Pinnacle Game 5 of the PWHL Finals presented by Scotiabank on Wednesday
NEW YORK AND TORONTO – Here’s a look at highlights from the last week in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), plus a look ahead to Wednesday’s Game 5 of the PWHL Finals presented by Scotiabank.
CHASING THE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Walter Cup will be earned on Wednesday night in a decisive Game 5 of the PWHL Finals, presented by Scotiabank, between PWHL Boston and PWHL Minnesota at 7:00 p.m. ET at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. The series is tied 2-2 following a dramatic 1-0 double-overtime victory by Boston on Sunday night in Minnesota. Alina Müller scored the winning goal for Boston at 98:36, just 1:11 after a Minnesota goal was overturned by video review due to goaltender interference. Aerin Frankel turned aside all 33 shots she faced to secure the shutout victory. The result was the second 1-0 score and sixth shutout in 12 games of the PWHL Playoffs. It was also the fifth game of the postseason to go beyond regulation, with Boston continuing its perfect 4-for-4 streak in overtime. See all playoff results here.
WATCH GAME 5 OF THE PWHL FINALS
Game 5 of the PWHL Finals is available live across Canada on TSN4, TSN, TSN.ca, and the TSN app, with French coverage on RDS Info. In the United States, regional coverage is available live on NESN+, MSG/MSGHD, Bally Sports Wisconsin Extra, and streamed on the Bally Sports App. Game 5 will also be streamed live on the Women’s Sports Network and the league’s YouTube channel. The league’s YouTube channel has surpassed 109,000 subscribers and attracted a season-high peak concurrent audience of 39,787 during Sunday’s Game 4.
GAME 4 DRAWS PLAYOFF-HIGH CROWD OF 13,104 FANS
Sunday’s Game 4 of the PWHL Finals at Xcel Energy Center had an attendance of 13,104 fans, which represents the largest crowd of the PWHL Playoffs. Attendance through 12 playoff games is 84,962, an average of 7,080 per game. The league’s total attendance in 72 regular-season games was 392,259 with an average of 5,448 per game. Including playoffs, PWHL attendance through 84 total games stands at 477,221 – an average of 5,681 per game.
PWHL PRESS CONFERENCE WITH STAN KASTEN AND JAYNA HEFFORD
Prior to Friday’s Game 3 of the PWHL Finals in Minnesota, a press conference was held with Stan Kasten, PWHL Advisory Board Member, and Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations. Media can download a video recording here.
BILLIE JEAN KING AND ILANA KLOSS MEET MEDIA IN MINNESOTA
PWHL founding Advisory Board members, trailblazers and long-time women’s sports advocates Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, met with members of the media in Minnesota ahead of Game 4 for a roundtable conversation about the league and the women’s sports landscape. Read more about their visit in a Star Tribune piece written by reporter Rachel Blount, here.
JAYNA HEFFORD ON NHL TONIGHT
Jayna Hefford was a recent guest on the NHL Network’s NHL Tonight program. The league’s Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations discussed the success and excitement of the inaugural season and PWHL Finals with studio panelists Tony Luftman and Jason Demers in an interview on Saturday night. Click here to watch.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE WALTER CUP
The winner of the PWHL Finals will be the first to hoist The Walter Cup, the league’s championship trophy, created in partnership with global luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co. The Walter family is a leader in philanthropy and business, and provided the foundational support that launched the PWHL. As Hailey Salvian of The Athletic writes, “the trophy is hockey’s newest counterpart to the NHL’s Stanley Cup…but The Walter Cup is unique in its own way.” Read more here.
TOP PLAYOFF SCORERS
Minnesota rookie forward Taylor Heise leads the playoff scoring race with five goals and seven points in nine games. The first overall pick in the inaugural PWHL Draft has produced a trio of multi-point performances and has contributed three goals and two assists in the PWHL Finals. Minnesota forward Michela Cava is second in scoring with six points, with all three of her goals and three assists recorded in the first three games of the finals. Minnesota rookie defender Sophie Jaques is third in scoring with five points, highlighted by a two-goal effort in Game 2 of the Finals. Boston forward Susanna Tapani (3G, 1A), defender Megan Keller (4A), and Minnesota forward Liz Schepers (4A) are all tied with four points apiece. See all playoff top scorers here.
TOP PLAYOFF GOALTENDERS
Boston’s Aerin Frankel has won five of her seven playoff starts including a shutout victory in Game 4 of the PWHL Finals. Her 523:33 minutes are 201:21 more than Minnesota’s Maddie Rooney, who ranks second in playing time, and her 245 saves are 119 more than Toronto’s Kristen Campbell, who is second in the category. Frankel carries a 1.38 goals-against-average and a .953 save percentage. Nicole Hensley has re-emerged as Minnesota’s starter in the PWHL Finals and boasts two wins in four starts, one shutout, a 1.29 GAA and .935 SV%. Rooney has three wins in five starts, two shutouts, a 1.12 GAA and .948 SV%. See all playoff goalie stats here.
DARWITZ AND DAVIDSON JOIN IIHF HALL OF FAME
The IIHF held its annual Hall of Fame induction on Sunday in Prague, Czechia, with Minnesota GM Natalie Darwitz and PWHL Hockey Operations Advisor Mel Davidson among the inductees. Darwitz was honored in the Player category and Davidson as a Builder. Career highlights for Darwitz include three Olympic medals and eight Women’s World Championship medals with the U.S. National Women’s Team. Davidson coached Canada to gold medals at the 2006 and 2010 Olympics and was a driving force behind the women’s program. Click here for an event recap.
PWHL DRAFT PLAYER ELIGIBILITY LIST
On Saturday, the league announced the list of 167 eligible players that have declared for the PWHL Draft. The 167 players consist of 93 forwards, 48 defenders, and 26 goaltenders. There are 19 different countries represented in the player pool including 86 Canadians, 46 Americans, and 35 international players. A total of 42 players have Senior National Team experience. During the 2023-24 season, 96 of the players were collegiate athletes, and another 55 players competed in various professional leagues around the world. PWHL teams will select 42 players from the eligibility list throughout the seven-round process scheduled for Monday, June 10 at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in Saint Paul, MN, beginning at 6:00 p.m. CT / 7:00 p.m. ET. See the full list here. Media accreditation application form available here.
PWHL AWARDS FINALISTS
The league continued announcing finalists for regular-season awards last week including Defender of the Year, Goaltender of the Year, and the Billie Jean King MVP Award. Defender of the Year finalists are Erin Ambrose (MTL), Megan Keller (BOS)and Ella Shelton (NY). Goaltender of the Year finalists are Kristen Campbell (TOR), Aerin Frankel (BOS) and Corinne Schroeder (NY). Billie Jean King MVP Award finalists are forwards Alex Carpenter (NY), Marie-Philip Poulin (MTL) and Natalie Spooner (TOR). The PWHL Awards, presented by Woody Creek Distillers, will be held on Tuesday, June 11, at 12:30 p.m. CT / 1:30 p.m. ET inside the Great River Ballroom at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront Hotel. Media accreditation application form available here.
SPORTS BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR
On Wednesday, the PWHL was recognized by Sports Business Journal as the 2024 Sports Breakthrough of the Year at the 17th annual Sports Business Awards in New York. Sports icon and PWHL Advisory Board Member Billie Jean King accepted the award on behalf of the league, whose MVP award is named in her honor. Launched in 2008, the Sports Business Awards were established by Sports Business Journal to celebrate excellence in the business of sports. Read more here.
PWHL AT ESPNW SUMMIT CANADA
The espnW Summit Canada presented by Canadian Tire returned to Toronto today with global industry leaders, influencers, and disruptors uniting for an immersive event designed to push boundaries, spark action, and effect change. Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations, and Amy Scheer, PWHL Senior Vice President of Business Operations, were speakers in a session titled “PWHL: Build It and They Will Come,” moderated by Ashley Curran. Saroya Tinker, PWHL Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives & Community Engagement, was also featured in a speaker session titled “Champion of Change.”
Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the PWHL e-newsletter to receive the latest league updates. Follow the league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial plus all six team accounts @pwhl_boston, @pwhl_minnesota, @pwhl_montreal, @pwhl_newyork, @pwhl_ottawa, and @pwhl_toronto.
