MYHockey News
Pulse of the PWHL: No Signs of Slowing Down in Season 2
By Scott Lowe - MYHockeyRankings.com
We wondered if the Professional Women’s Hockey League could continue building on the momentum it generated during a wildly successful inaugural season and an offseason full of activity, news and exciting announcements.
It did.
We wondered if an early season break in December to accommodate the 2024-25 Women’s Euro Hockey Tour Six Nations Tournament, with Canada and the United States sending teams to compete against Switzerland, Sweden, Finland and Czechia, would halt that momentum and have a negative impact on PWHL Season 2.
It did not.
And after an offseason announcement that the league intends to expand by one or two teams for the 2025-26 campaign, we wondered if North America was ready to support more PWHL teams the way the founding host cities had in Season 1.
Apparently, the answer to that question is a resounding YES!
With the addition of 48 world-class rookies – including 34 from the North American college ranks – the PWHL opened its second season with a game between host Toronto and Boston Nov. 30. There were 159 total rostered players as the season got underway, including 22 international players – eight more than in Season 1.
Toronto welcomed 8,089 fans to its new Coca-Cola Coliseum home that day as the Sceptres knocked off the Fleet, 3-1. Through the first week of Season 2, with each team playing twice, the PWHL attracted nearly 42,000 fans for an average of 6,970 per contest. Each team except the New York Sirens hosted a home opener during the initial week of play, and even the three midweek games drew an average of better than 5,200 per contest. The following week’s games saw crowds of better than 11,000, 7,500 and 4,000.
Taking an Early Break
At that point, the PWHL took a nine-day hiatus as many top players traveled to Tampere, Finland, for the Six Nations Euro Tour event. While that seemed to be a curious time to for a still-fledgling professional league to shut down, the PWHL has gone out of its way to work with the international hockey community in support of events such as the Euro Tour, the USA vs. Canada Rivalry Series and the International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship. Another break is approaching in February, with the last two games of the Rivalry Series on the horizon and the final Euro Tour event on tap Feb. 3-9.
For a league that hopes to expand while continuing to maintain the extremely high level of play demonstrated during its initial campaign – and truly be recognized as the sport’s top professional circuit – it’s imperative for the PWHL to work closely and build strong relationships with the IIHF and other hockey governing bodies. The league needs top players from around the globe to fill its rosters and maintain the high level of play going forward.
After many European professional players took a wait-and-see approach with the PWHL last year, 22 internationals began Season 2 on PWHL rosters. Allowing these players to represent their countries in international competition during the league season – and compete against teams of United States and Canadian college players who are future PWHL stars – is a perfect way to showcase the league and encourage more top international pros to take the plunge in the future. Cooperating with international tournament organizers and allowing players to travel and participate in high-profile events should allay any concerns members of the international women’s hockey community might have about the PWHL and its intentions.
As usual, the Americans and Canadians had a strong showing in Finland, with Team USA compiling a perfect record and defeating Canada, 5-3, in the championship game. The U.S. beat Sweden, 5-0, in one semifinal, while Canada knocked off Finland, 3-0, in the other. The Swedes earned third place with a 2-1 win over the arch-rival Finns.
Back at it Again
PWHL play resumed Dec. 18 as New York became the final team to host a home opener.
The Sirens, who were the only to team to struggle at the gate during PWHL Season 1, played their first home game in New Jersey at the Prudential Center, home to the National Hockey League’s Devils, that night after enduring a nomadic initial campaign during which they played home games in three different states. New York drew 2,851 to the 16,500-seat Prudential Center for the home opener, and another 2,722 showed up to the team’s first weekend home tilt Dec. 22. The Sirens drew nearly 3,000 for their Sunday Dec. 29 game; 1,529 Tuesday, Jan. 7; and 1,800 for another weeknight game in January.
While there’s still work to be done in that important market, only one other PWHL game besides those has been attended by fewer than 3,000 spectators, and only nine out of 38 league contests through Jan. 28 had been played in front of fewer than 4,000 fans.
So, yes, the PWHL has continued to build on the momentum from its inaugural season, and the short international break in December seems to have had had no negative effects on attendance or enthusiasm for the league. The only prominent blip on the radar continues to be fan support for the Sirens, but that was not entirely unexpected in what might be the most competitive market for discretionary entertainment dollars on the planet.
Taking Over
And if the league can’t figure it out in New York, many currently untapped markets seem more than ready to pick up the slack. The PWHL’s nine-city Takeover Tour began Jan. 5 in Seattle, and the response has been nothing short of spectacular.
The Takeover Tour consists of nine neutral-site regular-season contests played at mostly NHL venues in cities that currently don’t have PHWL teams. It’s a unique barnstorming concept that allows the league’s players to experience new “major league” cities and venues while also playing in front of larger-than-normal crowds. Of course, the tour also exposes the players and level of play to new fans in new markets, serving as a dress rehearsal for potential new markets that might be interested in hosting teams when the PWHL expands prior to the 2025-26 season.
Thus far, the PWHL has held Takeover Tour games in Seattle Jan. 5, Vancouver Jan. 9, Denver Jan. 12 and Quebec City Jan. 19. The most recent matchup in Quebec City saw the Montreal Victoire move into sole possession of first place with a 2-1 victory against Ottawa in front of a sold-out audience of 18,259 at Videotron Centre.
Catherine Dubois, who scored the first goal of the game for Montreal in her hometown of Quebec City, seemed almost shocked by the opportunity to play there and the response of the local fans.
“In my wildest dreams, I could never have imagined such a scenario,” she said. “It’s a really special game, and I’m really lucky to be living these moments. When I jumped on the ice, I couldn’t see anything because my eyes were full of tears. I tried to calm down a bit. My legs were heavier, and my heart was beating faster than usual.”
That attendance number marked the league’s second-highest figure of the season and was the second-best showing of the Takeover Tour. The game in Vancouver Jan. 8 between Montreal and Toronto in Rogers Arena drew 19,038 fans. Nearly 13,000 spectators filled Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle to see Montreal take on Boston Jan. 5, and better than 14,000 showed up at the second stop in Denver as Montreal faced off against Minnesota Jan. 12 at Ball Arena.
Montreal’s Jennifer Gardiner returned to her hometown to participate in the Jan. 8 Takeover tour game vs. Toronto.
“There aren’t really any words to describe this experience,” Gardiner said. “Coming to the West Coast in general, let alone playing in Vancouver in my hometown, is so surreal. Just doing it with this team is so special. I was looking around at the crowd, and to see all the litter girls there who have dreamed of playing in a professional hockey league their whole life and will get to do it one day, is so special. I am very excited for the future of women’s hockey out here.”
Three of the first four Takeover Tour contests were played on Sunday afternoons, but the second stop at Rogers Arena in Vancouver was played on a Wednesday night and drew the largest audience. It’s always a good sign when a crowd of that size shows up for a weeknight game. Date 5 of the Takeover tour is set for Sunday, Feb. 16, at 4 p.m. EST, with Toronto taking on Ottawa at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
Remaining PWHL Takeover Tour Schedule
Feb. 16 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta – Toronto Sceptres vs. Ottawa Charge
Feb. 23 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. – Boston Fleet vs. New York Sirens
March 7 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. – Ottawa Charge vs. Minnesota Frost
March 16 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich. – Minnesota Frost vs. New York Sirens
March 29 at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo. – Ottawa Charge vs. Boston Fleet
PWHL Takeover Tour Game Results Through Jan. 29
Jan. 5 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. – Boston 3, Montreal 2 (SO)
Susanna Tapani scored for the Fleet with fewer than 10 minutes remaining in the third period to tie the game at 2 and force what turned out to be a scoreless overtime. Hannah Brandt and Hannah Bilka then scored in the shootout for Boston, allowing Tapani to end it with a tally of her own to make a winner out of netminder Aerin Frankel, who stopped 23 of the 25 shots she faced during regulation and overtime. Frankel also thwarted three of four Montreal shootout attempts, with only the legendary Marie-Philip Poulin able to beat the Fleet goalie. Laura Stacey and Abby Boreen staked the Victoire to a 2-0 first-period lead only to see Bilka and Tapani score in the second and third periods, respectively, to tie the game. Bilka, Boreen and Tapani were the game’s three stars.
Attendance: 12,608
Jan. 9 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C. – Montreal 4, Toronto 2
Marie-Philip Poulin put on a show, scoring twice in front of the largest Takeover Tour crowd to date, as Montreal netted the game’s first three goals in the opening 28 minutes before holding on for the win. Poulin’s second tally, into an empty net, sealed the victory for the Victoire in the final minute and made a winner out of goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens, who stopped 29 shots. Mikyla Grant-Mentis added a goal and an assist for the winners, while Jesse Compher tallied the same total for Toronto. Daryl Watts had the other Sceptre goal, with Renata Fast assisting on both Toronto tallies. Claire Dalton also scored for Montreal. Poulin, Grant-Mentis and Compher were the game’s three stars.
Attendance: 19,038
Jan. 12 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo – Minnesota 4, Montreal 2
Maggie Flaherty and Michela Cava scored third-period goals to break a 2-2 tie in what turned out to be a 4-2 victory for the Frost. Sophia Jaques had given Minnesota a 2-1 lead midway through the middle period, and she also assisted on Cava’s third-period marker. Britta Curl-Salemme scored the Frost’s other goal, while Catherine Dubois and Jennifer Gardiner scored for Montreal. Maddie Rooney picked up the win in goal with 21 saves. Jaques, Gardiner and Rooney were named the game’s three stars.
Attendance: 14,018
Jan. 19 at Videotron Centre in Quebec City – Montreal 2, Ottawa 1
Kati Tabin scored the game-winning goal for Montreal with 6:13 left in the third period after Shiann Darkangelo had tied the game for Ottawa 4:26 earlier. Catherine Dubois opened the scoring for the Victoire in the final minute of the opening period, with Tabin and Erin Ambrose picking up assists. Ambrose and Abby Boreen assisted on the GWG. Ann-Renee Desbiens made 26 saves to earn the win in goal and pick up third-star honors. Dubois and Ottawa goalie Emerance Maschmeyer, who finished with 33 saves, were named the first and second stars.
Attendance: 18,259
Tip of the Iceberg
While the strong attendance numbers enjoyed by the PWHL so far in the league’s first two seasons have been well-documented – and the Takeover Tour also has gotten off to a strong start at the turnstiles – that’s just part of the story. In the second iteration of the Battle on Bay Streat, Jan. 25, host Toronto beat New York, 4-2, in front of 19,102 fans at Scotiabank Arena. It marked the second time in two years that the Battle of Bay Street sold out at the home of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.
Hannah Miller scored twice for the Sceptres – she also scored in last year’s Battle on Bay Street – in what was the third highest-attended game in PWHL history. More than 10,000 fans have attended nine of the league’s 38 contests this season, and more than 14,000 have turned out on four occasions.
Montreal hosts Boston at the Bell Centre March 1 in the second annual Duel at the Top. Last year’s game at Bell Centre drew an all-time women’s hockey-record 21,105 fans April 20, 2024.
More History Being Made
Gwyneth Philips became the first rookie in PWHL history to record a shutout Jan. 21 in Ottawa’s 1-0 victory against Minnesota. She turned aside all 22 shots she faced to earn first-star honors and outduel second-star Maddie Rooney. Brianne Jenner buried the game-winning goal at 3:19 of the opening period to collect third-star honors. For Philips it was her first career victory in her third career start. She was selected by Ottawa in the third round of the 2024 draft. Philips also is the youngest goalie ever to record a PWHL clean sheet.
Sprinting into the Break
This is the busiest time of the season for PWHL teams as the league prepares to head into its second international break. The league is middle of a stretch in which there are nine consecutive days with games.
The busy stretch began Jan. 25 and extends through Feb. 2, the last day of play before another eight-day hiatus. New York and Toronto each play four times during the nine days, with Ottawa and Montreal playing three times apiece. Minnesota and Boston play twice. The Victoire are off until Jan. 29, but they close out the stretch with three games in five days, including back-to-back contests against Ottawa and Toronto Jan. 29 and 30. Montreal travels to New York Feb. 2 for the last game before the break.
Three Stars of the Week
The PWHL Three Stars of the Week are announced each Monday throughout the regular season and playoffs. Points are awarded to players each time they are selected to determine the overall rankings for the season.
First Star = 30 Points Second Star = 20 Points Third Star = 10 Points
The most recent PWHL Three Stars of the Week are:
1. Alina Muller – F, Boston Fleert
2. Hannah Miller – F, Toronto Sceptres
3. Taylore Heise – F, Minnesota Frost
Muller played a role in four of Boston’s six scores for the week and had a point in three straight outings. Miller scored twice in a win against New York and improved her season totals to 6 goals 3 three assists in 12 games. Heise recorded 12 of her team’s 49 shots on goal for the week and notched the fourth two-goal game of her career. She has three two-point outings this season and 12 points in t13 games.
Three Stars of the Week Season Standings
Marie-Philip Poulin (MTL) 60
Abby Boreen (MTL) 50
Alex Carpenter (NY) 40
Erin Ambrose (MTL) 30
Sarah Fillier (NY) 30
Emerance Maschmeyer (OTT) 30
Alina Müller (BOS) 30
Susanna Tapani (BOS) 30
Claire Thompson (MIN) 30
Michela Cava (MIN) 20
Kendall Coyne Schofield (MIN) 20
Megan Keller (BOS) 20
Hannah Miller (TOR) 20
Kateřina Mrázová (OTT) 20
Corinne Schroeder (NY) 20
Taylor Heise (MIN) 10
Hilary Knight (BOS) 10
Sidney Morin (BOS) 10
Leaders of the Pack
PWHL statistical leaders thorough Jan. 28
Points
Kendall Coyne Schofield (MIN) – 14
Taylor Heise (MIN) – 14
Sarah Fillier (NY) – 13
Alex Carpenter (NY) – 12
Goals
Kendall Coyne Schofield (MIN) – 6
Alex Carpenter (NY) – 6
Hannah Miller (TOR) – 6
Michela Cava (MIN) – 6
Sarah Fillier (NY) – 5
Assists
Claire Thompson (MIN) – 11
Taylor Heise (MIN) – 10
Renata Fast (TOR) – 10
Erin Ambrose (MTL) – 8
Jessie Eldridge (NY) – 8
Goalie Wins
Ann-Renee Desbiens (MTL) – 6
Maddie Rooney (MIN) – 6
Corinne Schroeder (NY) – 6
Aerin Frankel (BOS) – 5
Emerance Maschmeyer (OTT) – 4
Save Percentage
Corinne Schroeder (NY) – .932
Emerance Maschmeyer (OTT) – .929
Ann-Renee Desbiens (MTL) – .928
Aerin Frankel (BOS) – .925
Maddie Rooney (MIN) – .919
Goals Against Average
Maddie Rooney (MIN) – 1.96
Ann-Renee Desbiens (MTL) – 1.96
Corinne Schroeder (NY) – 2.00
Aerin Frankel (BOS) – 2.08
Emerance Maschmeyer (OTT) – 2.22
Schedule & Viewing Guide Through Feb. 2
Wednesday, Jan. 29 7 p.m. ET – Ottawa Charge at Montreal Victoire (Place Bell) TSN 1/5, RDS
Thursday, Jan. 30 7 p.m. ET – Toronto Sceptres at Montreal Victoire (Place Bell) TSN 4, RDS 2
Friday, Jan. 31 7 p.m. ET – New York Sirens at Boston Fleet (Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell) NESN, MSG/MSGHD
Saturday, Feb. 1 2 p.m. ET – Ottawa Charge at Toronto Sceptres (Coca-Cola Coliseum) CBC
Sunday, Feb. 2 1 p.m. ET – Montreal Victoire at New York Sirens (Prudential Center) MSG/MSGHD, TSN 5, RDS
All PWHL games will be streamed on the league’s YouTube Channel and the PWHL website. Games also can be viewed worldwide outside of Canada. In Czechia and Slovakia, games are available on Nova Sport.
