The PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs presented by SharkNinja are the defining test for the season's top teams and the culmination of months of perseverance, focus and grit. The regular season sets the stage with unbelievable goals, big plays, clutch saves and an electric energy in the stands that grows with every matchup. The playoffs take all of that and turn it up a notch. The stakes are higher, the margin for error is slimmer and the moments are forever. And with our Pay-As-We-Play option, you can be guaranteed great seats with minimal upfront commitment.

What is the PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs Format?

Qualifying for the Playoffs

The PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs determine the league champion at the end of each season. 

Playoff spots are awarded to the four teams that have accumulated the most points during the regular season. Points are earned by teams through a 3‑2‑1‑0 system that gives 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for an overtime or shootout win, 1 for an overtime or shootout loss, and none for a regulation loss, emphasizing the value of winning in regulation. These teams are then ranked—or seeded—1 to 4 based on points accumulated, with the top team earning the no. 1 seed. 

Playoff Rounds & Game Play

The playoffs consist of two rounds: the Semifinals and the Finals.

Thanks to a rule unique to the PWHL, the no. 1 seed gets to choose its semifinal opponent from the no. 3 and no. 4 seed teams, adding an extra layer of strategy, pressure and rivalry to the matchups.

Each round is a best‑of‑five game series. In the Semifinals, the first team to win three games advances to the Finals, during which the first team to reach three wins takes home the ultimate prize. If a game is tied at the end of regulation, overtime is played 5 on 5 until a goal is scored. Unlike the regular season, there are no shootouts.

Why do the PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs feel different?

The playoffs are proof that it’s about the journey, not just the destination. After months of regular season competition, the top teams in the PWHL face off in a high-stakes postseason during which every shift matters even more. This is when seasons are defined, legacies are built and the Walter Cup is earned.

In the league’s first two postseasons alone, the PWHL delivered dramatic upsets, overtime marathons that had fans on the edge of their seats and the Minnesota Frost’s back-to-back Cinderella runs.

PWHL arenas are always buzzing with excitement and community, but come playoff time, the energy reaches new heights with louder cheers, heightened energy and a shared understanding of the weight of the moment.

What’s at stake?

At the end of the playoffs, one team is crowned PWHL Walter Cup Champion and awarded the Walter Cup.

This is the moment it all leads up to; the reward for consistency, resilience and rising to the moment when it matters most. The winning team’s name is engraved on the Cup, becoming a permanent part of PWHL history, and the team’s players and staff receive championship rings to celebrate the achievement.

For those in the stands, nothing beats riding the highs and lows of a championship run with your fellow fans. In the playoffs, every goal, save and shift add up to be so much greater than the sum of their parts, a journey the community will share forever.

Why do the playoffs feel wide open this year?

The path to the playoffs is more competitive than ever, with the regular-season standings incredibly close. With many teams competing for a spot in the playoffs, the stage is set for another highly contested postseason, when momentum can shift quickly and no outcome can be assumed.

The last two playoffs–both of which started with Minnesota as the no. 4 seed–have proven just how unpredictable the postseason can be. Once the puck drops, anything can happen.