The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is set to kick off its second season earlier than last year, with games starting on Saturday, November 30. The league has announced an extended schedule, which will feature each of its six teams playing a total of 30 games, an increase from the 24 games played during the inaugural season.
The season will commence with an exciting matchup between the Boston Fleet and the Toronto Sceptres, followed by a game where the Ottawa Charge will face off against the Montreal Victoire. The New York Sirens will then travel to compete against the Minnesota Frost the next day to round out the opening weekend.
The regular season is scheduled to continue until May 3, incorporating three significant international breaks to accommodate players’ obligations to their national teams. Notably, the breaks include a week-long pause in December and March, as well as a substantial 22-day hiatus in April to coincide with the world championships taking place in the Czech Republic.
Additionally, the PWHL has slated 14 matchups without specified venues, which will be revealed in the upcoming weeks. These games are expected to be held at either neutral locations or larger facilities within the home markets of the teams.
The league has plans to incorporate more neutral site games into its schedule. Last season, games were successfully held in Detroit and Pittsburgh, and there is a strategic partnership with NHL teams to stage certain games at venues such as the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Bell Centre for the Montreal Canadiens, where a notable game between Toronto and Montreal attracted a record crowd of 21,105 attendees for women’s pro hockey.
While the Minnesota Frost will continue to play their home games at the Minnesota Wild’s arena, the Sirens have now established their home base at the New Jersey Devils’ facility after navigating three different venues last season.
PWHL senior VP of hockey operations, Jayna Hefford, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming season, noting, “Our teams and players are so eager to bring their new identities to life, and the schedule announcement elevates that sense of anticipation.” This excitement follows last month’s reveal of the new team names and logos.
Key highlights of this season’s schedule include:
– The Frost will meet the Fleet on December 4, marking their first encounter since Minnesota clinched the inaugural Walter Cup during a decisive Game 5 last May.
– The Sirens will open their home games on December 18 after starting the season with three consecutive road matchups.
– All six teams are scheduled to take the ice on April 26.
The new 90-game schedule ensures a balanced competition, with each team set to face off against every other team six times—three times at home and three times away.