran with it all the way to the Walter Cup final, where she was named playoff MVP, d

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