The stage is yours Professional Women's Hockey League

The NHL is on hiatus. The source of that hiatus, the 4 Nations tournament, is on a day off. Even the WHL has no Canadian games. A hearty welcome from Edmonton to the Professional Women's Hockey League and their "takeover tour". A city known for being a "big event city", a sold out Rogers Place awaits the Toronto Sceptres and the Ottawa Charge.

The Club finished 1st overall in the inaugural regular season of the PWHL. At this point of the season, the Sceptres sit in 3rd place of the 6-team league currently on a 3-game win streak and 6-game streak collecting at least one point.

A Toronto team that can beat Boston did so on Valentines Day with Emma Woods scoring the eventual game winner with only 20 seconds remaining in the second period. Kristen Campbell picked up the victory in net. Earlier in the week, Renata Fast scored the overtime winner to defeat the defending league champion Minnesota Frost. Raygan Kirk collected her team leading 4th win of the season. Hannah Miller is third in points and second in goals in the league.

The team boasts the number 1 powerplay in the league with Sarah Nurse, Jesse Compher and Hannah Miller each with 3 extra woman markers. This unit is also the only unit to not give up a shorthanded goal against. The penalty killing unit sits 4th overall with Nurse being the only player to collect a shorthanded goal.

The Ottawa Charge finished the inaugural PWHL season just outside the playoff picture in 5th place. Glass half full the Club is currently in a 3-way tie for 4th place and their first playoff appearance. Glass half empty the team is tied for last place needing some outside help to reach the playoffs.

The Charge set a franchise record for goals in a single game putting up 8 when they hosted the league champs on February 13th. Tereza Vanišová led the way with a hat-trick followed by Gabbie Hughes with two goals of her own. They had previously been on a 3-game losing streak which included dropping a 4-2 decision to the Sceptres in Toronto. Goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer sits 6th in the league in goals against average and 4th in save percentage.

Ottawa's powerplay sits in last place with four different players scoring a marker including Brianne Jenner and defensive player Jincy Roese. The penalty killing unit sits 5th with Hughes scoring the only shortie.

One off or the beginning of a beautiful relationship?

Can Edmonton support a PWHL, NHL and WHL team? Probably. Any perspective PWHL team playing at Rogers would have to be owned by the Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG). What Edmonton does not boast is another hockey rink to support a hockey team if the OEG stays focused on the Oilers and Oil Kings only. Before anyone gets too invested in the OEG would they or won't they debate, there is the logistics on the PWHL side of things that surround travel. As in it is not logical to force all your eastern Canada and eastern US teams to travel the western Canada just to play one game. The staff at Shotgun Sports are all for this becoming a beautiful relationship!

One off or the beginning of a beautiful relationship?

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