On Feb. 16, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) made some attendance history. But there was a game that was actually played, with Toronto getting a huge win, 3-0, to put themselves at 5-5-0 on the season and back in the mix for the playoffs. What were some takeaways from this contest for both sides?
The Crowd Stole the Show
It was pretty evident just by the ear and eye tests that Toronto packed Scotiabank Arena for this one, and that was quantified later in the game. A new world record for the most people in attendance for a professional women’s hockey game was broken thanks to that atmosphere, with 19,285 in total. While the game was entertaining in its own right, it’s not every day that history is broken.
For anyone who thought the PWHL was just a gimmick, that’s been all but disproven now. Over a month into the season, new crowd records continue to form. Some of that has to do with the fact that Scotiabank was the host for this game, but it showed that people will show up at more notable venues. This league is real; people are filling seats and bringing the atmosphere. The best part about this is that it’s not even the playoffs yet, and that’s where it could get really loud. The decibel level in Toronto was high despite this not being a make-or-break game for either side. While a Toronto vs. Montreal contest will always get some attention, it exceeded expectations.
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No exaggeration; this game truly had a playoff atmosphere — just without the same stakes. If this is what a regular season game can bring, we’ll just have to wait for the postseason to approach. As it stands, both teams are set to make it as the second and third seeds, respectively. If these two teams end up playing again, it should be a must-watch.
It Was Only a Matter of Time for Toronto
Somewhat uncharacteristically, for Montreal, they didn’t look that good in this game. It’s not that they never had a shot to win, but it was Toronto controlling possession and creating many of the high-danger chances from the start of the game until its end. But through two periods, the game was still knotted up at zero. Eventually, however, destiny arrived, and Toronto got its goal. One turned into two, which became three shortly after, with the tallies finally coming after they weren’t for most of the game.
Entering this game, Montreal had the chance to retake possession of first place in the PWHL standings after Minnesota won their last contest. Instead, it just didn’t seem like they ever had it. That’s a massive credit to Toronto for having such a great team seemingly on their heels for much of the game. When Montreal got chances, Toronto did a fantastic job blocking them aside and not giving them much to work with.
Montreal can’t be too upset — Toronto was just that good in this game. They really played for their crowd, and it was one of their best performances of the season. They’ve gradually improved as the season has moved along, so that’s very inspiring for them. They limited the high-danger chances at their net and had plenty at the other, writing and submitting their application as a true contender in the PWHL. Their improvement has been very noticeable.
Goaltending Sensational on Both Sides
As is the case with quite a few games that go on in the PWHL, the goaltending was fantastic for both sides. Toronto starter Kristen Campbell was the clear star of the game with her 30-save shutout, but this only furthers the “Toronto is looking like a contender now” narrative. Her team struggled early in the season, and the same could be said about herself to an extent. She is one of the top goaltenders in the league now, and her team is finding success from it. She was unstoppable in this one.
But the praise shouldn’t stop with Campbell. Montreal netminder Ann-Renee Desbiens was also pretty spectacular, but the stats might not paint that picture. Sure, she stopped 21 of the 23 shots that came her way, good enough for a .913 save percentage (SV%), but her game was much bigger than that. She faced plenty of high-danger chances, including a 2-on-0 breakaway right after Toronto scored their first goal, but she snuffed that out to keep her team in the game. Without her, this one could have been a lot less close.
In a league with almost all of the best female hockey players in the world, it’s interesting to see who wins the battle. Sometimes, the star forwards do, especially on individual shifts, but the goaltenders have been sensational throughout the league all season. Both netminders, most notably Desbiens, were incredibly successful before the PWHL, so it’s no surprise that they’ve continued that. But it’s still fascinating to see in a league with so much talent.
Next up, Montreal will return to home ice to face Minnesota on Feb. 18, a game between the top two teams in the PWHL, and that should be a very interesting watch. For Natalie Spooner and Toronto, they’ll have to wait until Feb. 23 before they can play, and it will be at home against New York in their usual Mattamy Athletic Centre — they aren’t set to play at Scotiabank again the rest of this season.
