Women's Hockey

QUÉBEC CITY, QC (Jan. 19, 2025) – The Montréal Victoire moved into sole possession of first place in the PWHL standings after securing a 2-1 win over the Ottawa Charge in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,259 at Videotron Centre in the fourth game of the PWHL Takeover Tour™. After a scoreless first period, Québec City native Catherine Dubois opened the scoring in front of her hometown crowd late in the second period, giving Montréal a 1-0 lead heading into the final frame. Shiann Darkangelo responded with a tip-in goal mid-way through the third period to equalize the score, but the Victoire regained the lead just four minutes later with a power play goal from defender Kati Tabin. Despite ample empty-net chances as the Charge hoped to force extra time, the Victoire stymied Ottawa’s late comeback hopes to secure the 2-1 win. Ann-Renée Desbiens secured her sixth win in eight starts for the Victoire, stopping 26 of 27 shots faced. At the other end of the ice, Ottawa netminder Emerance Maschmeyer stopped 33 of 35 shots in her ninth start of the season.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/19/victoire-secure-2-1-victory-over-charge-in-front-of-sold-out-quebec-city-crowd

LAVAL, QC (January 17, 2025) – Montréal secured a 4-2 victory over Minnesota in front of a sold-out home crowd at Place Bell on Friday night, powered by two goals from former Minnesota forward Abby Boreen. The game was the second straight contest between the top two teams in the PWHL, with the Victoire moving into a tie for first place with two games in hand with the regulation victory.

Boreen started–– and finished–– the scoring for Montréal, recording her first tallies against her former team. Her first of the contest came midway through the opening period, her first power play goal of the season, to give the home team a 1-0 lead. Boreen then got the insurance marker just over 10 minutes into the third period to cap off the first multi-goal game of her PWHL career.

Claire Dalton and Marie-Philip Poulin each found the back of the net early in the second period, making it 3-0 for the Victoire before Frost captain Kendall Coyne Schofield responded for Minnesota with just over two minutes to play in the second. Minnesota’s Michela Cava got her fifth of the season, a power play marker, with 3:44 remaining in the third period. Montréal’s Erin Ambrose had three assists in the game, a season-high for the defender. Ann-Renée Desbiens recorded 22 saves on 24 shots for her fifth win of the season.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/18/victoire-takes-first-place-battle-with-frost-in-front-of-sold-out-crowd

NEWARK, NJ (January 15, 2025) – Jessie Eldridge was the hero for the second straight game for New York, scoring twice in the shootout to lift the Sirens to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Frost at Prudential Center. Eldridge’s shootout winner comes three days after she scored the overtime winner against Toronto. Almost halfway through the first period, Paetyn Levis opened the scoring for the Sirens when the puck unexpectedly came out front and onto her stick to the surprise of Frost goaltender Maddie Rooney. Kendall Coyne Schofield responded early in the second period, capitalizing after a missed breakaway attempt, to tie the game at one. Minnesota continued the scoring with a goal from defender Mellissa Channell-Watkins halfway through the third period, the first of her career, bumping the Frost into a 2-1 lead. With 1:01 to go in the third period, the Sirens managed to tie the game with a Sarah Fillier goal scored with the goaltender pulled. The Sirens prevailed in the seven-round shootout, outscoring the Frost 3-2. Corinne Schroeder recorded her league-leading sixth win of the season with 28 saves on 30 shots. Rooney, who entered the game with five wins, stopped a season-high 32 shots in defeat. The win gives the Sirens two straight while snapping the Frost’s two-game winning streak.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/15/sirens-come-back-for-a-3-2-shootout-win-over-frost

OTTAWA, ON (January 14, 2025) – The Toronto Sceptres snapped a three-game losing streak with their first win on the road this season, skating to a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Charge at TD Place. The Charge opened the scoring with a power play goal from rookie Mannon McMahon, before Hannah Miller responded for the Sceptres nearly six minutes later. Miller’s goal found the twine just one second after Ottawa’s second penalty of the game expired to knot the game at one. Sceptres forward Maggie Connors sniped her first goal of the season eight minutes into the second frame to give Toronto their first lead of the game. Ottawa’s Victoria Bach was credited with an equalizer four minutes later with a fortuitous break to tie the game once more heading into the final period. The goal was Bach’s fourth point in four games since being acquired in a trade from Toronto on Dec. 30. The Sceptres pulled ahead with a third-period goal from captain Blayre Turnbull, followed by an empty-net goal from Emma Maltais to secure the win for the Sceptres. Kristen Campbell stopped 22 of 24 shots in net for the Sceptres to secure the win, while Emerance Maschmeyer made 35 saves on 38 shots at the other end of the ice.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/14/sceptres-snap-losing-streak-with-4-2-victory-over-charge

NEWARK, NJ (January 12, 2025) – New York Sirens forward Jessie Eldridge delivered a dramatic overtime finish at Prudential Center on Sunday, scoring the game-winning goal in her first shot of the day to lift the Sirens to a 1-0 victory over the Sceptres. The intense goaltending showdown, which kept the game scoreless through regulation, marked the first 0-0 game in regulation in PWHL regular-season history.

Eldridge’s game winner came at 3:37 of the overtime period, set up by Sarah Fillier and Jaime Bourbonnais. Sirens goalie Corinne Schroeder recorded her second consecutive shutout with 28 saves, while her counterpart Kristen Campbell earned 19 saves on 20 shots. Both goaltenders, along with Eldridge, were named stars of the game for their performances.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/12/goalie-battle-ends-in-1-0-overtime-victory-for-sirens

** DENVER, CO (January 12, 2025) –** The Minnesota Frost took over first place in the standings with a 4-2 win over the Montréal Victoire in the third game of the PWHL Takeover Tour™ before a record-setting crowd of 14,018 at Ball Arena in Denver. The attendance is the highest-ever for a professional women’s hockey game in the United States. Maggie Flaherty’s first goal of the season broke a 2-2 tie midway through the third period, and Michela Cava added an insurance marker with 99 seconds left in regulation. The teams traded goals in each of the first two periods. Montréal struck first with Catherine Dubois’ first of the season, followed by Minnesota’s Britta Curl-Salemme with her fifth. The middle frame featured a pair of power play goals, first by Frost defender Sophie Jaques as part of a two-point performance, then an equalizer by Victoire rookie Jennifer Gardiner. Maddie Rooney made 21 saves in the victory, while Elaine Chuli suffered her first loss in three starts this season for the Victoire, turning aside 25 shots in defeat. The Frost now lead the Victoire by two points with a rematch slated for Friday night in Montréal.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/12/record-crowd-in-denver-sees-frost-win-first-place-showdown

OTTAWA, ON (Jan. 11, 2025) – Sidney Morin capped off a stellar performance with her second goal of the night, the overtime winner, to lift the Boston Fleet to a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Charge on Saturday, snapping the home team’s three game win streak in front of a sold-out crowd of 8,295 at TD Place. The Charge opened the scoring in the first period with a goal by Victoria Bach, assisted by Jocelyne Larocque and Ashton Bell, to give the home team a 1-0 lead. Morin’s first goal of the game–– and first of the season–– came with just over four minutes remaining in the first to tie the game 1-1. The game was Boston’s fourth straight to head to extra time and, for the second time in the game, it was Morin who lit the lamp for the Fleet, at 1:45 of the 3-on-3 overtime period. The Fleet have now won both matchups this season against the Charge, each being decided by one goal. Aerin Frankel backstopped Boston to the win with 20 saves on 21 shots. Ottawa goaltender Gwyneth Philips made 19 saves in her second career start.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/11/boston-fleet-edge-ottawa-charge-2-1-in-overtime-at-sold-out-td-place

VANCOUVER, BC (January 8, 2025) - The Montréal Victoire came out on top in the second game of the PWHL Takeover Tour ™ with a 4-2 win over the Toronto Sceptres in front of a season-high 19,038 fans at a sold-out Rogers Arena in Vancouver. The Victoire opened the game with first period goals from Mikyla Grant-Mentis and Claire Dalton, while captain Marie-Philip Poulin added a second period highlight-reel tally to give her team a three-goal lead by midway through the second period. Daryl Watts opened the scoring for the Sceptres with a power play goal less than a minute after Poulin’s tally to cut Toronto’s deficit to 3-1 after two periods. A third period marker from Jesse Compher brought the Sceptres to within one as they continued to apply pressure in an attempt to complete the comeback. However, their efforts were snuffed following an empty net goal from Poulin – her second of the game – to secure a 4-2 win for Montréal. Kristen Campbell stopped 21 of 24 shots faced in her fifth start of the season for the Sceptres–– and first since Dec. 18. Meanwhile, Ann-Renée Desbiens turned aside 29 of 31 shots, picking up her fourth win this season between the pipes for the Victoire.

SAINT PAUL, MN (January 8, 2025) – Taylor Heise scored the overtime winner to lift the Minnesota Frost to a 2-1 victory over the Boston Fleet in a Wednesday night nailbiter at Xcel Energy Center. The win is the Frost’s third in as many games this season against the Fleet, and the second in seven days by an overtime finish. Hannah Bilka scored early on for the Fleet, making this the first time Boston has opened the scoring against Minnesota this season. Later in the first period, Denisa Křížová scored her first goal of the campaign, tying the game at one and ending the game’s regulation scoring. Heise’s winner came at 3:20 of the extra frame on Minnesota’s first shot of overtime on Emma Söderberg, who stopped 24 shots throughout regulation. Maddie Rooney picked up her fourth win of the season with a 26-save performance.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/08/minnesota-freezes-boston-with-a-2-1-overtime-win

NEWARK, NJ (January 7, 2025) – The Ottawa Charge take their third consecutive win on the road with a 3-2 victory against the New York Sirens on Tuesday night at Prudential Center. Emerance Maschmeyer recorded her fourth win of the season with a 21-save performance, tying her for most goaltender wins across the league. The Sirens started the game off strong with a first period goal from Ella Shelton, her first of the season, but the Charge were quick to respond with goals by Danielle Serdachny and Shiann Darkangelo to make it 2-1 after 20 minutes. Ottawa maintained their lead for the rest of the game, with Emily Clark scoring in the second period to make it 3-1. The Charge withstood a Sirens comeback bid when Maja Nylén Persson netted her first of the year in the final frame. For her first career start, Sirens goaltender Kayle Osborne stopped 34 of 37 shots faced. Ottawa’s win streak continues despite their inability to score more than three goals in any game this season.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/07/ottawa-charges-into-a-3-2-win-over-the-sirens

No fancy graphic from the PWHL this week.

SEATTLE, WA (January 5, 2025) – The Boston Fleet opened the PWHL Takeover Tour™ with a thrilling 3-2 shootout win over the Montréal Victoire on Sunday in front of a season-high crowd of 12,608 at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena. Montréal led 2-0 in the first period with goals by Laura Stacey on the power play and Abby Boreen at even strength. Boston rookie Hannah Bilka helped mount the comeback with a second period power play goal, then added an assist on Susanna Tapani’s game-tying goal on the power play midway through the third period. Bilka and Tapani then accounted for two of Boston’s three goals in the shootout. Aerin Frankel stopped 23 shots in regulation and overtime, then turned aside three of Montréal’s four shootout attempts to secure her third win of the season. Victoire goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens made 28 saves in regulation and overtime in the loss. The victory snaps Boston’s three-game losing streak and ends Montréal’s four-game winning streak.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/05/boston-battles-back-to-beat-montr-al-3-2-in-a-shootout-in-seattle

SAINT PAUL, MN (January 4, 2025) – The New York Sirens recorded the first shutout of the 2024-25 PWHL season, skating to a 5-0 victory over the Minnesota Frost on Saturday afternoon at Xcel Energy Center. Sirens goaltender Corinne Schroeder earned first star honors with a 26-save performance, and forward Alex Carpenter recorded a goal and an assist to set a PWHL record with a seven-game point streak. The Sirens were also led offensively by Jessie Eldridge who had a goal and two assists, Abby Roque with a goal and an assist, and single tallies by Sarah Fillier and Chloé Aurard. Minnesota rookie Lucy Morgan faced 34 shots in her first career start between the pipes.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/04/sirens-post-first-shutout-of-the-season-prevail-5-0-over-frost

Montréal’s Catherine Dubois suspended for one game

NEW YORK AND TORONTO (January 3, 2025) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today announced that, after an automatic review by the PWHL Player Safety Committee, Montréal Victoire forward Catherine Dubois has been suspended for one game.

The incident occurred at the end of the second period in Montréal’s game against Boston on Dec. 30. Dubois was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct for an illegal check to the head on Boston’s Megan Keller, following an automatic review by the on-ice officials and the PWHL Central Situation Room.

The Player Safety Committee determined that Dubois delivered a hit with significant opposite directional force and speed and that the head was the main point of contact, where such head contact was avoidable. This is in violation of PWHL Rule 48.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/03/pwhl-player-safety-committee-disciplinary-action-jan-3-2025

SAINT PAUL, MN (January 2, 2025) – The Minnesota Frost regained control of first place in the PWHL in front of their home crowd, propelled by Britta Curl-Salemme's overtime winner over the Boston Fleet Thursday night at the Xcel Energy Center. After a scoreless first period, the Frost broke open the scoring midway through the second with back-to-back goals just 43 seconds apart from Claire Butorac and Brooke Bryant. To start a high-energy third period, Hilary Knight netted the Fleet’s first goal of the night for her fourth of the season, and Minnesota’s Brooke McQuigge found the back of the net just two minutes later. Down 3-1 with three minutes left in the game, Fleet forward Susanna Tapani scored back-to-back goals just 49 seconds apart to tie the game and force overtime. The Frost snuffed the Fleet from completing the comeback in overtime despite the Fleet’s last-minute push, as Minnesota goalie Nicole Hensley stopped 25 of 28 shots in the Frost victory – at the other end of the ice, Boston goalie Aerin Frankel stopped 18 of 22 shots in the overtime loss.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2025/january/02/minnesota-halts-boston-s-comeback-reclaims-first-place-with-4-3-overtime-win

Game One of Season One began at 12:48 p.m., ET, on Day One of 2024. With 2,537 fans watching at a sold-out Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto and 2.8 million viewers tuned in, the PWHL was transformed. A dream became an honest-to-goodness on-ice reality for the players, for the fans, for all who hoped this moment would arrive in their lifetime.

Fast-forward: A year later, after shattered attendance records, exceptional competition and seemingly unimaginable business breakthroughs, the six PWHL teams have names and logos. The Minnesota Frost have a Walter Cup championship to defend. The PWHL Takeover Tour is about to begin and the future is full of endless possibilities. So much has happened in the span of one remarkable year! It's time to relive and reflect on some of 2024's most powerful memories, surprising moments and inspiring learnings.

TORONTO (Dec. 31, 2024) – New Year’s Eve delivered yet another PWHL nail-biter with Toronto and Ottawa battling down to the wire. Toronto threw 38 shots at Ottawa’s Emerance Maschmeyer, but could not overcome a last-minute go-ahead goal by Jincy Roese. After a scoreless opening period, Ottawa broke the deadlock in the second when Ronja Savolainen scored her first PWHL goal. Sceptres’ forward Hannah Miller lit the lamp for her third goal of the season late in the third period, but when Roese scored with under two minutes to play, the Charge secured the 2-1 win despite registering just 13 shots on goal.

It was a game with a lot of emotions as both teams exchanged players late last night, with Jocelyne Larocque and Victoria Bach becoming members of the Ottawa Charge, and Savannah Harmon and Hayley Scamurra joining the Toronto Sceptres.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2024/december/31/ottawa-ends-2024-with-a-2-1-win-over-toronto

Official PWHL story is not up yet, so you only get my screenshots.

NEWARK, NJ (December 29, 2024) – The Ottawa Charge snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the New York Sirens on Sunday afternoon at Prudential Center. Emily Clark opened the scoring for the Charge at 6:15 of the first period, followed by second period goals from Shiann Darkangelo and Kateřina Mrázová, extending Ottawa’s lead to 3-0 after 40 minutes. First overall pick Sarah Fillier scored the lone goal for the Sirens in the third period. She moves back into a tie atop the league’s scoring race with Minnesota’s Claire Thompson and teammate Alex Carpenter, who picked up an assist on New York’s goal to extend her point streak to six games. Emerance Maschmeyer made 34 saves for her second win of the season.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2024/december/29/ottawa-bounces-back-from-holiday-break-with-3-1-win-over-new-york

NEW YORK (December 29, 2024) – The New York Sirens have announced the return of forward Jill Saulnier ahead of this afternoon’s game at 1:00 p.m. ET at Prudential Center against the Ottawa Charge.

Saulnier has been activated from long-term injured reserve (LTIR) following an upper body injury sustained in the team’s opening game against Minnesota on Dec. 1. The Halifax, NS native recorded one goal and one assist in 18 games for New York during the PWHL’s inaugural season.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2024/december/29/sirens-welcome-back-forward-jill-saulnier

St. Paul, MN (December 28, 2024) – The Minnesota Frost announced Saturday the signing of forward Kaitlyn O’Donohoe to a Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Standard Player Agreement (SPA).

O’Donohoe, who began the season on the Frost’s Reserve Player List, is a 23-year-old hailing from Myrtle Beach, SC. She appeared in 179 games at Colgate University over five seasons (2019-24), amassing 126 points (54G, 72A), which stands seventh all-time in Raiders history.  Her 179 games played is second all-time at Colgate, trailing fellow PWHL rookies Sydney Bard (Boston Fleet) and Danielle Serdachny (Ottawa Charge), both of whom appeared in 180 games.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/teams/minnesota-frost/news/2024/december/28/minnesota-frost-sign-kaitlyn-o-donohoe-to-a-standard-player-agreement

SAINT PAUL, MN (December 28, 2024) – The visiting Montréal Victoire picked up their third consecutive win Saturday afternoon at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul and moved to within two points of first-place Minnesota with a 3-2 victory over the Frost. Marie-Philip Poulin scored the game-winner in the second period and the Victoire hung on during a relentless third period push by the Frost. Mariah Keopple and Alexandra Labelle also scored for Montréal, while Britta Curl-Salemme and Brooke McQuigge found the back of the net for Minnesota. Ann-Renée Desbiens picked up the win for Montréal, making 22 saves in her first start since Dec. 4. Maddie Rooney made 22 saves for Minnesota in the loss –– her first defeat in four starts and the Frost’s first in regulation this season.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2024/december/28/montr-al-edges-minnesota-3-2-delivers-frost-s-first-regulation-loss-of-the-season

TORONTO (Dec. 27, 2024) - The Toronto Sceptres snapped their team-high four-game losing streak in front of a sold-out crowd of 8,264 at Coca-Cola Coliseum tonight, topping the Boston Fleet 4-2.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2024/december/27/sceptres-snap-skid-with-4-2-home-win-against-the-fleet