Here are the games we’ll be paying extra attention to, but there’s “only” four games total this week. Watch them all!
Sunday, January 19 at 1 p.m. Eastern
Ottawa Charge at Montréal Victoire, Takeover Tour at Videotron Centre, Québec City
How is this Montréal’s third takeover game? This one is closer to home–the teams will take the ice at Videotron Centre in Québec City. The first three games of the tour have amassed a total attendance of 45,664 in Seattle, Vancouver and Denver. The first three Takeover Tour games have produced the three largest attendances in the PWHL this season.
This game will give the Victoire a chance to pull ahead of the Minnesota Frost in the standings—both teams are tied for first place with 20 points each. If Montréal wins against Ottawa they’ll take the lead. It could be short-lived, though. Minnesota is back in action on Tuesday, also against Ottawa.
Montréal forward and captain Marie-Philip Poulin took the top spot in the PWHL ‘3 Stars of the Week’ with a three-point week in the Victoire’s first two takeover tour games. She also scored a power play goal in their 4-2 win over the Frost on Friday. More good news from Friday: Victoire defender Amanda Boulier was activated from the long-term injured reserve (LTIR).
Ottawa’s last game was a 4-2 loss to Toronto on Jan. 14 during which they ended an 0-for-13 power play drought and goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer got them as far as she could with 35 saves on 38 shots.
Watch on: TSN, RDS Info, PWHL YouTube
Wednesday, January 22 at 7 p.m. Eastern
Toronto Sceptres at Boston Fleet
Both teams have been waiting around a bit since their last game. The Sceptres haven’t played since their 4-2 win against Ottawa on Jan. 14. Boston hasn’t played since their OT win in Ottawa way back on Jan. 11. Despite their semi-recent successes, both teams come into this game at the bottom of the standings. Boston sits in 5th place with 12 points and Toronto sits in last place with 11 points. Boston has only two regulation wins, and has scored the least amount of goals in the league. Eight of Boston’s 12 points were earned at home, while only four of Toronto’s 11 points were earned away.
Boston forward Sidney Morin was named a PWHL Star of the Week—she scored both of Boston’s goals in their last game. Toronto defender Sarah Nurse was named a SupraStar of the month for December.
Toronto and Boston both need to grab these points, and hopefully the teams are able to harness the distant momentum from their last games to deliver a competitive matchup. They’re a point apart right now, but the three points gained from a regulation win will widen the margin.
Watch: TSN, NESN, PWHL YouTube
Saturday, January 25 at 2 p.m. Eastern
New York Sirens at Toronto Sceptres
The Sirens won both of their previous matchups against the Sceptres. Though their win at home on Jan. 12 was controversial, it was a battle of the goalies that went into overtime tied 0-0.
That was New York goaltender Corinne Schroeder’s second shutout in a row, making her the first-ever goaltender to post back-to-back shutouts during the PWHL regular season. She was also named PWHL’s second star of the week and is responsible for the league’s only two shutouts so far this season.
New York’s impressive goaltending is a must, because their scoring is basically contained to their top line. At five goals each, forwards Alex Carpenter and Sarah Fillier combine for just under 35% of the team’s goals so far. The Sirens are going to have to figure out how to activate their depth scoring—they can’t keep relying on Schroeder to steal them games.
Watch: CBC, MSG, PWHL YouTube
