NWHL releases 2020-21 schedule

The NWHL announced this morning the complete schedule for the upcoming season, which will take place entirely in a protected environment at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York.

The broadcast details for the games will be released in the coming days, the NWHL added in the release. We do know that the two semifinal games and the Isobel Cup Final will be on NBCSN.

The action kicks off on Saturday, January 23, and the complete schedule is as follows (all times in ET):

REGULAR SEASON

Saturday, January 23:

• Toronto Six at Metropolitan Riveters (1 PM)
• Boston Pride at Minnesota Whitecaps (4 PM)
• Connecticut Whale at Buffalo Beauts (7 PM)/

Sunday, January 24:

• Minnesota Whitecaps at Toronto Six (1 PM)
• Metropolitan Riveters at Connecticut Whale (4 PM)
• Buffalo Beauts at Boston Pride (7 PM)/

Tuesday, January 26:

• Minnesota Whitecaps at Metropolitan Riveters (5:30 PM)
• Toronto Six at Boston Pride (8:30 PM)/

Wednesday, January 27:

• Boston Pride at Connecticut Whale (5:30 PM)
• Metropolitan Riveters at Buffalo Beauts (8:30 PM)/

Thursday, January 28:

• Buffalo Beauts at Toronto Six (5:30 PM)
• Connecticut Whale at Minnesota Whitecaps (8:30 PM)/

Saturday, January 30:

• Connecticut Whale at Toronto Six (12 PM)
• Minnesota Whitecaps at Buffalo Beauts (3 PM)
• Boston Pride at Metropolitan Riveters (6 PM)/

REGULAR SEASON ROUND ROBIN

Teams will be seeded based on their first five games.

Sunday, January 31:

• Seed 4 at Seed 3 (2 PM)
• Seed 6 at Seed 2 (5 PM)
• Seed 5 at Seed 1 (8 PM)/

Tuesday, February 2:

• Seed 6 at Seed 1 (5:30 PM)
• Seed 4 at Seed 2 (8:30 PM)/

Wednesday, February 3:

• Seed 5 at Seed 3 (7 PM)/

ISOBEL CUP SEMIFINALS

Teams will be re-seeded based on their first seven games.

Thursday, February 4:

• Fourth-place team at regular season champions (5:30 PM) **
• Third place team at second place team (8 PM) **/

Friday, February 5:

• Winners of the semifinals (7 PM) **/

** denotes the games will be broadcast on NBC Sports rather than Twitch

One of the most important factors to be aware of regarding the schedule and the playoff format is that the teams will be reseeded after the regular season round robin — that is to say, a team that has a poor game during the initial regular season might be eligible to redeem themselves during the round robin.

Also worthy of note is that there are four days of triple-headers. All triple-header game days are on the weekends, which undoubtedly will make watching all the action a little bit easier and make the games slightly more accessible, though you might want to break out the blue light glasses if you intend on spending the full nine hours in front of your screen.

Not able to make all of the games and want to know which ones we think will be the most exciting? No worries, we’ve got you covered.

• Pride at Whitecaps (January 23, 4 PM): The first day of action will see a match-up between the  two teams slated to compete in the 2020 Isobel Cup Final. While each team’s respective roster may have been shuffled a bit since then, there’s no doubt that the Pride and the Whitecaps both have something to prove as two of the most stacked squads ahead of season six.
• Six at Pride (January 26, 8:30 PM): If Twitter has proven anything, it’s that the rivalry between the Pride and the league’s newest franchise is definitely taking shape and taking hold. The two teams will meet for the first (and potentially only) time during the 2020-21 season in a clash to determine who will draw first blood in a rivalry that’s sure to be one for the history books.
• Whitecaps at Beauts (January 30, 3 PM): With a couple of 2019-20 Beauts switching allegiances during the offseason (including long-time Beauts captain Corinne Buie), this match-up between the Whitecaps and the Beauts is one you’re going to want to keep your eye on. Buie has been a rockstar on and off the ice for Buffalo, so while it’ll be weird to see her in the black, blue, and white rather than her classic baby blues, it’s a game you won’t want to miss./