PWHL Playoff Race Taking Shape with 5 Games Remaining

With just five games remaining in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season for all six teams, the four-team playoff is shaping up. Two teams can clinch with a regulation win, another isn’t too far behind, while the last spot is semi-up for grabs but there’s a five-point lead for the club currently holding it.

With the top three teams in the league being so tight, there should be a hard-fought battle for the top seed in the playoffs. Not only does that team get to play at home, but they also get to pick their opponent, either the third or fourth seed, in their five-game series. There’s a lot on the line, so how is it shaking out? With the league on standby until April 18, what could change from that date until the end of the regular season in May?

Toronto is Taking Initiative

At the start of the season, it looked like Toronto would be out of the playoff conversation entirely — they lost three of their first four contests in regulation. Now, they might finish with the best record in the entire league. Their 10 regulation wins and 36 points are the best in the PWHL, sitting a win of any fashion away from clinching the postseason for good.

Toronto has been led by the elite play of several players. For one, Natalie Spooner has been on a tear all season long. Her 15 goals lead the PWHL by a whopping six, and her 20 points are also the top mark of the league. The PWHL isn’t a very high-scoring league, but she has broken the model entirely. It cannot be understated how well she has done.

To help, Sarah Nurse has 15 points in 19 games, so she is also producing at an elite level. Still just 29 years old, there’s plenty of time for her to contribute.

With a great team overall and solid goaltending from Kristen Campbell, Toronto could end up being a threat in the postseason. They’ve had some sustained success recently, so it’s not unrealistic to think they can do that once the playoffs hit. If anything, the month-long break might hurt them.

Minnesota Still Hanging Strong

Minnesota was arguably the best team in the PWHL through the first month or so of the season, but their play started to slip. When star center Taylor Heise was placed on injured reserve around the time their slip occurred, things were not looking good. However, the team was resilient, won a few games, and Heise was back pretty shortly.

With 35 points for Minnesota, they aren’t too far behind Toronto for first place. They too can clinch the…