Edging one million fans and heading towards PWHL Takeover Tour™ Detroit Presented by Ally
NEW YORK AND TORONTO (March 11, 2025) – A closer look at highlights on and off the ice from around the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL).
DETROIT ON DECK
The PWHL Takeover Tour™ Detroit Presented by Ally –– the tour’s eighth of nine games ––is set to take place this Sunday, Mar. 16 at Little Caesars Arena where the Minnesota Frost will take on the New York Sirens at 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans are invited to open practices and autograph sessions on Saturday at the BELFOR Training Center before the big game. Little Caesars Arena first hosted the PWHL as part of the inaugural season’s Takeover Weekend on Mar. 16, 2024, with a crowd of 13,736 that set an attendance record for a professional women’s hockey game in the United States. It presently counts as the league’s second-highest U.S. attendance ever, behind this season’s PWHL Takeover Tour™ in Denver, that welcomed 14,018 fans. Click here for more.
RECAPPING RALEIGH
The PWHL Takeover Tour™ Raleigh Presented by Ally on Friday night featured the Frost skating to a 5-0 shutout victory over Ottawa before a crowd of 10,782 at the Lenovo Center – boosting PWHL Takeover Tour™ attendance to 100,735 through the first seven games. To help celebrate women’s sports in Raleigh, Sydney Collins, Tyler Lussi and Brianna Pinto of the NWSL’s NC Courage performed the ceremonial puck drop. Carolina Hurricanes players Seth Jarvis and Jesperi Kotkaniemi got the crowd going with the pre-game siren. On Thursday, both teams held open practices and signed autographs for fans.
ONE MILLION FANS WITHIN REACH
The PWHL is closing in on a historic milestone with one million all-time fans within reach during this week’s games. A pair of weekend sell-outs, including Boston’s first game at Agganis Arena with a crowd of 5,968 on Saturday, and a crowd of 8,510 at Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum on Sunday, brings the league’s 2024-25 season attendance through 66 games to 487,939 – an average of 7,393 per game. The league’s total attendance in 72 regular-season games last season was 392,259, plus 91,271 in 13 playoff games, for a combined total PWHL attendance of 971,469 to date. Click here for PWHL schedules and scores.
TRADE DEADLINE AND ROSTER FREEZE
PWHL teams are busy this week in preparation for the league’s trade deadline on Thursday, Mar. 13 at 2 p.m. ET, followed by the roster freeze on Friday, Mar. 14 at 12 p.m. ET. There have been five trades made in league history, with Boston and Ottawa each a part of three different moves, and all the other four teams involved in one each.
BREAKING DOWN THE ‘NO ESCAPE’ RULE
PWHL power plays are collectively operating at a 19% success rate with 75 goals scored on the advantage through 66 games. This figure reflects an increase over the 68 PPG and 16.7% conversion rate in 72 games during the inaugural season. The increase can largely be attributed to the introduction of the innovative ‘No Escape Rule’ that prevents a shorthanded team from making a line change after being assessed a penalty. Of the season’s 75 power play goals, 34 (45.3%) have been scored with the same players on the ice at the start of the penalty kill before the team had the opportunity to change.
BATHERSON REUNION
Frost rookie defender Mae Batherson took full advantage of an off-day in Ottawa where she had the opportunity to watch her older brother Drake suit up at Canadian Tire Centre for the Senators who hosted the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. As part of the Sens’ first-ever Women in Sport Night, Batherson and Charge forward Rebecca Leslie participated in a pre-game panel, then Batherson performed the ceremonial puck drop with her brother and Detroit’s J.T. Compher – whose sister Jesse Compher plays for the Sceptres – lined up at center ice. Batherson and her grandparents were also interviewed by Prime Monday Night Hockey host Andi Petrillo, and Charge defender Jincy Roese joined the intermission panel with Adnan Virk and Shane Hnidy to talk about her hockey family and youth hockey memories.
HEISE JOINS NHL NOW
Frost forward Taylor Heise was a recent guest on the NHL Network’s NHL Now program for a special ‘Players Only’ interview with hosts Brian Boyle and Stu Grimson. The inaugural season’s playoff MVP talks hockey in addition to her lighter side competing in tractor pulling in her youth, pranking teammates, and more. Click here to watch the full feature.
READY, SET, SKATE
The PWHL, Bauer Hockey, and select youth hockey associations are teaming up to introduce girls (ages 5-10) to the game. The PWHL's "Ready, Set, Skate" program is designed to give beginners an unforgettable first hockey experience—full of fun, learning, and excitement. This 8-week program will help young players build confidence and skills alongside their hometown pro team. Best of all, every player will receive a brand-new, head-to-toe Bauer equipment package. Click for more information about upcoming sessions in Boston and New York.
ROAD TO THE WOMEN’S FROZEN FOUR
The 2025 National Collegiate Women’s Ice Hockey championship bracket is set with an 11-team field. This week, three regional semifinal games will take place on Thursday, followed by four regional final games on Saturday. The winner between Clarkson and Boston University will take on Wisconsin (1), the winner of Penn State and St. Lawrence will face Ohio State (2), and the winner between Minnesota-Duluth and Sacred Heart will face Cornell (3). The fourth regional final features Minnesota (4) against Colgate (5). The four regional champions will advance to the Women’s Frozen Four, Mar. 21-23, at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. Last season, 20 players selected in the 2024 PWHL Draft came from amongst the 11-team championship field, including seven players from the National Champion Buckeyes. Click here for more.
PATTY KAZMAIER MEMORIAL AWARD FINALISTS
The 10 finalists for the 2025 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award were announced Thursday by the USA Hockey Foundation. The honor, which was first presented in 1998, is awarded annually to the top player in NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey. The finalists are Joy Dunne (Ohio State, F), Laila Edwards (Wisconsin, F), Caroline Harvey (Wisconsin, D), Tessa Janecke (Penn State, F), Kristýna Kaltounková (Colgate, F), Abbey Murphy (Minnesota, F), Casey O’Brien (Wisconsin, F), Kirsten Simms (Wisconsin, F), Haley Winn (Clarkson, D), Issy Wunder (Princeton, F). The winner will be revealed on Mar. 22 as the highlight of Saturday at the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four. Last season, four current PWHL rookies were among the 10 finalists, including winner Izzy Daniel (TOR), Sarah Fillier (NY), Gwyneth Philips (OTT) and Danielle Serdachny (OTT). Click here for more.
CAREER KNIGHT
Fleet captain Hilary Knight recorded her first career hat-trick and four-point performance in a 5-2 win over the Sirens last Wednesday and became the first Boston player in team history to achieve both feats. With the win, Boston also became the first team in PWHL history to sweep a six-game regular-season series against an opponent, which contributed to the team’s current seven-game point streak. Her hat-trick was the third in the PWHL this season following Montréal’s Marie-Philip Poulin (Jan. 29) and Ottawa’s Tereza Vanišová (Feb. 13). Her four points match season efforts by Minnesota’s Claire Thompson, who scored a goal and three assists on Dec. 19, and Toronto’s Hannah Miller, who scored two goals and two assists on Feb. 19.
STACEY STAYS HOT
Victoire forward Laura Stacey became just the third player in PWHL history to score a goal in four consecutive games, following Jessie Eldridge (NY) and Brianne Jenner (OTT) during the inaugural season. While Stacey’s goal streak ended on Saturday against Boston, her two assists extended her point streak to six games (4G, 5A). She’s the first member in Victoire history to produce a six-game point streak, and the fifth PWHL player this season, including New York’s Alex Carpenter who holds the al-time record at seven games.
ROONEY RECORDS ANOTHER SHUTOUT
Minnesota’s Maddie Rooney became the first goaltender to record multiple shutouts in each of the league’s first two seasons after turning aside all 19 shots faced against the Charge on Friday night in Raleigh. Her two shutouts this season are tied with New York’s Corinne Schroeder for the league lead, while her four in two seasons surpasses both Schroeder and Toronto’s Kristen Campbell who each have three. Rooney was also the author of two playoff shutouts, contributing to Minnesota’s Walter Cup title.
LEAGUE LEADERS
Montréal (10-6-1-5) remains atop the PWHL standings with 43 points and eight games remaining. Toronto (9-2-5-7) enters the week in second place with 36 points and seven games left on their schedule, followed by Boston (7-5-4-6) and Minnesota (7-5-4-7), who are tied with 35 points, and have eight and seven games left, respectively. Ottawa (7-1-4-9) and New York (4-3-4-10) are still in the hunt with 27 and 22 points each and nine games on their respective calendars. It’s a close race for the PWHL points lead with Miller (10G, 13A) currently ahead with 23 points, followed by Fillier (8G, 14A) with 22 points, then Knight (11G, 10A), Minnesota’s Kendall Coyne Schofield (10G, 11A) and Toronto’s Daryl Watts (6G, 15A) next with 21 points apiece. Poulin leads the league with 14 goals, and Watts and teammate Renata Fast are tied with 15 assists – one shy of a new PWHL single-season record. In goal, Montréal’s Ann-Renée Desbiens leads the league in wins (13), goals-against-average (1.72) and save percentage (.936). Click to see PWHL standings and stats.
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE
Four games are on tap in this week’s schedule which will bring the PWHL season to the 70-game mark. Tonight, Ottawa hosts Minnesota for an Indigenous Heritage Unity Game at TD Place at 7 p.m. ET. The next two games are Women’s Empowerment Month Unity Games, including Wednesday night when New York hosts Montréal at Prudential Center, and Saturday afternoon when Ottawa welcomes Boston. The week’s action wraps up Sunday night with PWHL Takeover Tour™ Detroit Presented by Ally featuring the Frost and Sirens at Little Caesars Arena.
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
7 p.m. ET – Minnesota Frost at Ottawa Charge (The Arena at TD Place)
Prime Video (Canada), FanDuel Sports Network North
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
7 p.m. ET – Montréal Victoire at New York Sirens (Prudential Center)
MSGSNHD/Z1/Z2, TSN 1, RDS 2
Thursday, March 13, 2025
2 p.m. ET – PWHL Trade Deadline
Friday, March 14, 2025
12 p.m. ET – PWHL Roster Freeze
Saturday, March 15, 2025
2 p.m. ET – Boston Fleet at Ottawa Charge (The Arena at TD Place)
CBC, NESN+
Sunday, March 16, 2025
7:30 p.m. ET – PWHL Takeover Tour™ Detroit Presented by Ally- Minnesota Frost at New York Sirens (Little Caesars Arena)
MSG2, FanDuel Sports Network Extra, TSN 4
All PWHL games will be streamed on the league’s YouTube Channel and at thepwhl.com, and are available to watch worldwide outside of Canada, and in Czechia and Slovakia where games are available via Nova Sport.