As the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) heads into the International Break, fans have been treated to a flurry of exciting games, growing audiences, and standout performances. Here’s a fresh take on the league’s top moments leading into the break.

Ottawa Makes History at Canadian Tire Centre
The Ottawa Charge drew a record-setting 11,065 fans for their first game at the Canadian Tire Centre against the Montréal Victoire, marking the fifth-highest single-game attendance in PWHL history. This historic night also marked the eighth instance of an NHL venue hosting a PWHL game, further emphasizing the league’s rapid rise.

The 2024 season has already captivated 64,473 fans over nine games, with an impressive average of 7,164 attendees per match—a big jump from last season’s 4,767 per game average at this stage.

Thrilling Battles Across All Teams
Competitive parity remains a hallmark of the PWHL, with each of the league’s six teams claiming a regulation win within their first three games. Recent highlights include:

• Ottawa Charge’s 3-2 triumph in their home opener against the Toronto Sceptres.
• Minnesota Frost securing back-to-back road victories over Boston (2-1) and Toronto (6-3).
• Boston Fleet earning their first home win, defeating the New York Sirens 4-2.

Five of the nine games have been decided by a single goal, with the rest featuring dramatic multi-goal swings in the final period.

Offensive Sparks Fly
The league has seen an explosive start offensively, with Minnesota’s six-goal showcase against Toronto tying the record for most goals in a single game. Across nine games, teams have combined for 49 goals, averaging 5.44 goals per game—well above last season’s 4.83.

Boston also matched their single-game scoring record, netting four goals in their victory over New York.

Special Teams Take Center Stage
The PWHL’s unique No Escape Rule and Jailbreak Goal innovations have added flair to the season, with power plays proving decisive:

• Seven of nine games have featured at least one power-play goal.
• All six teams have converted with the man advantage, lifting league-wide power-play efficiency to 22.6%—a significant leap from last season’s 16.7%.

Standouts like Jade Downie-Landry (NY) and Marie-Philip Poulin (MTL) have also chipped in with shorthanded goals, adding to the excitement.

Top Performers and Key Stats
New York Sirens players are lighting up the scoreboards:

• Sarah Fillier leads the league with six points (2G, 4A).
• Alex Carpenter follows with five points (3G, 2A).
• Jessie Eldridge (1G, 3A) and Micah Zandee-Hart (4A) round out the top contributors.

In net, Elaine Chuli (MTL) leads all goalies with a 1.00 GAA and a .963 save percentage, highlighted by her stellar 26-save performance against Ottawa.

Scoring Streaks Set the Tone
Dominique Petrie (MIN) has scored in all three of her team’s games, tying the league lead with three goals alongside Fillier, Carpenter, and veteran Hilary Knight (BOS). Early streaks set the stage for a thrilling race to break last season’s record of six consecutive games with a goal.

Rookies Shine Early
The league’s fresh faces are making waves, with six rookies scoring their first career goals last week. Notables include Sarah Fillier (NY), who scored twice in a single game, and Cayla Barnes (MTL).

Overall, 36 players, including 10 rookies, have already found the back of the net this season.

International Break Brings Global Representation
As the league pauses for the International Break, many players and staff will represent their national teams, including:

• Emma Söderberg (Boston) for Sweden.
• Chloe Aurard (New York) for France.
• Anna Meixner (Ottawa) for Austria.

This alignment with international hockey calendars underscores the PWHL’s commitment to growing the sport globally.

What’s Next?
When play resumes, fans can look forward to even more unforgettable moments, intense competition, and record-breaking performances as the PWHL continues its mission to elevate women’s hockey.