Back from the International Break with five games before Christmas
NEW YORK AND TORONTO (December 17, 2024) – A closer look at on- and off-ice highlights from around the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) as the regular season schedule resumes following the International Break.
TEAM USA WINS SIX NATIONS TOURNAMENT
The U.S. Collegiate Women’s Select Team skated to a 5-3 victory over Canada’s National Women’s Development Team on Sunday in Tampere, Finland, to win the 2024 Euro Women’s Hockey Tour – an event that featured six competing countries. Abbey Murphy (University of Minnesota) scored the game-winning goal and was named Team USA’s player of the game. Toronto Sceptres assistant coach Rachel Flanagan served as an assistant coach for Canada. Boston Fleet goaltender Emma Söderberg backstopped Sweden to a 2-1 victory over Finland to claim third place. Czechia, led by Ottawa Charge head coach Carla MacLeod, defeated Switzerland 3-0 to earn fifth place.
FRANCE WINS FOUR NATIONS TOURNAMENT
New York Sirens forward Chloe Aurard helped France win all three games of a Four Nations Tournament played in Odense, Denmark. She scored two goals, including the overtime winner in a 3-2 victory over Japan on Thursday where she was recognized for playing in her 100th game with the National Team. Sirens defender Taylor Baker scored a goal in three games for Hungary, who finished the event in second place.
SIRENS AND FROST WELCOMED BY DEVILS AND WILD
A pair of PWHL teams visited their NHL neighbors on Saturday as the New York Sirens were welcomed by the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center and the Minnesota Frost by the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Before the team’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Devils walked in with a Sirens jersey to help promote the Sirens home-opener on Wednesday. Members of the Frost led the Wild’s pre-game ‘Let’s Play Hockey’ chant as part of the Wild’s eighth annual Girls Hockey Weekend.
SIRENS AND SCEPTRES ENJOY BROADWAY AND BALLET
The Sirens had a unique experience on Broadway last week where players had the opportunity to go backstage and meet cast members of the musical Suffs. Kristen Campbell and Natalie Spooner of the Sceptres made a guest appearance with the National Ballet of Canada performing on stage as Cannon Dolls in The Nutcracker.
SCEPTRES SCORE AT HOLLAND BLOORVIEW, SUPPORT SHOEBOX PROJECT
Members of the Toronto Sceptres brought holiday cheer to clients and their families as well as staff last Monday at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. The team brought toys generously donated by fans at their most recent home game. The team also partnered with the Shoebox Project for Women to create heartfelt cards for women and gender diverse individuals who are impacted by homelessness in communities across Canada. These cards will accompany essential items aimed at supporting these individuals.
PRIORITIZING MENTAL HEALTH
Mental Health Awareness is an important cause for the PWHL and its players and is among the league’s first Unity Game focuses of the season. This week’s games hosted by the Boston Fleet on Tuesday and the Minnesota Frost on Thursday, both against the Ottawa Charge, will welcome community groups dedicated to offering resources and support while encouraging open conversations about mental health. Earlier this season, the Montréal Victoire led the way by hosting the first Mental Health Awareness Game of the season. As part of this initiative, defender Erin Ambrose shared her personal journey, providing inspiration and encouragement to anyone navigating the complexities of mental health and striving to find balance in their lives. Watch the video here.
MAKING IMPACT: MEGHAN DUGGAN
A Making Impact video featuring PWHL Special Consultant Meghan Duggan, produced by MAKERS – a Yahoo media and community-focused brand that exists to accelerate equity for women in the workplace and beyond – won gold at the fourth annual Anthem Awards. The piece shares Duggan’s powerful message about the importance of NHL Pride Nights and the recognition celebrates her incredible leadership and the impact of the work she’s doing to create a more inclusive and supportive space for all in sports.
SEASON-OPENING REFLECTIONS
The PWHL hosted a virtual media availability with rookies and veterans from all six teams to talk about the first two weeks of the season. Here are some of the things they said:
Boston:
“I think it’s (playing a physical style) a bit of an adjustment but you kind of learn ways to play your game by also balancing the physicality. Keep moving your feet and always having your head up, knowing the play before you get the puck, it’s just little things that I think I’m learning every game and trying to get better at. I think it makes the game overall more fun and competitive because people are playing with that extra edge.” – Fleet rookie forward Hannah Bilka.
“Every team is so strong and so deep, especially offensively. Every team is pretty stacked with goal scoring ability so you have to be ready every shift and every shot of the game for me. It’s been fun, though it adds a challenge to the game playing against some of these young players with so much skill, so much talent, and it makes the games a lot more fun. This year we didn’t expand, we just brought in more talent, so it’s an even more concentrated pool of the best players in the world.” – Fleet veteran goaltender Aerin Frankel.
Minnesota:
“Having everybody in one league has really amplified everything for all of us. To have all the fans and everybody being so involved and so excited about what this league has really done for women’s hockey. For me, that’s the biggest thing. The fan experience and people really knowing what our league is and what it’s all about. That’s been really cool.” – Frost veteran forward Michela Cava.
“I don’t really think I could have pictured this (three goals in three games) happening, but just really excited that it is. I said it before, but I think a lot of it comes down to the players around me and the coaching staff behind me just kind of instilling the confidence in myself and in my game, to go out there night in and night out and perform to the best of my ability, and then ultimately just doing whatever I can to help the team win in our first three games.” – Frost rookie forward Dominique Petrie.
Montréal:
“You know there’s talent in this league, and as a rookie, all you hope to do is come in and play the way you know how to play and make an impact in any way that you can. I guess my perspective kind of coming in was I was drafted here for a reason, and they want me on this team for a reason. Trying to play my game and what I can bring to the table to help our organization win hockey games ultimately, and just be a good person off the ice as well.” – Victoire rookie defender Cayla Barnes.
“It’s really nice to see all the work that people have done in the offseason. And yes, it was a long off season, but everybody was ready for puck drop. It was an exciting time, obviously the opening game in Laval was truly special, very loud. Our fans are amazing. It’s fun to see players coming from overseas, but also the university graduates having an impact right away in the league as well.” – Victoire veteran goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens.
New York:
“I was a fan (of the PWHL) myself last year. I watched almost every game online and it was exciting to see the fans show up and show out at those games. Being able to be on the ice and experiencing it live and just realizing how loud the fans are, how into it they are, has been a surprise and it’s super fun to play in front of them.” – Sirens rookie forward Sarah Fillier.
“It’s never easy to start the season with three road games, but I’m really proud of the way our team handled those three games. I thought to come out with the points that we did out of those games was a great way to start, and we’re just excited to keep that rolling.” – Sirens captain Micah Zandee-Hart.
Ottawa:
“This year, just to see the depth across the board in all six teams is pretty cool. On any given night it’s going to be a battle like it was last year, but especially this year with the new players coming in and the college players coming up. The skill and speed they bring to the game is awesome to see and how much our games are going to keep progressing.” – Charge veteran defender Ashton Bell.
“Finally hearing that I was on the team was the biggest accomplishment, I had tears coming out of my eyes when they told me that news. It’s been a whirlwind of emotions. Playing in a PWHL game in front of crowds like this was nothing that I would have expected. Everything that I’ve been through so far has exceeded my expectations, and they’re already pretty high. I’m thankful.” – Charge rookie forward Mannon McMahon.
Toronto:
“So far, the best part has been getting to meet all my teammates and the coaching staff. They’ve all been super supportive and made me feel really comfortable. It’s obviously exciting scoring my first goal, but overall, it’s just been a really fun experience. It’s definitely more challenging than what I’ve been used to, but it’s definitely really fun. I’ve kind of welcomed the challenge, and I’m just excited to get better.” – Sceptres rookie forward Izzy Daniel.
“Right off the bat it seems like everyone’s power plays are a lot better. Last year, I think it took a while for the power plays across the league to get clicking. And I think, in general, the power play percentages were lower. And then the other one, I mean, we talk about all the time is the physicality. But to be honest, it’s even more physical. Those are two exciting things for the players, but also for the fans.” – Sceptres veteran defender Renata Fast.
TALKING TAKEOVER TOUR
The PWHL hosted a virtual media availability with players from the four teams taking part in the first three games of the PWHL Takeover Tour in Seattle, Vancouver, and Denver. Here are some of the things they said:
“My biggest memory is probably hosting the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and being able to watch that. I think it’s super exciting, I know, for the Vancouver game it sold out in just a couple of days, and all of the girls’ organizations that are local are basically all coming in their entirety with staff and teams. It goes to show how important it is to continue to expand this league and get these games all over North America because people want to watch it, and people want to be part of it. I’m really excited to get to play that game. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of doing, getting to play close to home.” – Montréal Victoire rookie forward and Surrey, BC native Jennifer Gardiner.
“Girls hockey’s grown quite a bit since I was playing when I was young. There was only one girls association in the entire state, and when I started playing my family didn’t know about it so I just started playing with the boys. Now there’s an abundance of options for girls to play either with the boys or with the girls, and so the numbers have been rising steadily for a long time. I was fortunate enough to take Walter (the Walter Cup) back this summer and do a meet and greet. That was really cool, to be able to bring that out there, and to see the excitement. I’ve gotten a lot of excited texts from coaches and people involved with youth hockey out there. I think it’s an exciting time for girls hockey in Colorado.” – Minnesota Frost veteran goaltender and Lakewood, CO native Nicole Hensley.
“Seattle holds a special place in my mind, and that’s why I’m super excited hopefully to be able to share that same experience with other teammates, whether it’s on the Fleet or on Montréal. What an incredible arena (Climate Pledge Arena) – built for sound! It’s super loud in there, and you can really feel all the emotions of the game. It’s definitely a special venue for us.” – Boston Fleet captain Hilary Knight, who played at Climate Pledge Arena during the 2022-23 Rivalry Series.
“A lot of excitement looking forward to bringing the game out west to Vancouver and playing in Rogers Arena. I was lucky enough to play university out there for six years. I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of that hockey community come out to the game and some players I played with and coaches that I met along the way. It’s really exciting.” – Toronto Sceptres rookie defender and Cranbrook, BC native Rylind MacKinnon.
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE
The PWHL schedule resumes with five games over six days before Christmas, beginning tonight in Boston where the Fleet host the Ottawa Charge at 7:00 p.m. ET inside the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. Tomorrow, the New York Sirens welcome the Toronto Sceptres to Prudential Center for the team’s home opener at 7:00 p.m. ET, then on Thursday, it’s the Charge visiting Minnesota to take on the Frost at Xcel Energy Center at 8:00 p.m. ET. The weekend features two afternoon games, including Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ET when the Sceptres host the Montréal Victoire at Coca-Cola Coliseum, and Sunday at 12:00 p.m. ET when the Sirens host the Frost.
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
7:00 p.m. ET – Ottawa Charge at Boston Fleet (Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell)
NESN+ / NESN 360, Prime Video (Canada)
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
7:00 p.m. ET – Toronto Sceptres at New York Sirens (Prudential Center)
MSG/MSGHD, TSN 1/4
Thursday, December 19, 2024
8:00 p.m. ET – Ottawa Charge at Minnesota Frost (Xcel Energy Center)
FanDuel Sports Network North, TSN 3
Saturday, December 21, 2024
2:00 p.m. ET – Montréal Victoire at Toronto Sceptres (Coca-Cola Coliseum)
CBC, ICI TÉLÉ and ICI TOU.TV
Sunday, December 22, 2024
12:00 p.m. ET – Minnesota Frost at New York Sirens (Prudential Center)
MSG/MSGHD, FanDuel Sports Network North, TSN 4
All PWHL games will be streamed on the league’s YouTube Channel and at thepwhl.com, and are available to watch worldwide outside of Canada, and in Czechia and Slovakia where games are available via Nova Sport.
