As the PWHL heads into the next international break, a number of teams have loads of momentum, while other teams are slipping as we cross over into the second half of the season.
Before the focus turns to the Rivalry Series and EuroHockey Tour, Hunter Crowther and Tyler Kuehl explain how teams are looking heading into the break.
1. Montreal Victoire
Record: 8-3-1-2, +10
Last Week: 1st
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Tyler’s Rank: 1st
Hunter: Beyond the obvious of Marie-Philip Poulin being all-world and Abby Boreen finding a new gear, one thing that’s really stood out is the two-way play of Erin Ambrose. It’s no secret the Clarkson alumnus is one of the best blueliners in the game – she won Defender of the Year last season – but it’s felt like her game has really shined this season, making great passes in one end and suffocating all offense at the other. It’s a treat to watch, and Montreal is lucky she leads their blue line.
The Victoire’s power play has a 38 percent success rate during their five-game winning streak, and is now 18 percent on the season. Look for that number to climb.
Tyler: It was going to be interesting to see how the Victoire was going to handle the busy week. Not only was it the long back-to-back of the season, but it was going to be against two hungry Canadian rivals. On top of that, they had to go on the road against a talented Sirens team. Yet, the team answered the bell and swept the week, extending their lead atop the standings to six points with a game in hand on the Minnesota Frost.
Stacey coming back in a big way was huge. After such a long layoff, you would’ve thought there would be a little rust. Yet, the Canadian National Team mainstay carried the load last Thursday against the Sceptres, posting three points, including a goal in the shootout. This team is so deep that the return of Stacey makes them look unbeatable.
But I agree, it will be interesting to see what repercussions come from Poulin’s actions on Sunday.
The Victoire will have one of the most prolonged layoffs thanks to the break, as they won’t play again until they host New York on Saturday, Feb. 15.
2. Minnesota Frost
Record: 5-4-2-4, +5
Last Week: 2nd
Hunter’s Rank: 2nd
Tyler’s Rank: 2nd
Hunter: The Frost did a great job of snuffing out any even-strength offense from the Sceptres last week, with Maddie Rooney making 24 saves and Minnesota able to control play on both ends of the rink. However, their penalty kill leaves much to be desired, giving up three power-play goals to Toronto and their percentage dropping to 70 percent on the season.
Claire Thompson’s three-point effort in the win gives her a league-leading 11 assists at the midway mark of the season, not bad for someone who took a year off from the game.
Tyler: Just a dominant performance by Thompson on Tuesday. Even though Renata Fast had arguably the better week, Thompson is the frontrunner for the Defender of the Year. If the fellow Canadian star continues to produce offensively and continues to be tough in her own end, the award is hers.
The win over Toronto was key for the Frost, giving the team back-to-back wins after a surprising three-game losing skid. However, their mettle will be tested when we return to play after the break, as they have four road games in a week. That will really test the depth of a roster that has been riddled with injuries.
Minnesota will return to play next Tuesday, Feb. 11, against the Sceptres.
3. Toronto Sceptres
Record: 5-0-4-6, -6
Last Week: 6th (+3)
Hunter’s Rank: 4th
Tyler’s Rank: 3rd
Tyler: Here we go again.
Just like last year, the Sceptres are starting to pick steam near the halfway mark of the season, and it’s pushing them back into playoff contention. They showed their might with two rough and physical road games against the Frost and Victoire, and snuck away with points in shootout losses. Then, they had to survive a vigorous attempted rally from the Ottawa Charge on Saturday, grabbing the win and extending their point streak to four games.
With only one regulation loss in the team’s past five games, Toronto has moved into a playoff spot, and though they are only fourth, the confidence this team is playing with is giving many people, myself included, the optimism that they are starting to look like the group that were favorites to win the Walter Cup.
Hunter: Despite losing two games in a shootout, Toronto was able to squeeze points out of all three of their games last week, and they’ve now climbed to fourth in the league standings (yes, they have played two more games than the Fleet, leave me alone).
Both Daryl Watts and Sarah Nurse have points in four straight games, and Renata Fast has already matched her point totals from last season. It feels like a number of key players are finding their games, and the team could have Natalie Spooner back soon after the international break.
The Sceptres are back in action on Feb. 11 against the Frost.
4. New York Sirens
Record: 4-3-3-5, +6
Last Week: 3rd (-1)
Hunter’s Rank: 3rd
Tyler’s Rank: 4th
Hunter: The Sirens were without Alex Carpenter Sunday against the Victoire, and it was clear how much the team’s leading goal scorer was missed. Carpenter will be out for the final games of the Rivalry Series for the U.S., and if she misses any more games for New York going forward, it could spell disaster.
Congrats to Corinne Schroeder for making Canada’s National Team roster for the final games of the Rivalry Series. Here’s hoping she’s able to see her first on-ice action ever in the Hockey Canada program.
Tyler: It wasn’t easy for me to knock the Sirens down a peg, but losing to the lowly Boston Fleet, and losing Carpenter in the process, didn’t sit well with me. They played a solid game against the Victoire on Sunday, but seeing how New York is getting picked on physically makes me wonder if this team has the grit to survive the grind of the season and a potential playoff run. Outside of Abby Roque, this team doesn’t have a physical force that opponents fear.
In a league where goals are hard to come by, and skill that can only take you so far, I wonder if general manager Pascal Daoust looks at going out and getting a grinder to give his team the confidence that they aren’t to be messed with.
The Sirens are off until Wednesday, Feb. 12, when they welcome the Fleet to New Jersey.
5. Boston Fleet
Record: 3-3-2-5, -3
Last Week: 5th
Hunter’s Rank: 5th
Tyler’s Rank: 5th
Hunter: Just one game last week for the Fleet, a 3-2 shootout win over the Sirens that saw Boston throw 38 shots on the New York net. Not being able to win in regulation has cost the Fleet points in the first half of the season. However, they have two games in hand on both the Sceptres and Charge, and can make up that ground after the Rivalry Series.
A quick shoutout to Alina Muller, who went pointless in her first eight games but found the scoresheet in her last four games, recording two goals and four assists in that span. If she can produce in the second half like she did last season, look out.
Tyler: Beating the Sirens was crucial for the Fleet to head into a 12-day break on a high note, especially for how they were beaten up by the Frost last weekend. Boston took the play to New York and nabbed the extra point thanks to a solid game from Aerin Frankel, who continues to be this team’s MVP.
I’ve been very impressed with Müller over the past couple of weeks. The early-season injury certainly set the Swiss star back, but now she’s finding a rhythm offensively with Shay Maloney and Sophie Shirley, and is playing with some confidence. She and Hannah Bilka have been key contributors to helping the Fleet no longer be the worst offense in the PWHL.
Boston will return to play on Feb. 12 against the Sirens, the first of three games in a five-day span.
6. Ottawa Charge
Record: 5-0-2-8, -12
Last Week: 4th (-2)
Hunter’s Rank: 1st
Tyler’s Rank: 6th
Hunter: With six losses in their last seven games, the Charge have played themselves out of a playoff position and are now on the outside looking in as we enter the international break. The likes of Brianne Jenner and Katerina Mrazova haven’t produced at the same rate that they did last season, and Victoria Bach has one goal since being acquired from the Sceptres.
The real All-Star out of Ottawa is Emerance Maschmeyer, who has posted a .925 save percentage and 2.28 goals against average in 12 games. Her loss to Toronto over the weekend was the first game all season that she’s allowed more than three goals, a testament to how much she’s kept the Charge in every game this season
Tyler: Ugh…
This Charge team is starting to become tough to watch. No longer are they narrowly losing games, as they have fallen in each of their last three games by multi-goal deficits. Even though they outshot the Sceptres in the third period, they didn’t really seem like they were close to staging any form of a comeback. How Ottawa has spiraled down to last place shows this team has a lot of work to do to become postseason contenders once again.
I know GM Mike Hirshfeld already made one big move this season, but if the Charge doesn’t come out of the break with some jump, he might have to get back on the phone to shake things up.
The Charge is off until Thursday, Feb. 13, when they begin a five-game homestand against the Frost.