The PWHL is back! We’ve got two games on the slate for opening night, the Sceptres are in Minnesota to face off against the Frost, while the two expansion teams open their new season against each other.
Minnesota Frost vs Toronto Sceptres
The back to back champs are taking on a team that fell into a downwards spiral at the end of last season, and couldn’t seem to escape. Significant losses over the offseason include their star goalie Kristen Campbell, and star forward Sarah Nurse. Meanwhile, not much changed with the back to back champs – besides a slightly weaker D core, after losing their rookie Claire Thompson. Minnesota is by far the stronger team heading into the season, and I’m banking on a strong start.
My Pick: Minnesota Frost ML (-137)
Vancouver Goldeneyes vs Seattle Torrent
Goalies. Both these teams have very strong goaltenders, in both the starter and backup slots. With both teams being expansions, expect a lower chemistry to kickoff the season. This would mean slow starts offensively, sloppy plays, and less control time. The key difference between these two teams are the defensive cores. I see Vancouver outshining Seattle in this department, with big names like Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson. In what I presume will be a low scoring game, I expect Vancouver to find the back of the net more than Seattle.
My Picks: Vancouver Goldeneyes ML (-128), Under 4.5 (+140)