Welcome back to The Ice Garden’s weekly PWHL power rankings! Check back every Friday for a new installment and remember: if you think your team is ranked too low, it’s definitely, totally, 100% because we hate them.
And just like that, every PWHL team is officially at or past the two-thirds mark of their season. The stretch run has arrived, and wow, is it looking fun. At the top of the standings, there’s a three-headed monster, including this week’s brand-new number one. Next are three teams that have been frequently leapfrogging each other into that fourth and final playoff spot. Then, below them sit the expansion teams, one of which isn’t as far behind as they may seem. The trade deadline is also looming on March 30, with the Fleet and Torrent getting the party going early with a rather surprising swap on Monday. In the meantime, six games are on tap for this week, including two Takeover Tour games, with all but one team in action.
It’s that time of year again: my annual Lord of the Rings movie marathon in a local theatre is this weekend, which of course means I have to do a related theme. This go-around, I’ve used home points percentage to determine which location song from Howard Shore’s brilliant scores should be playing as opponents walk into an arena. Note: the home points percentage does not include any Takeover Tour games, but it does include special games in the same city (i.e. Montréal’s Bell Centre game and Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena one).
#1. Minnesota Frost (10-3-3-4, 39 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 3 (+2)
This Week’s Results:
- Friday, March 13 vs SEA- 4-1 W
- Sunday, March 15 vs NYS- 4-3 W
- Wed, March 18 vs OTT- 5-0 W
Upcoming Schedule:
- Saturday, March 21 @ VAN- 2 p.m. CT, Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC (FanDuel Sports Network North, CBC, PWHL Youtube Channel)
- Wednesday, March 25 vs MTL- 6 p.m. CT, Grand Casino Arena, St. Paul, MN (FanDuel Sports Network North, TSN, RDS, PWHL Youtube Channel)
Home Points: 19 of 24 (79.2%)
Song: “Orthanc” from “The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring”
The Ents may have destroyed Isengard without much trouble, but even they couldn’t destroy Orthanc. The best PWHL teams have largely found that to be the case with Grand Casino Arena as well.
Minnesota continues to show that its offense is the class of the PWHL, and it’s not particularly close. Despite not dominating possession, they beat Seattle 4-1 to start the week and then New York 4-3. They then followed that up with a shellacking of Ottawa, chasing Gwyneth Phillips after three goals and hopping out to a 4-0 lead by the end of the first. Overall, they scored 13 goals on 83 shots, which is good for a 15.7% shooting percentage. Their defense also continues to limit shots well (just 70 against this week), although they could certainly keep them to the perimeter better. Their goaltending also remains excellent. It’s little surprise that they now sit tied for first in the PWHL with Boston and Montréal. They’re simply rolling.
#2 (tied). Montréal Victoire (10-4-1-5, 39 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 1 (-1)
This Week’s Results:
- Sunday, March 15 vs BOS- 4-3 OTL
- Thursday, March 19 vs SEA- 4-1 W
Upcoming Schedule:
- Sunday, March 22 @ OTT- 7 p.m. ET, Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, PWHL Youtube Channel)
- Wednesday, March 25 @ MIN- 7 p.m. ET, Grand Casino Arena, St. Paul, MN (TSN, RDS, FanDuel Sports Network North, PWHL Youtube Channel)
Home Points: 24 of 30 (80.0%)
Song: “Moria” from “The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring”
Personally, I don’t want to walk into one of Montréal’s home venues any more than I want to walk into the dark, dank, orc-filled Mines of Moria. Your odds of survival are about as good.
The Victoire kicked the week off on a rough note, as they blew a 3-0 third-period lead and lost in overtime to Boston after largely dominating the first 40 minutes. However, they mostly redeemed themselves against Seattle. They didn’t dominate, but they still found a way to win fairly comfortably. It was a good display of the punch their offense can pack, even if they don’t land a gaggle of shots. Next up is a struggling Ottawa squad that just got embarrassed, followed by red-hot Minnesota. A statement win over the former would certainly help build confidence ahead of what will be a tough road game against the latter.
#2 (tied). Boston Fleet (9-5-2-4, 39 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 2 (-)
This Week’s Results:
- Sunday, March 15 @ MTL- 4-3 OTW
- Tuesday, March 17 vs TOR- 2-0 L
Upcoming Schedule:
- Saturday, March 21 vs SEA- 4 p.m. ET, Tsongas Center, Lowell, MA (NESN, Sportsnet, PWHL Youtube Channel)
- Tuesday, March 24 vs VAN- 7 p.m. ET, Tsongas Center, Lowell, MA (NESN, Amazon Prime, PWHL Youtube Channel)
Home Points: 17 of 21 (81.0%)
Song: “The Land of Shadow” from “The Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King”
One does not simply walk into Mordor, or a Fleet home venue, and emerge unscathed.
The Fleet started this week off with a bang, rallying from a 3-0 third-period deficit to knock off the Victoire 4-3 in overtime and hang onto first place. However, they ended it with a whimper, suffering their first shutout of the season in their first home game in 48 days. The loss ended the Fleet’s season-opening home win streak at six games, as well as their one-goal game streak at a record-smashing 12. Both expansion clubs make their first visit to the Tsongas Center this week, and the Fleet would be wise to bank the majority, if not all, of the available points against the two teams at the bottom of the standings. Both teams are terrible on the road, and Boston cannot afford to drop home games against lesser opponents while the teams they’re battling for first place with surge.
#4. Toronto Sceptres (8-1-5-8, 31 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 6 (+2)
This Week’s Results:
- Sunday, March 15 vs SEA- 2-0 W
- Tuesday, March 17 @ BOS- 2-0 W
Upcoming Schedule:
- No games this week.
Home Points: 11 of 27 (40.7%)
Song: “The Shire” from “The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring”
If I could hang out anywhere in Middle-Earth for a day, it’d be the Shire. It’s peaceful and full of fun-loving people, who, unlike the Elves of Rivendell, don’t really seem to be aware that danger even exists. The City of Toronto has been that peaceful place for PWHL opponents this season.
And just like that, the Sceptres are back in the playoff picture. What a turnaround it has been for them since the international break. They entered it with back-to-back shutout losses, 0-1-1-6 in their last eight, and in seventh place in the standings after being unable to win consecutive games all season. Since then, they’ve gotten points in all six of their games, are 4-0-2-0 in that stretch, and now sit in fourth place with two sets of consecutive wins under their belt. Raygan Kirk has been a huge reason for that, especially this week with her first two PWHL shutouts. There’s still plenty of work to be done, with the fifth-place Charge three points away and the sixth-place Sirens four, both with a game in hand, but there is reason for optimism in the Six again.
#5. New York Sirens (8-0-3-10, 27 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 4 (-1)
This Week’s Results:
- Sunday, March 15 @ MIN- 4-3 L
- Wednesday, March 18 @ VAN- 5-2 L
Upcoming Schedule:
- Wednesday, March 25 @ SEA- 8 p.m. ET, Allstate Arena, Chicago, IL (MSG, TSN, PWHL Youtube Channel)
Home Points: 14 of 30 (46.7%)
Song: “Rivendell” from “The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring”
Rivendell is full of powerful beings, but it’s known as the Last Homely House for a reason. Once you’re there, little feels threatening. Likewise, there’s plenty of talent in New York, but the Prudential Center has been one of the least threatening road venues this season.
Well, this week could have gone better for New York. They entered it holding onto the final playoff spot after a statement 6-2 win over the Charge. However, this week, they lost twice in regulation and slipped down to sixth place. They weren’t severely outplayed in either of their losses, yet they had to attempt a valiant comeback against Minnesota after falling behind 4-0, and then they simply couldn’t snuff out the struggling Goldeneyes. The Sirens have undeniably had some bad puck luck lately, but good teams find a way to power and create their own. Someone needs to step up and do that for the Sirens soon, before it’s once again too late.
#6. Ottawa Charge (5-6-1-9, 28 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 5 (-1)
This Week’s Results:
- Saturday, March 14 @ VAN- 3-2 OTW
- Wednesday, March 18 @ MIN- 5-0 L
Upcoming Schedule:
- Sunday, March 22 vs MTL- 7 p.m. ET, Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, MB (TSN, RDS, PWHL Youtube Channel)
Home Points: 18 of 27 (66.7%)
Song: “Minas Tirith” from “The Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King”
Ottawa has made TD Place a mighty fortress this season, just like Minas Tirith. However, the Lord of the Rings first encounters Minas Tirith while it’s a far cry from its glory days, just like TD Place has been several steps below the glory of some of its opponents this season. Can they change their fortunes like Gondor did by the end of the movie? With just three true home games left, time is running short, but it isn’t impossible.
Things are not going well in Ottawa. Sure, they collected two points in Vancouver, but that was purely because Phillips returned to her superhuman level and stole the game. They then followed it up with an equally terrible performance from the skaters in Minnesota, but this time Phillips had a rough game too and got pulled in the first period after letting in three goals on eight shots. Were they all her fault? Absolutely not. But the game showed perhaps better than any other just how much Ottawa relies on her to steal games. When she can’t do that, all heck breaks loose. The skaters managed just 32 shots on goal across their two games this week, while allowing 60, many of which were of the goalie-torture variety. May hockey is not looking likely in Canada’s capital.
#7. Vancouver Goldeneyes (6-1-4-9, 24 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 8 (+1)
This Week’s Results:
- Saturday, March 14 vs OTT- 3-2 OTL
- Wednesday, March 18 vs NYS- 5-2 W
Upcoming Schedule:
- Saturday, March 21 vs MIN- 12 p.m. PT, Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC (CBC, FanDuel Sports Network North, PWHL Youtube Channel)
- Tuesday, March 24 @ BOS- 4 p.m. PT, Tsongas Center, Lowell, MA (NESN, Amazon Prime, PWHL Youtube Channel)
Home Points: 16 of 27 (59.3%)
Song: “Edoras” from “The Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers”
Edoras is a fine city full of mighty people. However, everything from the houses to the gate is made of burnable, choppable wood, which leaves them more susceptible to attack than many of their Middle-Earth counterparts. Likewise, the Goldeneyes, despite their talent, have not made their home venue as difficult to play in as they perhaps could’ve this season.
The Goldeneyes had a similar week to the Torrent’s previous one in terms of vibes. They walked away with four of six possible points, which is decent, and they now sit nine points back of the final playoff spot with two games in hand. It remains a tall task for them to sneak into the playoffs, but it’s suddenly not entirely out of the realm of possibility, especially if they win the games in hand. The road ahead is not easy though, with just one game left at Pacific Coliseum before they head out on another long road trip, and it is no secret how unfriendly the road has been to Vancouver. They’re going to need to find a way to break the curse quickly, or their playoff hopes will come crashing right back to Earth just like Seattle’s.
#8. Seattle Torrent (5-1-2-12, 19 points)
Last Week’s Ranking: 7 (-1)
This Week’s Results:
- Friday, March 13 @ MIN- 4-1 L
- Sunday, March 15 @ TOR- 2-0 L
- Thursday, March 19 @ MTL- 4-1 L
Upcoming Schedule:
- Saturday, March 21 @ BOS- 1 p.m. PT, Tsongas Center, Lowell, MA (NESN, Sportsnet, PWHL Youtube Channel)
- Wednesday, March 25 vs NYS- 5 p.m. PT, Allstate Arena, Chicago, IL (MSG, TSN, PWHL Youtube Channel)
Home Points: 16 of 27 (59.3%)
Song: “The Plains of Rohan” from “The Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers”
Since Climate Pledge Arena and Pacific Coliseum have been equally difficult for opponents to get points in this season, their anthems originate from the same kingdom for the same reason. However, the Goldeneyes have a +9 goal differential there (26 for, 17 against) while the Torrent are -1 at home (21 for, 22 against), so Vancouver got the capital while Seattle got the fields.
Hey, remember those good vibes the Torrent exited last week with? Remember how I said that playoffs were still a tall task, but they weren’t completely out of the realm of possibility? Yeah, those days are over. They lost to Minnesota 4-1 on Friday, got shut out by Toronto on Sunday, traded one of their last healthy scorers on Monday for another role player, and then lost 4-1 to Montréal yesterday. They’re now solidly in last place, five points back of the Goldeneyes. At this point, the more they lose, the better, because it’ll get them into the Gold Plan faster and therefore give them longer to bank points toward that coveted first overall pick.