May 6, 2024
Toronto elect to play Minnesota in the first round of the PWHL playoffs
With the inaugural PWHL season now a chapter in the history books, focus moves onto the playoff picture. Unlike other hockey leagues, the PWHL has gone its own route and given its top seeded team the choice of picks for their first round opponent between third place Boston and fourth place Minnesota.
Toronto elected to pick Minnesota, leaving Montreal to face Boston. Toronto and Montreal earned home ice advantage by finishing first and second in the standings. The winners of each series will advance to the PWHL Finals where they will compete for the Walter Cup.
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“Very difficult decision as you can imagine with the parity in the league all year long,” said PWHL Toronto general manager Gina Kingsbury. “It was a very, very difficult decision, one that we didn’t take lightly, that we certainly looked at all different angles.”
Toronto had the edge over Minnesota during the season, winning two games in regulation time, one in a shootout, and had a regulation loss too. Minnesota and Boston finished the season with 35 points a piece, after Boston edged Ottawa in the final game of the season to secure their playoff spot. Ottawa held the final spot but Boston went on a rampage, winning four out of their final five games.
Minnesota, on the other hand, squeaked into the playoffs on the back of a five-game losing streak.
“The process started a long time ago when we knew the rules…and when we clinched first place,” said Kingsbury about making their decision. “We started those discussions on the hypotheticals of who that may be that we get to choose from.”
In four games, Montreal and Boston had equal records of a win, overtime win, overtime loss and a loss against each other.
“As the news broke, I was actually driving,” Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie said. “That element brings a dynamic that probably doesn’t sit well with the teams that are being selected or not selected. I don’t think that the league needs any added fire between teams. Every game feels like a Game 7, but it certainly does add fuel to the fire, I’m sure.”
Read More:
>> The PWHL announce The Walter Cup
>> Without Poulin, Montreal lose to Ottawa in Laval
>> Newly signed Melodie Daoust leads Montreal over Boston
The playoffs will be a best of five series with the higher ranked team host the first, second and, if required, fifth games at home. The winner of each round will then face each other for the Walter cup in what will also be a best of five round series.
Montreal will host Boston on May 9 at Place Bell in Laval, while Toronto will host Minnesota a day earlier on May 8.
