Ottawa Charge 31-year-old power forward Shiann Darkangelo definitely knows what it takes to win.
On the international stage, Darkangelo has bagged lofty achievements such as helping Team USA strike gold at the U18 IIHF Women’s World Championships and, five years later, winning another gold with Team USA at the senior IIHF Women’s World Championships.
Darkangelo is from Royal Oak, Michigan, and grew up a big Detroit Red Wings fan, along with liking Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby. Among her many achievements, she won the Isobel Cup with the NWHL’s Buffalo Beauts (2017), and six years later, in 2023, she won it again, only this time as captain of the Toronto Six.
Presently, Darkangelo has been focused on helping the Charge in their quest to win the prestigious Walter Cup.
“At the end of the day, we want to win the Walter Cup,” Darkangelo said. “It would be awesome, and that’s something we’ve been working towards every day. It’s exciting to have a chance to do something which hasn’t been done before.”
Not only has Ottawa never won the Walter Cup, but they have never qualified for the playoffs until May 3, 2025, when, at Coca-Cola Coliseum, franchise history was made when this second-year franchise defeated the Toronto Sceptres 2-1 in OT to stamp their ticket to the PWHL playoffs.
“This has been a great building season,” Darkangelo said. “We’ve really trended in the right direction. This (team) is a great group of women.”
Back on March 18, 2024, Darkangelo officially became an Ottawa Charge when she was involved in a multiplayer deal that saw her traded from the Boston Fleet.
Upon being traded, she finished out the season with Ottawa before showing how dedicated she was to the organization and city when, on June 26, 2024, she agreed to a one-year contract extension with the club.
“They (fans) recognize you and they love the hockey,” Darkangelo said. In terms of returning to Ottawa, she replied, “I really like the team. Obviously, it (missing playoffs last year) wasn’t the result we wanted on the ice.”
Ottawa, which finished third overall this year with 44 points, was matched up against the first-place Montreal Victoire in a best-of-five first-round series.
“Playing a five-game playoff series is more exciting. It’s a real battle,” Darkangello said. “It’s a real battle, and more worth it when you win.”
This past season, Darkangelo produced eight goals along with 16 points in 27 games played. In critiquing her game, she believes her strengths include, “Good defense and playing a 200-foot game”. She also mentioned playing physical and having a great shot.
Earlier in her career, Darkangelo also excelled at the NCAA level. After two years with the Syracuse Orange, she scored 23 goals and 40 points in 70 games played. She also put up some solid NCAA numbers while playing for the Quinnipiac Bobcats, where in two seasons, she scored 33 goals and 60 points in 60 games played.
With such a rich career full of great accomplishments, it was difficult for Darkangelo to narrow down her absolute favourite moment. “There have been so many cool memories. Playing in China was a unique experience.”
That happened during the 2017-18 season, when she played with the Canadian Women’s Hockey League first-year squad as a Sports Ambassador for the Kunlun Red Stars in Shenzhen, China.
With a 2–1 lead in their best-of-five series, the Ottawa Charge are just one win away from advancing past the first round of the PWHL playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
They’ll have that chance on home ice tonight—Friday, May 16—at TD Place when they face off against the top-seeded Montreal Victoire. With players like Darkangelo, Ottawa fans have every reason to believe this could be a night to remember.
Photo: Courtesy PWHL Charge
