PWHL 3-on-3 Showcase at NHL All-Star highlights action before IIHF Break
TORONTO, ON (February 5, 2024) – Here’s a look at highlights from the fifth week of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season that’s now over one-third complete, plus a look ahead to this week’s IIHF National Team Break. The PWHL regular season resumes on Feb. 14.
PWHL SHINES IN ALL-STAR SPOTLIGHT
Twenty-four players represented the league and their teams in the Canadian Tire PWHL 3-on-3 Showcase during NHL All-Star Thursday. Ottawa defender Savannah Harmon made the most of her opportunity on the ice, delivering a five-point performance including a natural hat trick in Team King’s 5-3 victory over Team Kloss. Players participated at All-Star events in the community throughout the weekend from outdoor practices at Nathan Phillips Square to walking the red carpet at NHL Fan Fair, various partnership activations, and youth hockey engagements.
HALL OF FAME HIGHLIGHTS
Several items from the PWHL 3-on-3 Showcase have been donated to the Hockey Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto. Among them are jerseys worn by Team King captain Kendall Coyne Schofield and Team Kloss captain Brianne Jenner, all three of Savannah Harmon’s goal pucks, and Ella Shelton’s first goal puck and game-used stick. On Friday, Shelton personally delivered her showcase stick and puck to the Hall of Fame and saw the stick and puck she used to score the historic first-ever PWHL goal on display. Also at the Hall of Fame on Friday, Hilary Knight was formally presented her IIHF Female Player of the Year award by IIHF President Luc Tardif.
MONTRÉAL LEADS STANDINGS THROUGH 25 GAMES
Montréal (3-3-2-1) stands alone atop the standings with 17 points following a 2-1 overtime victory in Boston, which extended their point streak to seven games. Minnesota (3-2-2-2) is in second place with 15 points, followed by a three-way tie for third with Boston (2-2-1-2), Toronto (3-1-0-5), and New York (2-2-1-4) each with 11 points. Toronto made the largest jump of the week by earning three points by virtue of their 4-1 regulation victory over Minnesota. New York picked up two points in their overtime win in Ottawa. Boston salvaged a point in their overtime loss to Montréal. Ottawa (2-0-4-1) is in sixth place with 10 points and earned a single point in their overtime loss to New York. See the full standings here.
IMPRESSIVE NEW YORK COMEBACK
On Sunday afternoon, New York became the first team in PWHL history to come back from a 3-0 deficit in their 4-3 overtime triumph in Ottawa. In doing so, they also set a league record for the fastest three goals scored by one team in a span of 1:39 by Abby Roque, Jade Downie-Landry, and Alex Carpenter in the third period. Carpenter went on to score the overtime winner. Through 25 games this season, 16 have been one-goal games – 10 in overtime or shootout. See all results here.
CARPENTER TAKES OVER SCORING LEAD
A two-goal performance by New York’s Alex Carpenter on Sunday afternoon brings her season total to 11 points, including five goals and six assists, through nine games. Three players are tied for second in scoring with nine points, including Montréal’s Marie-Philip Poulin (6G 3A), New York’s Ella Shelton (3G 6A), and Boston’s Alina Müller (2G 7A). Shelton leads all defenders in scoring and is tied with Carpenter for the league-lead with five powerplay points. Müller leads the league with a 1.29 points-per-game average and heads the class of 2023 collegiate graduates in offense. Müller’s seven assists is tied for the league-lead with fellow Northeastern graduate Maureen Murphy (MTL). Toronto’s Natalie Spooner leads the PWHL with seven goals. See all points leaders here.
FOURTH WINS FOR CAMPBELL AND SCHROEDER, CHULI STAYS UNBEATEN
Three goaltenders were victorious between-the-pipes this week including Toronto’s Kristen Campbell (24 saves) and New York’s Corinne Schroeder (39 saves) who are now tied for the league-lead with four wins. Montréal’s Elaine Chuli (26 saves) picked up her third win in her third start to stay unbeaten this season. Her performance in Sunday’s 2-1 overtime victory lowered her league-leading goals-against-average to 1.31 and maintained her league-high save percentage of .962. See goaltender stats here.
FIRST PWHL GOALS
Four players scored their first career PWHL goals this past week, bringing the league’s total to 64 different goal scorers. The latest to record milestone markers were veterans Renata Fast (TOR), Aneta Tejralová (OTT), and Blayre Turnbull (TOR). First-year pro Sophie Shirley (BOS), a 2023 University of Wisconsin graduate, also scored her first career PWHL goal.
RIVALRY SERIES
This week, the final three games of the 2023-24 Rivalry Series between Canada and the United States will be played with rosters entirely comprised of 49 PWHL players:
BOSTON (8): Emily Brown (USA), Jessica DiGirolamo (CAN), Aerin Frankel (USA), Taylor Girard (USA), Megan Keller (USA), Hilary Knight (USA), Jamie Lee Rattray (CAN), Sophie Shirley (CAN).
MINNESOTA (9): Natalie Buchbinder (USA), Kendall Coyne Schofield (USA), Clair DeGeorge (USA), Maggie Flaherty (USA), Brittyn Fleming (USA), Taylor Heise (USA), Nicole Hensley (USA), Kelly Pannek (USA), Grace Zumwinkle (USA).
MONTRÉAL (6): Erin Ambrose (CAN), Madison Bizal (USA), Ann-Renée Desbiens (CAN), Maureen Murphy (USA), Marie-Philip Poulin (CAN), Laura Stacey (CAN). Kristin O’Neill was named to Canada’s roster but is unable to compete due to injury.
NEW YORK (8): Jaime Bourbonnais (CAN), Alex Carpenter (USA), Jessie Eldridge (CAN), Abbey Levy (USA), Abby Roque (USA), Ella Shelton (CAN), Corinne Schroeder (CAN), Micah Zandee-Hart (CAN).
OTTAWA (8): Ashton Bell (CAN), Emily Clark (CAN), Becca Gilmore (USA), Gabbie Hughes (USA), Brianne Jenner (CAN), Savannah Harmon (USA), Emerance Maschmeyer (CAN), Hayley Scamurra (USA).
TORONTO (10): Victoria Bach (CAN), Maggie Connors (CAN), Jesse Compher (USA), Renata Fast (CAN), Kali Flanagan (USA), Jocelyne Larocque (CAN), Emma Maltais (CAN), Sarah Nurse (CAN), Natalie Spooner (CAN), Blayre Turnbull (CAN).
The games take place Feb. 7 at 7:00 p.m. CT in Saskatoon, SK, Feb. 9 at 7:00 p.m. CT in Regina, SK, and Feb. 11 at 1:00 p.m. CT in Saint Paul, MN. Live coverage of all three games is available on TSN and RDS in Canada and NHL Network in the United States.
WOMEN’S EURO HOCKEY TOUR
The Women’s Euro Hockey Tour, taking place Feb. 7-11 in Liberec, Czechia will feature seven PWHL players competing with their National Teams. The Czechia roster includes Denisa Křížová (MIN), Dominika Lásková (MTL), Kateřina Mrázová (OTT), Aneta Tejralová (OTT), and Tereza Vanišová (MTL). Susanna Tapani (MIN) will be competing for Finland, and Emma Söderberg (BOS) with Sweden. The event also includes Germany and Switzerland, with each team scheduled to play all four of its opponents.
KASTEN HONORED BY SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
PWHL Advisory Board member, Stan Kasten, has been recognized as part of this year’s Sports Business Journal Champions, Class of 2024 Pioneers & Innovators. The group honors individuals who have made their mark with championship performance on the field and throughout the media industry and have driven change and innovation in their respective fields. Click here for more.
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.
