NWHL Playoffs to Resume March 26

The NWHL Isobel Cup Playoffs will return on March 26 in Boston at the Warrior Ice Arena, home of the Boston Pride and the location of last year’s All-Star Weekend. Discover will be the title sponsor of the playoffs and the games will be live on NBCSN and streaming internationally on Twitch.

There will be no fans in attendance and the league has stated it will have “enhanced” health and safety protocols and enforcement. There will be daily testing for COVID-19 for all players and staff and “strict health protocols” in place guided by state health authorities and NWHL medical advisors. The league has stated that more information about its protocols will be made available prior to the puck dropping on the 26th.

The completion of the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) Isobel Cup Playoffs, presented by @Discover, will take place March 26-27 at @WarriorIceArena in Brighton, Massachusetts on @NBCSports! #InternationalWomensDay

Details: https://t.co/I3NvT1GJXL pic.twitter.com/o9qJVpfK0e

— NWHL (@NWHL) March 8, 2021

“International Women’s Day is the perfect time to promote our athletes who will have the platform to make ‘HERstory’ by finishing what they started in a safe environment,” said commissioner Ty Tumminia in the league’s release. “It means a great deal to our athletes to have the opportunity to compete to lift the Isobel Cup and to be supported by partners who are committed to growing the women’s game. We extend our appreciation to the Boston Bruins, NBCSN, Twitch, and our sponsors – especially Discover – for making this possible. Hockey fans will be inspired by the skill and dedication of our athletes, but we’re all especially excited about the message this sends to the young girls and boys who will be watching.”

The action begins at 5 p.m. EST with a highly-anticipated showdown between the Toronto Six and the Boston Pride. The Six were the top seed in Lake Placid before an outbreak of COVID-19 forced the league to shut down operations.

As has been the case in recent years, the Isobel Cup Playoffs are single-elimination meetings, which means there will be three games at Warrior Ice Arena to determine which team lifts the Cup. The Toronto Six and Connecticut Whale are both pursuing their first championship.

Friday, March 26 – Isobel Cup Semifinals

• 5 p.m. EST – No. 1 seed Toronto Six vs. No. 4 seed Boston Pride
• 8 p.m. EST – No. 2 seed Minnesota Whitecaps vs. No. 3 Connecticut Whale/

Saturday, March 27 – Isobel Cup Final

• 7 p.m. EST – Winners of Semifinals; higher seed designated home team/