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2024-25 PWHL Power Rankings: Week 3 (12/13-12/19)

Just tap tap taaaaap the link to see how things went in the PWHL this week.

2024-25 PWHL Power Rankings: Week 3 (12/13-12/19)
Micah Zandee-Hart celebrates a goal against Toronto. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

Welcome back to The Ice Garden’s weekly 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.

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Stop me if you’ve heard this before: it was a light week around the PWHL. However, this upcoming week is the last one affected by a break until February, so we should finally see the league get into a rhythm and the rankings get more interesting. Thanks for bearing with me in the meantime!

Comparing six teams to one comedy movie is a lot of pressure. I thought to myself “can I really do this?” But I rose above the negativity. I felt the flow. I harnessed the good energy and blocked out the bad. And now I present to you: PWHL teams as Happy Gilmore quotes.

#1. New York Sirens

Four players are off to the right in a group hug. Another is skating in to join. They are wearing teal home uniforms. Kristen Campbell is in white standing in the net with her back turned, about to get a drink of water.
New York players celebrate a goal against Toronto. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

This Week’s Results:

  • Wed, Dec 18 vs TOR- 4-2 W

Upcoming Schedule:

  • Sun, Dec 22 vs MIN- 12 p.m. ET, Prudential Center, Newark, NJ (MSGSN2, FanDuel Sports Network North, TSN, PWHL Youtube Channel, thepwhl.com) 

Quote: “I don’t want a piece of you. I want the whole thing!”- Bob Barker

Few disagreed that the New York Sirens would be better this season. However, I don’t think many (myself included) expected them to be this good this quickly. Like Happy, we’ve learned a valuable lesson.

The Sirens are out to silence all the doubters. Their offense has been dominant, with four goals in each of their three wins, and their defense and goaltending remain solid. If they get a little more consistent depth scoring, they’ll be an even bigger problem. Plus, don’t forget they’re still without their best defender in Ella Shelton. It’s still super early, but by all appearances, this team is for real.

#2. Minnesota Frost

Three Minnesota players celebrate with a group hug behind the goal. They are wearing purple home uniforms. Fans are also celebrating in the background.
Minnesota players celebrate a goal against Ottawa. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

This Week’s Results:

  • Thu, Dec 19 vs OTT- 5-2 W

Upcoming Schedule: 

  • Sun, Dec 22 @ NYC- 11 a.m. CT, Prudential Center, Newark, NJ (FanDuel Sports Network North, MSGSN2, TSN, PWHL Youtube Channel, thepwhl.com)

Quote: “I’m stupid. You’re smart. I was wrong. You were right. You’re the best. I’m the worst. You’re very good-looking. I’m not attractive.”- Happy Gilmore to Chubbs.

The Frost had a lot of doubters heading into this season, myself included. So far, we owe them an apology like this. 

The Frost look like a complete team so far this season. They’ve won various types of games, from a low-scoring 2-1 affair in Boston to a 6-3 track meet in Toronto, and not much appears to be fazing them. They just bullied Ottawa last night, outshooting them 40-24 en route to a 5-2 win, and most of those shots were from dangerous areas. Just like with the Sirens, it bears mentioning that it is still very early in this season, but it looks like the Frost’s strategy of changing very little about their on-ice play is perfectly fine.

#3. Montréal Victoire

Chuli stands in the middle of the net with her back turned to the camera. Other players are out of focus in the background. They are all wearing cream away uniforms.
Elaine Chuli stands in front of her goal. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

This Week’s Results:

  • No games this week.

Upcoming Schedule: 

  • Sat, Dec 21 @ TOR- 2 p.m. ET, Coca-Cola Coliseum, Toronto, ON (CBC, PWHL Youtube Channel, thepwhl.com)

Quote: “And you can count on me– waiting for you in the parking lot!”- Mr. Larson

The Victoire’s 15-day wait for a game is finally almost over. I’d be scared if I was Toronto.

I wasn’t quite sure what to do with the Victoire this week, but ultimately decided it would be unfair to elevate a team two slots off of one game while letting the one who didn’t play fall. As for what to expect this week, rust is a concern with so long between games, but Montréal has been practicing and training the whole time so it shouldn’t be too bad. Once they settle in, that extra rest and pent-up competitive energy should make for a fun game against a flailing Sceptres team.

#4. Boston Fleet

Brandt raises her arms in celebration. Another Fleet player is in the background yelling and doing the same. They are both wearing green home uniforms.
Hannah Brandt celebrates her goal against Ottawa. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

This Week’s Results:

  • Tue, Dec 17 vs OTT- 3-2 W

Upcoming Schedule:

  • No games this week

Quote: “Happy learned how to putt. Uh oh!”- Happy Gilmore

The Fleet learned how to score. Uh oh!

After managing just two goals in their first two games, both of which came from Hilary Knight, six players have combined for seven goals in the past two games. They ideally need to land more shots on goal, but they’re doing a good job of taking impactful ones, and quality is often more important than quantity against goalies as good as the PWHL’s. They finally brought a complete effort this week, so if they can keep building on that and stay out of the box more, it should be a fun rest of the season in Boston.

#5. Toronto Sceptres

Flanagan is shifting towards her left leg, raising her stick to follow through on a shot. She is wearing a white away uniform.
Kali Flanagan takes a shot against New York. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

This Week’s Results:

  • Wed, Dec 18 @ NYC- 4-2 L

Upcoming Schedule:

  • Sat, Dec 21 vs MTL- 2 p.m. ET, Coca-Cola Coliseum, Toronto, ON (CBC, PWHL Youtube Channel, thepwhl.com)

Quote: “Why don’t you just go home? That’s your home! Are you too good for your home? Answer me!”- Happy Gilmore

The Sceptres are having the opposite issue lately, with their opponents sending the puck home too often. The vibe is the same though. They need the puck to answer for its crimes, and soon.

After looking ok to start the season, the wheels have come off for Toronto. The offense has been fine and keeps scores looking respectable, but the defense and goaltending are not close to where they need to be. Kristen Campbell has allowed 10 goals across the past two games and was pulled after two periods Wednesday night. She needs to be better, but two of the goals on Wednesday came from right out front of the crease so her defense also needs to help her out more. Overall, this roster has a lot of potential, but the execution has a long way to go.

#6. Ottawa Charge

Clark is leaning forward and looking up. She is skating with her stick and the puck in front of her and wearing a white away uniform.
Emily Clark skates with the puck. Photo courtesy of the PWHL.

This Week’s Results:

  • Tue, Dec 17 @ BOS- 3-2 L
  • Thu, Dec 19 @ MIN- 5-2 L

Upcoming Schedule:

  • No games this week

Quote: “Mista! Get. Me. Out. Of. Here.”- Crazy Old Lady (as billed on IMDb)

After three straight regulation losses, the Charge are having about as much fun as this lady.

Something needs to change in Ottawa. On the flip side from Minnesota, Ottawa was not good enough last season to change little to nothing about their on-ice play and get away with it. Their goaltending is fine, but their offense lacks a killer instinct, and their defense has been terrible. I mean, look at the shot graph from last night’s game against Minnesota.

A graphic of a sheet of ice. There are 40 blue dots on the left representing the Frost, and 24 orange on the right for the Charge. The blue dots are heavily clustered around the goal crease, while the orange dots are more spread out and primarily to the goalie's right.
Shot location chart as seen on thepwhl.com.

Allowing 40 shots is bad enough, but for that many to from the slot and other dangerous areas is just inexcusable. At the other end, they only managed 24 of their own, some of which were from the slot, but it was nowhere near enough to make up for their defense. In many ways, it feels silly to hit the panic button so early. However, when you consider that so many of the Charge's problems are the same as last season, it also feels silly to wait much longer to shake things up. They have another long stretch between games and therefore plenty of time to practice and tweak things, so if they can’t start getting it together after it, it’s time to do something.

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