Around the NSL: Everything comes down to the final week of the regular season

It all comes down to this.

The final week of the Northern Super League’s regular season has arrived and the standings are anything but sorted.

There will be no Supporters’ Shield repeat for AFC Toronto, the Montreal Roses will battle the Ottawa Rapid in a winner-takes-the-regular-season contest, and fourth place is up for grabs between the Halifax Tides and Vancouver Rise.

How did we get here? Let’s break down the implications of all three regular-season finales after a tumultuous Week 26.

Ottawa Rapid at Montreal Roses (Friday, 6 p.m., CBC Gem)

This is a clash of giants for the 2026 regular-season bragging rights. With Halifax drawing Montreal 2-2 last Saturday and Ottawa dominating Vancouver 5-2 last Sunday, Ottawa finds itself within striking distance of first place, two points behind the Roses.

The Rapid must win to maintain home-field advantage, or hope for a Toronto loss. Ottawa dropped the regular-season series against the Mighty Maroons 1-2-2 (wins, draws, losses), so if the clubs end up tied, second goes to Toronto.

The Roses would end up in first with a win or draw against the Rapid and are in no danger of being overtaken by Toronto in the standings.

What does this all mean? The Supporters’ Shield — the trophy awarded to the regular-season champions — will not only have a new winner this year, the winner of Friday’s match takes the regular-season title.

It’s a must-watch.

Calgary Wild at Vancouver Rise (Saturday, 3 p.m., TSN)

With a 5-2 thumping off the boots of the Rapid last Sunday, the Rise find themselves outside the playoff race looking in. Vancouver tied the season series with the Tides 2-2-1, and both put up five goals aggregate through their five regular-season meetings,so if the Rise finish tied with Halifax after Week 27, the Tides will take the fourth and final playoff spot due to its better overall goal differential.

That’s right, not even the regular-season series or head-to-head goal difference can save the Rise. Vancouver has no control over their destiny Saturday. The club can only draw points from their match against Calgary and hope Halifax can’t muster a point come Sunday.

Oh, how the reigning Diana B. Matheson Cup champs have fallen.

And to have to draw points against the Wild, who just played massive spoiler last Sunday on the road against the Mighty Maroons? Woof.

Halifax Tides at AFC Toronto (Sunday, 6 p.m., YouTube)

Halifax pulling a point against Montreal last Saturday was the match that saved their post-season hopes. Now the Tides find themselves on the road against a fired up Mighty Maroons squad who were blanked 1-0 by the Calgary Wild on home turf last Sunday.

And if that wasn’t enough for the Halifax club, Toronto is looking to force Ottawa back into third place with a win if the Rapid can’t pull off a first Supporters’ Shield title.

What a finale to the league’s second regular season.

Golden Boot race

The silver lining for the Vancouver Rise is Jessica De Filippo’s foot. The forward sits fatop the goal standings with 12 to her name, one ahead of Montreal Roses forward Elyse Bennett.

And unless AFC Toronto forward Lauren Rowe (eight) goes on an absolute tear against the Halifax Tides on Sunday, teammate and Mighty Maroons star Kaylee Hunter (10) is the best candidate to gun for De Filippo’s place.

Hunter is tied with Ottawa Rapid forward Delaney Baie Pridham for third in the Golden Boot race — the award for most goals in the regular season.

Talk about regular-season finale drama. Even the race for the Golden Boot will come down to Sunday’s game.

Golden Glove race

Even the race for the best mitts in the league will be decided Sunday.

Montreal Roses goalkeeper Anna Karpenko leads the league in clean sheets with seven. However, the netminder is sidelined for Week 27, opening the door for AFC Toronto’s Sabrina D’Angelo and Halifax Tides’ Anika Tóth — who both sit with six clean sheets apiece.

Get the popcorn out.

winnipegfreepress.com/graceannepaizen