2020–21 PWHPA season

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2020–21 PWHPA season
LeagueProfessional Women's Hockey Players Association
SportIce hockey
Duration
  • Scheduled for:
  • September 2020 - TBD 2021
Secret Cup
USA Secret Cup championsTeam Adidas (Minnesota)[1]
Canadian Secret Cup championsTeam Bauer (Montreal)
PWHPA seasons
TBD →

The 2020–21 PWHPA season is the second season of the ongoing strike by the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association.

Formed after the collapse of the CWHL in 2019, the organisation consists of over 150 women's ice hockey players sitting out current leagues in North America. For the 2020–21 season, the PWHPA is organised into five different hubs, each of which fields a roster that will compete in exhibition games across North America and in the Dream Gap Tour tournament against each other.[2]

Business[]

On September 2, 2020, the PWHPA released a statement condemning police brutality and racial injustice.[3] The same day, Liz Knox resigned from the PWHPA board in order to cede her seat to Sarah Nurse, one of the few Black players in the organization.[4]

In August 2020, the PWHPA partnered with Elites Optimization Services to help players find individual sponsorships.[5] After sponsoring a showcase the previous season,[6] deodorant brand Secret agreed to a sponsorship deal with the PWHPA for $1 million on October 22, 2020, the largest corporate commitment in North American women's hockey history at the time.[7][8] The sponsorship deal includes prize money for the Dream Gap Tour, planned to start in early 2021 with a minimum of six showcases. The organization also added partnerships with Noble Estates Wines & Spirits,[9] Canadian Tire,[10] and Sportlogiq.[11]

On February 23, 2021, the PWHPA announced the February 28 game of the 2021 Dream Gap Tour, played at Madison Square Garden, would be aired live on the NHL Network in the United States and Sportsnet in Canada.[12]

Teams[]

Of the five regional hubs, three are in Canada: in Montréal, Toronto, and Calgary; and two are in the United States: New Hampshire and Minnesota. PWHPA players competed in try-outs for 25 spots on the official rosters for each hub. In late October, the PWHPA announced the full rosters for each hub as well as coaching staff.[13] Players who did not make the rosters continue to be members of the PWHPA as independents.

In the previous season, each team was named after player who was acting as captain for each series. For this season, the regional hubs made sponsorship agreements for team names. The Toronto hub made a sponsorship deal with insurance company Sonnet and was branded as Team Sonnet with the hub's jerseys featuring turquoise and white.[14] The Calgary hub was branded Team Scotiabank, with red and white jerseys, in a partnership with Scotiabank that includes a mentorship program for young female players.[15] On February 25, 2021, before the tour's first games, the Minnesota and New Hampshire-based teams announced their sponsored names as Team Adidas and Team WSF (Women's Sports Foundation), respectively.[16] The Montréal team was announced as Team Bauer on March 3.[17]

Team Region Head coach
Team Scotiabank Calgary Dean Seymour[18]
Team Adidas Minnesota Matt Leitner[19]
Team Bauer Montréal 
Danièle Sauvageau
[20]
Team WSF New Hampshire Bill Flanagan[21]
Team Sonnet Toronto [22]

Exhibition games[]

The first exhibition games of the season took place in late September, as PWHPA teams faced off against teams from the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL), an under-21 junior ice hockey organization.[23] One week after tryouts, the New Hampshire team faced the Islanders Hockey Club's National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) team and the Boston Junior Bruins' NCDC team, losing to both 5–0 and 5–1, respectively.[24] The Minnesota PWHPA team faced the USPHL's Premier Division team, the Minnesota Mullets, on September 19 and 20, winning both games by scores of 8–1 and 9–3.[24]

A PWHPA All-Star team of 24 players from the Minnesota and New Hampshire hubs participated in six games at the USPHL's Hub City Tampa from January 7 to 15, 2021.[25][26] The USPHL teams in Hub City Tampa were from the organization's top-level NCDC and second-level Premier Division. The PWHPA team earned a 2–3–1 record[27][28] with wins over the Tampa Bay Juniors' Premier team[29] and the Boston Junior Bruins' NCDC team.[30][31] The PWHPA All-Star team played another five games against USPHL NCDC and Premier teams in Tampa from February 10 to 17, going 1–4 with a win over the Islanders Hockey Club's Premier team.[32][33][34][35][36]

Dream Gap Tour[]

The 2021 Dream Gap Tour, named after the gap in between professional men's and women's hockey opportunities, consists of matches between the five regional hubs and the entire tour is sponsored by deodorant brand Secret. In a change from the previous year, the league plans to have a season finishing with the Secret Cup for the championship. In an alteration to traditional ice hockey points for team wins, teams are awarded 2 points for a regulation win, 1.5 points for an overtime win, 1 point for a shootout win, 0.5 points for an overtime or shootout loss, and zero points for a regulation loss. In addition, one team point can be earned when a player scores a hat-trick, scores a short-handed goal, a goaltender earns a shutout, or a team scores five or more goals.[37]

The first showcase took place in the New York City metropolitan area at Protec Ponds Training Center in Somerset, New Jersey, on February 27 and at Madison Square Garden on February 28, in partnership with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) and JPMorgan Chase as the presenting sponsor.[38] The Chicago Blackhawks partnered with the PWHPA for a second year, adding Dream Gap Tour stops to the Blackhawks' home arena, the United Center, on March 6 and their practice facility, Fifth Third Arena, on March 7.[39] The third showcase was announced for St. Louis, Missouri, partnered with the St. Louis Blues on April 11 and 12,[40] but was postponed to May 16 and 17 after positive cases of COVID-19.[41] The three Canadian teams are scheduled to play a round-robin tournament in Calgary in partnership with the Calgary Flames from May 24 through 30 to determine the Canadian champion.[42] The association also continued its partnership with the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs and was also to host part of the Dream Gap Tour at an unspecified date, but did not occur due to the ongoing pandemic-related restrictions in Ontario.[43][42]

Schedule and results[]

Showcase Arena Date Team Score Team Notes
New York City Protec Ponds Training Center[44] February 27 Team WSF 2–5 Team Adidas Team Adidas earned an additional team point for scoring five or more goals.[45]
Madison Square Garden February 28 Team WSF 4–3 Team Adidas No additional team points were earned.[45]
Chicago United Center March 6 Team Adidas 4–1 Team WSF No additional team points were earned.[46]
Fifth Third Arena March 7 Team Adidas 6–2 Team WSF Team Adidas earned an additional team point for scoring five or more goals.[46]
St. Louis Centene Community Ice Center April 11[a]
May 16		 Team Adidas 3–1 Team WSF Team Adidas earned an additional team point for a short-handed goal scored by Dani Cameranesi.[1]
Enterprise Center April 12[a]
May 17		 Team Adidas 4–2 Team WSF No additional team points were earned.[1]
Calgary[48] Seven Chiefs Sportsplex[49] May 24 Team Sonnet 2–3 Team Bauer Team Bauer earned an additional team point for a short-handed goal scored by Marie-Philip Poulin.[50]
May 25 Team Bauer 6–1 Team Scotiabank Team Bauer earned an additional team point for scoring five or more goals.[51][52]
May 26 Team Scotiabank 3–8 Team Sonnet Team Sonnet earned two additional team points for scoring five or more goals and a hat-trick by Brittany Howard.[53][54]
May 27 Team Bauer 3–4 Team Sonnet Team Bauer earned an additional team point for a short-handed goal scored by Laura Stacey.[55][56]
Scotiabank Saddledome[49] May 28 Team Scotiabank 3–4 Team Bauer No additional team points were earned.[57]
May 29 Team Sonnet 2–3 Team Scotiabank No additional team points were earned.[58]
May 30 Team Sonnet 2–4 Team Bauer Canadian championship game[59]
  1. ^ a b Original schedule postponed due to positive cases of COVID-19 before showcase.[47]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "2021 PWHPA Dream Gap Tour recap: St. Louis". SB Nation. May 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Spencer, Donna (May 13, 2020). "Women's pro hockey players to get more ice time under 5-city regional plan". CBC Sports. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  3. ^ Tokarski, Anne (September 2, 2020). "PWHPA publishes statement on racial injustice". The Ice Garden. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  4. ^ Kaplan, Emily (September 2, 2020). "PWHPA adds Nurse to board to fix 'blind spot'". ESPN. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  5. ^ Jay, Michelle (August 26, 2020). "PWHPA announces partnership with EOS, Parity". The Ice Garden. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  6. ^ "Secret® Deodorant Canada Joins the PWHPA Dream Gap Tour in Toronto". Business Wire. January 2, 2020.
  7. ^ Spencer, Donna (October 22, 2020). "PWHPA lands $1-million sponsorship as it aims to launch pro women's hockey league". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  8. ^ Spencer, Donna (October 22, 2020). "Milestone sponsorship keeps pro women's hockey association's goals in sight". CBC Sports. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  9. ^ "Introducing the Official Prosecco of the PWHPA - Bottega Gold". PWHPA (Press release). November 11, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  10. ^ "PWHPA announces new partnership with Canadian Tire". Women's Hockey Life. November 21, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  11. ^ "PWHPA Announces Partnership with Sportlogiq". Women's Hockey Life. December 17, 2020.
  12. ^ "PWHPA'S FIRST SECRET® DREAM GAP TOUR GAME AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN TO BE BROADCAST LIVE ON NHL NETWORK AND SPORTSNET". PWHPA. February 23, 2021.
  13. ^ Jay, Michelle (October 22, 2020). "PWHPA releases 2020-21 regional rosters". The Ice Garden. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  14. ^ "Toronto women's pro hockey gains corporate sponsor". CBC.ca. November 25, 2020.
  15. ^ "SCOTIABANK ANNOUNCES PWHPA SPONSORSHIP". PWHPA. December 10, 2020.
  16. ^ "ADIDAS AND WOMEN'S SPORTS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCED AS TEAM SPONSORS FOR THE SECRET® DREAM GAP TOUR PLUS CBC SPORTS ADDED AS STREAMING PARTNER". PWPHA. February 25, 2021.
  17. ^ "Montréal PWHPA hub to be named Team Bauer". SB Nation. March 3, 2021.
  18. ^ "Team Scotiabank". PWHPA. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  19. ^ "Team Adidas". PWHPA. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  20. ^ "Calgary Flames Showcase 2021". PWHPA. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  21. ^ "Team Women's Sports Foundation". PWHPA. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  22. ^ "Team Sonnet". PWHPA. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  23. ^ Thomas, Alex (June 26, 2020). "PWHPA, NCDC To Play Series Of Exhibition Games In 2020-21". United States Premier Hockey League. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  24. ^ a b Burgess, Melissa (September 22, 2020). "PWHPA Opens Exhibition Schedule". The Victory Press. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  25. ^ "24 PWHPA players to play in USPHL's "Hub City Tampa"". The Ice garden. December 21, 2020.
  26. ^ "PWHPA schedule for Tampa USPHL games released". The Ice Garden. January 4, 2021.
  27. ^ "USPHL 2021 PWHPA Florida All-Star Series schedule - January". USPHL. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  28. ^ @WIH_Tribune (January 15, 2021). "FINAL: Alex Rivet snipes home the OT winner 2:53 into the extra frame and the Thunder take it 3-2. The PWHPA ends the #HubCityTampa trip 2-3-1. Thanks to everyone who has followed along the last two weeks!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  29. ^ @USPHL (January 7, 2021). "#HubCityTampa: Hear from Haley Scamurra from the @PWHPA All-Stars just after their 5-3 win over the @TampaJuniorsGM, after the PWHPA squad was down 2-0 early on" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  30. ^ @USPHL (January 12, 2021). "#HubCityTampa: The @juniorbruins and @PWHPA All-Stars get underway at 9:10 a.m. this morning live and FREE on @MyHockeyTV!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  31. ^ @WIH_Tribune (January 12, 2021). "No need to Pannek when Kelly is around! Kelly Pannek got the offense started for the @PWHPA 'All-Stars' in #HubCityTampa this morning, scoring her first goal of the trip at 7:34 of the second period to even the game at 1-1! The PWHPA would go on to win it 2-1 over the Junior B's" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  32. ^ "PWHPA ALL-STARS TO PLAY IN HUB-CITY AHEAD OF FIRST DREAM GAP TOUR SHOWCASE". PWHPA. February 5, 2021.
  33. ^ "USPHL 2021 PWHPA Florida All-Star Series schedule - February". USPHL. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  34. ^ @WIH_Tribune (February 13, 2021). "FINAL: Jack Umphrey and Nick Amaya (ENG) put this game always as @HitmenPremier hold off a strong @PWHPA push in the final period and win this game 4-1 in #HubCityTampa. The PWHPA returns to game action Monday at 11:00 when they take on the NCDC's @TwinCityThunder" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  35. ^ @WIH_Tribune (February 15, 2021). "FINAL: Megan Keller (PPG) and Haley Skarupa both score to even the game at 4-4, but Colton Friesen scores at 14:38 to break the tie and Timur Alishlalov hits the empty net as the Thunder win this #HubCityTampa exhibition 6-4 of the @PWHPA All-Stars" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  36. ^ @WIH_Tribune (February 17, 2021). "It wasn't the result the @PWHPA All-Stars were looking for today, but Kelly Pannek (@KPan19) did light the lamp twice in a 5-2 defeat against the Utica Junior Comets. She finished the #HubCityTampa trip with three goals and a team-high seven points!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  37. ^ "Scoring". PWHPA. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  38. ^ "NEW YORK RANGERS PARTNER WITH PWHPA AND BAUER HOCKEY TO ADVANCE WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY". PWHPA. February 3, 2021.
  39. ^ "CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS PARTNER WITH PWHPA AND BAUER TO HOST SECRET® DREAM GAP TOUR GAMES AT UNITED CENTER AND FIFTH THIRD ARENA". PWHPA. February 16, 2021.
  40. ^ "ST. LOUIS BLUES PARTNER WITH PWHPA TO HOST 2021 SECRET® DREAM GAP TOUR SHOWCASE PRESENTED LOCALLY BY CENTENE CORPORATION". PWHPA. March 18, 2021.
  41. ^ "PWHPA's Dream Gap Tour in St. Louis rescheduled for May 16 and 17". SB Nation. May 4, 2021.
  42. ^ a b "FLAMES PARTNER WITH PWHPA". Calgary Flames. May 6, 2021.
  43. ^ "PWHPA announces partnership with Maple Leafs". Sportsnet. February 6, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  44. ^ "2021 PWHPA Secret Dream Gap Tour preview: New York City". SB Nation. February 26, 2021.
  45. ^ a b "2021 Secret Dream Gap Tour recap: New York City". SB Nation. March 1, 2021.
  46. ^ a b "2021 PWHPA Dream Gap Tour recap: Chicago". SB Nation. March 8, 2021.
  47. ^ "PWHPA's St. Louis Dream Gap Tour Showcase postponed due to COVID exposure". SB Nation. April 10, 2021.
  48. ^ "PWHPA announces schedule, rosters for Calgary tour stop". SB Nation. May 17, 2021.
  49. ^ a b "PWHPA ANNOUNCES ROSTERS, NEW PARTNERS AND ADDITIONAL EVENT DETAILS FOR CANADIAN LEG OF THE SECRET® DREAM GAP TOUR". PWHPA. May 13, 2021.
  50. ^ "Goal by Goal: Game 1 of the Calgary Secret Dream Gap Tour". SB Nation. May 25, 2021.
  51. ^ @PWHPA (May 25, 2021). "That'll do it for Game 2 in Calgary! Team @BauerHockey tops Team @scotiahockey 6-1" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  52. ^ @PWHPA (May 25, 2021). "ANN-SOPHIE BETTEZ That's 5 goals for Team @BauerHockey, and that's an extra point!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  53. ^ @PWHPA (May 26, 2021). "Team @SonnetInsurance comes away with 4 points tonight vs. Team @scotiahockey with a win, a hattrick and 5+ goals!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  54. ^ @PWHPA (May 26, 2021). "HATTTYYYYYYYY ALERT! @britthoward3 pots her 3rd of the night with an assist from @veebach21. In case you forgot, that's also an extra point for Team @SonnetInsurance" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  55. ^ @PWHPA (May 27, 2021). "That'll do it for Game 4 in Calgary! Team @SonnetInsurance takes this one 4-3 over Team @BauerHockey. Despite the loss, Team Bauer walks away with 1 point on a SH goal, while Team Sonnet closes the gap in the standings with 2 more points for a win" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  56. ^ @PWHPA (May 27, 2021). "A @LauraStacey7 shorty puts Team @BauerHockey on the board!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  57. ^ @PWHPA (May 28, 2021). "That's all she wrote! Game 5 of the @SecretDeodorant Dream Gap Tour Showcase in Calgary goes to Team @BauerHockey with a 4-3 win vs. Team @scotiahockey!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  58. ^ @PWHPA (May 29, 2021). "Your final score of the #SDGT round robin: Team @SonnetInsurance - 2 Team @scotiahockey - 3 Team @SonnetInsurance will be moving on to face Team @BauerHockey in the Secret Cup tomorrow at 4:30pm ET on @Sportsnet!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  59. ^ "Team Bauer topples Team Sonnet to win the Canadian leg of the Dream Gap Tour". SB Nation. May 30, 2021.

External links[]

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