Opening day of the PWHL has come and gone – let’s dive into our takes.
Take #1 – Excellent Marketing/Timing/Strategy
It was so smart to drop the opening game on New Years Day. Everyone is off, everyone is sitting around just after lunch. Everyone is tired of listening to Great Aun Doris complaining about the potholes on Pitts Memorial Drive.
The PWHL didn’t start their league at the same time as the NHL regular season. It waited until around the halfway point, when the excitement of the NHL regular season had worn off and the excitement of the NHL Playoffs was still a month or two away. The PWHL took its time to lock down sponsors which – based on the number of commercials aired during the game between Toronto and New York – the league has a lot of.
The only blemish on the PWHL’s marketing scheme would be the team names – do the teams have names? Is this like the iconic Nintendo game “Blades of Steel” (click for video refresher)? Can we get a pirate logo in there somewhere? Maybe a Falcon or some bird of prey? Maybe a Fighting Panda. Just a panda karate kicking thin air. I’ll stop now.
Take #2 – Corinne Schroeder Was a Wall
The native of Elm Creek, Alberta stopped 29 of 29 in this game, and was the momentum killer the New York team needed in the second period. Toronto heavily outplayed NY in the middle stanza but could not buy a goal, which was definitely dejecting for the home team. Schroeder made some great saves off the sticks of local Maggie Connors, as well as some of her line-mates; the Connors line was – by far – the most dangerous for Toronto in the opener. I’m biased AF though.
Take #3 – The Game was Fast and Physical
For an opening game of a season, there was a good pace to this one and there was also some contact (inadvertent and on purpose). If ya don’t take my word for it, check out this reel – https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1kZ6SXg9Wu/?igsh=dWhiNmZhemtpMGxn . Somewhere in Gothenburg, Conor Geekie is wondering if the PWHL refs could officiate Team Canada’s next WJC game.
Take #4 – Maggie Connors Was Excellent
Connors was playing with an abundance of confidence in this game, especially in the first two periods. Connors challenged a D 1v1 in the first, and made some excellent reads in the offensive zone which led to scoring chances for T.O. Connors had some looks down the wing in the 2nd, and was about an inch away from picking up her first assist of the season via a beauty back door pass that was tipped just a hair wide. Connors is only 23 years old – the runway to a long and successful pro hockey career is clear for launch.
Take #5 – I Like the PK Goal Rule
Despite the announcer saying “Power-Kill” so many times that I wanted to mute the game, the rule wrinkle is an intriguing one. If a team scores short-handed, it goes back to 5-on-5 which incentivizes the short-handed team to pressure and push for offence. New York almost scored on the PK in the 2nd period, actually.
Final Thoughts
I wasn’t allowed to watch the Jerry Springer Show growing up, but who could forget his “final thought” segment? Why did this come to me at 11 pm on New Years Day?
Will I continue to watch PWHL hockey? Absolutely. Will I be ordering a Toronto jersey? Absolutely. Was today a monumental day for the future growth of female hockey in Canada and abroad? Absolutely. Do I want to turn on my Regular Nintendo (yes I still have one) and play Blades of Steel? Right again.
Until Next Time
AP