Around the PWHL: Goaltending clinic; Two million fans; Thirst for first

What a treat the PWHL Takeover Tour stop in Winnipeg was.

The sold out, heavy-hitting matchup gave the rowdy crowd extra hockey — albeit, 12 seconds of it. But extra hockey nonetheless.

Ottawa Charge forward Rebecca Leslie’s snipe for the game-winning goal padded her league lead as it was her third overtime goal and fourth game-winner this season.

Both Montreal Victoire’s Ann-Renée Desbiens and the Charge’s Gwyneth Philips put on a goaltending clinic for another tight contest between the clubs.

And, as was noted in last week’s Forecheck to tee up the game, these clubs seem to only play exciting hockey when clashing this season. And, yet again, the game went into overtime.

It’s safe to say, Winnipeg has an appetite to keep the PWHL good times rolling. Chants of, ‘We want a team’ could be heard all the way up in the press box. Here’s to hoping.

Now, let’s take a look at what else went down in the league as the regular-season begins its homestretch.

Highlight(s) of the week

This week goes to the goalies.

The Boston Fleets’ ‘Green Monster’ herself, Aerin Frankel, reminded everyone on Tuesday night why she was such a nightmare for opposing teams during her gold-medal Olympic run.

Frankel posted her second straight shutout over the Vancouver Goldeneyes, a 2-0 affair at home where the netminder turned away a season-high 35 shots.

Meanwhile, the Victoire bounced back from its overtime loss to the Charge in Winnipeg with a huge 3-0 road win over the Minnesota Frost.

Desbiens put her hat in the ring with Frankel, recording her fifth shutout over one of the league leaders. The Victoire’s netminder turned away 21 shots on Wednesday night.

With such a solid week between the pipes, the Walter Cup could come down to an Olympic netminding rematch. What a treat that would be.

Two million fans and counting

Wednesday night was a bad night for the “no one watches women’s sports” crowd.

With the Chicago Takeover Tour game between the Seattle Torrent and New York Sirens, the league all-time attendance record surpassed two million through 275 games played, including the playoffs, with eight games remaining in the PWHL’s third season.

Giddy up.

The thirst for first

For regular readers, you may be sick to the teeth of my pontificating over the race for first. But with eight games remaining in the regular season, it is an absolute logjam at the top.

Going into Friday night’s action, the Boston Fleet held top spot with 45 points. The Victoire — having leapfrogged the Frost with the Wednesday night shutout — now sit with 43 points. Minnesota is right behind them with 42.

Boston and Montreal will meet twice before the conclusion of the regular season — in Boston on April 11 and in Montreal on April 17.

The Fleet also meet the Frost twice — in Saint Paul on March 29 and in Boston on April 15.

The Frost and Victoire’s last meeting of the season was Desbiens’ stellar Wednesday night shutout in Saint Paul. What does this mean? If Minnesota can’t get pucks past Desbiens, time will tell if they can get pucks past the Green Monster.

The Toronto Sceptres are still clinging onto the fourth and final playoff spot, but the Charge are hot on their heels. The teams will face off three times in the next eight games (April 1, April 11 and April 25) and will seemingly battle for fourth place — or better — on the ice.

It’s going to be a fun April.

Game to watch in Week 16

The aforementioned heavy-weight matchup between the Fleet and Frost on Sunday (3 p.m. CT, Sportsnet) is the game to watch this week.

If the Frost can solve the Green Monster, meet me back here next week for another race-for-first dissection.

If the Green Monster can pull off a Desbiens, then it will be up to the Victoire to solve Boston.

winnipegfreepress.com/graceannepaizen