The Backcheck

A look back at the week that was in the PWHL

The logjam in the PWHL standings after this past week of games proves how talented all eight teams across the league truly are. In the standings, the average degree of separation between seven teams in the league is one point. Only the Boston Fleet remain ahead of the pack — but that gap closed over the week when the Ottawa Charge defeated the Fleet in a shootout last Saturday, earning a much-needed two points and allowing the other teams to make their move to the top. Boston now only sits four points ahead of the Minnesota Frost and New York after the Sirens downed the Montreal Victoire 4-3 in Friday’s matinee. With that in mind, let’s dive into other storylines from around the PWHL in Week 6.

Highlight of the week

Speaking of Ottawa beating Boston — the highlight of the week is most definitely the basement of the league’s Charge upsetting the Fleet in a 3-2 shootout victory last Saturday in front of a raucous TD Place crowd. Edmonton’s Staphanie Markowski opened the scoring for the Charge in the first with her first goal of the season, before the Fleet’s Olivia Mobley and Haley Winn punched back and gave the Fleet the lead in the second. The Charge’s Fanuza Kadirova netted the equalizer in the third.

While overtime would solve nothing, the eight-round — yes, eight — shootout would be capped off by back-to-back goals from Oakville, Ont., star Brianne Jenner. As was mentioned in last week’s Backcheck, Ottawa came away with a much-needed two points and proved their just as capable as any team this season to make a run up the standings.

Lowlight of the week

It was announced Wednesday that the Seattle Torrent’s Aneta Tejralová has been suspended for two games for her hit to the head on Canadian phenom and New York Sirens forward Sarah Fillier. The incident, which occurred during the Takeover Tour game in Dallas, was called a major penalty and a game misconduct on the ice.

This is Tejralová’s first suspension in her 58-game career, however, the check was hard to watch and uncalled for. Fillier continues to be listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury and is one of Canada’s top Olympians, as Team Canada fans would well know. This could be a huge blow to the national team with the women’s Jan. 15 roster deadline quickly approaching.

Takeover Tour mania

Both Takeover Tour stops this week ended in overtime. Team Canada’s stalwart netminder Emerance Maschmeyer stood on her head for the Vancouver Goldeneyes in the tightly contested 2-1 game, but it wasn’t enough, with the Frost’s Taylor Heise netting the overtime winner last Saturday in Edmonton. Meanwhile, in Dallas, Kingston, Ont., product Hannah Murphy stood on her head for the Seattle Torrent — facing 41 shots on net — but also came up short as the Sirens’ Casey O’Brien scored the overtime winner for New York’s 4-3 victory.

Despite the lower attendance at Rogers Centre (10,264) and American Airlines Center (8,514), the product on the ice was far from lacking, delivering two thrillers, including Sirens’ forward O’Brien netting her first three professional goals for a hat trick in Dallas.

Game(s) to watch in Week 7

And speaking of the Takeover Tour, the Hammer will welcome their first PWHL game Saturday as the Toronto Sceptres host the Seattle Torrent at TD Coliseum (1 p.m. CT, CBC).

It will be interesting to see the crowd size in Hamilton, Ont., after lower numbers this past week, particularly when the league appears to be serious about expansion next season.

Later Saturday, the Tour returns to Detroit (6 p.m. CT, TSN), where the Vancouver Goldeneyes will be looking to be the next club to upend the Boston Fleet’s reign.

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