NEW YORK AND TORONTO – A closer look at highlights from around the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) as the chase for a Walter Cup championship continues.
CHASING THE CHAMPIONSHIP
The first five games of the 2025 PWHL Playoffs, presented by SharkNinja, are in the books. The defending Walter Cup champion and fourth-seeded Minnesota Frost have the second-place Toronto Sceptres on the brink of elimination, leading the best-of-five semifinal series 2-1, with Game 4 set for Wednesday night at Xcel Energy Center. Tonight, the league’s first all-Canadian playoff series debuts in the nation’s capital where the third-place Ottawa Charge take on the first-place Montréal Victoire at TD Place, locked at 1-1 through two games. Click here to see all the full playoff schedule and scores.
LONGEST GAME IN PWHL HISTORY
Montréal and Ottawa made history on Sunday in their quadruple-overtime thriller, setting the record for the longest PWHL game all-time. The Victoire emerged victorious by a 3-2 score on a goal by Catherine Dubois, ending the marathon matchup at 135:33 of total playing time. The record came exactly one year to the day of a triple-overtime game in last year’s playoffs, when Boston beat Montréal 2-1 on May 11, 2024, totaling 111:44. Sunday’s game had 25 different skaters amass more than 30 minutes of ice time and featured 121 shots on goal, including a record 65 by Ottawa and a record 63 saves by Montréal’s Ann-Renée Desbiens. Last year’s record saw 109 shots between the teams, with Boston’s Aerin Frankel leading with 56 saves. The Victoire played in 10 overtime games during the regular season, and, including Sunday’s game, have skated an additional 112:03 beyond regulation.
MUSTARD AND PICKLE JUICE
“There are two things that have been rooted in evidence-based practice, and it’s pickle juice and mustard,” Ottawa head athletic therapist Amanda Deluca told Jolene Latimer of theScore, describing the team’s answer to muscle cramp prevention during Sunday’s game that stretched 5 hours and 34 minutes. The tactic was also showcased during the broadcast by reporter Kelly Greig, in a clip you can see here.
MOST GOALS IN PWHL HISTORY
Another chapter in the league’s record book was written Sunday as Minnesota defeated Toronto 7-5 in the highest scoring game in PWHL history with 12 combined goals. The previous record of 11 total goals was set on Feb. 13 when Ottawa beat Minnesota, 8-3. The previous playoff record was eight combined goals when Minnesota beat Toronto 5-3 in Game 2. This marked the second time this month the Frost have scored seven or more goals in a game, following their 8-1 playoff-clinching victory over Boston on May 3. The Sceptres scored five goals for the first time this season and became the first team in league history to lose a game when scoring five times. A record 21 different players found the scoresheet between the teams, including a record 11 multi-point producers. 
COMPETITIVE BALANCE
All five playoff games so far have been decided by two or fewer goals (100%), including three by one-goal margins (60%). During the regular season, 63 of the league’s 90 games were decided by two or fewer goals (70%) and 45 were decided by one-goal or in a shootout (50%). Of the eight games played during the inaugural season’s playoff semifinals, six were decided by two or fewer goals (75%), including four one-goal games that required overtime (50%).
OFFENSE FROM THE DEFENSE
The first five games of the PWHL Playoffs have seen a surge in offensive production from the blue line. Nine PWHL defenders have a combined 12 goals in five games, representing over 34% of the scoring and averaging 2.40 goals per game, up from 0.84 per game during the season. From a points perspective, 15 defenders have a combined 33 points in five playoff games, which matches the playoff total across 13 games last season, which included only four goals from defenders. This year’s playoff points-per-game rate of 6.60 by defenders nearly doubles the regular season average of 3.40.
ROOKIES MAKING THEIR MARK
Much like defenders, rookies are also making an immediate impact in the PWHL Playoffs. Through five games, rookies have a combined six goals (1.20 per game) and 16 points (3.20 per game), exceeding regular season scoring averages of 0.83 goals per game and 2.42 points per game by PWHL rookies.
POWER PLAY PRODUCTION DOUBLES
Teams have already doubled power play production from last year’s playoffs, and, through five games, have collectively doubled the league’s success rate from the regular season. The playoffs have seen 10 power play goals on 26 opportunities (38.5%) compared to the 100 power play goals on 551 chances (18.1%) during the regular season, while last year’s playoffs had just five power play goals on 63 chances (7.9%).
FROST LEAD PLAYOFF SCORERS
Minnesota skaters top the scoring charts so far in the playoffs, led by defender Lee Stecklein who is riding a five-game point streak, including a playoff-high six points (3G, 3A) in three games. Forward Taylor Heise (5A) is next with five points, followed by defender Sophie Jaques (2G, 2A) with four points. Nine players have three playoff points, including three members of the Frost, notably Michela Cava with three goals. Click here to see playoff stats.
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE
Up to five games could be played this week in the 2025 PWHL Playoffs, presented by SharkNinja. Following each game, tune in for live post-game coverage on the Jocks in Jills podcast, streaming on the PWHL’s YouTube channel.
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Game 3: Montréal at Ottawa (TD Place) at 7 p.m. ET
TSN 1/5, RDS, MSG/MSGHD
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Game 4: Toronto at Minnesota (Xcel Energy Center) at 7 p.m. ET
Prime Video (Canada), FanDuel Sports Network North
Friday, May 16, 2025
Game 4: Montréal at Ottawa (TD Place) at 7 p.m. ET
TSN 1/4, RDS, MSG/MSGHD
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Game 5: Minnesota at Toronto (Coca-Cola Coliseum) at 7 p.m. ET*
Prime Video (Canada), FanDuel Sports Network North, NESN+
Sunday, May 18, 2025
Game 5: Ottawa at Montréal (Place Bell) at 7 p.m. ET*
TSN 1, RDS, MSG/MSGHD, NESN+
*If necessary
Click here for the full schedule.
In addition to exclusive broadcast coverage listed above, games will be available to fans in the U.S. on YouTube and various stations distributed in partnership with Gray Media, Scripps Sports, and the Sinclair Broadcast Group. Internationally, the games will be distributed by NOVA Prime in Czechia and Slovakia.
