Montréal is still the only team with a secure spot in the playoffs. All PWHL teams have four games left in their schedules as the race continues.
There are only three games this week before the league takes a break for the IIHF Women’s World Championship tournament (happening April 9-20 in Czechia). Let’s take a look.
Sunday, March 30 at 12 p.m. Central
Toronto Sceptres at Minnesota Frost
Before we discuss the hockey, can we talk about Natalie Spooner and Sarah Nurse on Top Chef?! When they announced a Canada season we assumed we’d see hockey included, but we did not expect the first appearances to be women’s players. If you haven’t watched, you for sure should go back and do so.
The Sceptres latest game, a 4-2 comeback win against Boston, extended their point streak to four games during March. Toronto is now in second place in the standings, five points ahead of Boston and just three points behind Montréal.
Forward Daryl Watts has points in four of Toronto’s five games this month. Watts is a league leader in all three skater categories: still third in points with 25, including 10 goals (fourth in the league) and 15 assists (tied for first in the league with fellow Sceptres teammate defender Renata Fast and New York Sirens forward Sarah Fillier).
Those other Toronto skaters we highlighted last week—Fast and forward Hannah Miller? Still good. Still top five in scoring categories.
Also, goaltender Kristen Campbell? Still good. She was named PWHL Second Star of the Week for her league-leading eight games of allowing one or fewer goals. Plus, in the comeback win in Boston, Campbell extended her streak of allowing two goals or fewer to nine games in what was her eighth consecutive start.
The Sceptres also have the number one power play in the league, by a lot. Minnesota is at the bottom.
Oh, also—the Sceptres have Sarah Nurse back, and she tallied an assist in her first game back, the 2-1 win against the Victoire.
So, good luck to the Minnesota Frost who are on a three-game losing streak and desperately need points. They’ll be hungry to re-gain their spot in the playoffs after losing it to Ottawa when the Charge won their game against Boston in regulation on Saturday. They’ve also been held to one goal for two straight games. They’ve not scored more than twice in their last four games.
Watch: TSN, FanDuel Sports Network, PWHL YouTube
Tuesday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern
New York Sirens at Montréal Victoire
Yes, Montréal clinched their playoff spot on Wednesday! So they should let the Sirens win this one.
Their playoff berth-clinching game was a 4-1 victory over Minnesota which included two goals each from forwards Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey. Stacey tallied four points in the game, making it the first multi-goal game and the fifth multi-point effort of her career. She’s the fifth player in PWHL history to record a four-point performance.
Goaltender Elaine Chuli earned her fourth win of the season between the pipes for the Victoire turning aside 19 of 20 shots. Chuli made her second consecutive start after Ann-Renée Desbiens suffered an injury on March 18 in the game in Boston.
New York needs to win. Like a lot. They’ve not yet been eliminated from playoff contention (as far as we know?). As previously mentioned we would not know how to calculate the potential of that, but surely their window is closing. There are only 4 games left.
They know it, too. Their last game was a chaotic (and exciting) comeback win against Ottawa. The Sirens scored six (SIX) unanswered goals—including two power play goals and an empty-netter—in the third period to erase a three-goal deficit, giving them a 6-3 win.
Are they, um, back? I know it’s been one game. Do the Sirens have enough consistency in them to even consider such a bold declaration?
The Sirens held the Charge to ZERO shots on goal during their third-period comeback, marking the largest shot differential in any period in PWHL history. Okay, defense! Can we keep it going?
Forward Jade Downie-Landry scored her second and third goals of the season in the flurry of offense in the third period. The other goal scorers were the usual suspects: forwards Jessie Eldridge and Alex Carpenter had a goal apiece, and rookie forward and team scoring leader Sarah Fillier also scored two.
Let’s hope the Sirens can channel that comeback energy into this game. Like, from the beginning of the game this time.
Watch: MSG Network, Prime Video
Wednesday, April 2 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern
Ottawa Charge at Boston Fleet
On Saturday, Ottawa, somehow, forced themselves into a playoff spot, overtaking the Frost in the standings.
Actually, we know how: Ottawa offensive threat Tereza Vanišová!! The forward scored the game-tying goal and then the game-winning goal within 32 seconds, the fastest two goals by a single player in PWHL history.
Vanišová highlights:
- Four-game point streak
- Seven points in her last four games
- Third multi-goal game of the season (who could forget her two hat tricks)
- PWHL First Star of the Week (because of the second hat trick)
Boston had been leading 1-0 all game. The solitary Fleet goal was scored by, you guessed it, PWHL third star of the week forward Susanna Tapani. That was her 11th goal of the season, ranking her fifth place in league goals and second in team goals behind captain and forward Hilary Knight (15).
Goalies!
Fleet goaltender Aerin Frankel became the second goaltender to record 25 or more saves in 15 games this season, tied alongside New York netminder Corinne Schroeder. Ottawa’s Gwyneth Philips leads all rookie netminders with three starts allowing one goal or less. This was her first win in three games against Aerin Frankel, her former Northeastern teammate and current Team USA partner.
I’m excited about this game. On the one hand, would love teams that the Sirens would have to overtake in the standings to stop winning. On the other hand, seeing Ottawa scoot into a playoff spot, at the expense of the defending champs (sorry Liz), is very compelling.
Watch: TSN, NESN, PWHL YouTube
