PWHL notebook: Spooner makes season debut

With the Professional Women’s Hockey League season underway, NHL.com staff writer Anna Kulesa will be filing a biweekly notebook on all the happenings in the league. Today, a look at some of the top storylines, including reigning PWHL MVP Natalie Spooner’s season debut, forward Sarah Nurse’s injury and Montreal Victoire’s continued dominance.

Natalie Spooner’s season debut

Natalie Spooner made her long-awaited 2024-25 season debut on Tuesday. The Toronto Sceptres forward returned to the lineup after nine months due to a knee injury suffered during the PWHL playoffs in May. The reigning PWHL MVP recorded an assist in the Sceptres’ 3-2 overtime win against the Minnesota Frost at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto. Spooner’s return comes at the perfect time for Toronto, who has fought its way up the standings to third place with 21 points in 16 games after sitting in last place just two weeks ago.

Sarah Nurse placed on injured reserve

In bad news for the Sceptres, the team lost forward Sarah Nurse to a lower-body injury and placed the star on long-term injured reserve on Monday. Nurse suffered the injury during Game 4 of the Rivalry Series last week against the United States. The Canadian forward had 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 15 games. Toronto signed German forward Laura Kluge for the rest of the season to fill Nurse’s hole in the lineup. Kluge participated in the Sceptres training camp this past fall.

Montreal Victoire creating space up top

The Montreal Victoire continue to create space on top of the standings as they sit in first place with 31 points in 14 games. The Minnesota Frost are five points behind in second place with 26 points in 16 games. The Victoire are currently on a five-game win streak and have only allowed 31 goals this season which is tied for first in the PWHL. Goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens leads the league with a .935 save percentage, 1.77 goals-against average and eight wins.

Poulin scores season’s first hat trick

Marie-Philip Poulin’s stick has the magic touch. The Victoire captain recorded the league’s first hat trick of the season, scoring three goals in a 4-1 win against the Ottawa Charge on Jan. 29. Poulin currently leads the PWHL with 10 goals this season, recording eight of those goals in her past seven games.

EA NHL 25 Team of the Year announced

EA Sports announced their NHL 25 Team of the Year lineup which featured six of the PWHL’s biggest stars. Sceptres goalie Kristen Campbell, Victoire defenseman Erin Ambrose and Boston Fleet defenseman Megan Keller were named to the defense and goaltenders roster. Sceptres forward Natalie Spooner, Frost forward Taylor Heise and Victoire forward Marie-Philip Poulin were named to the forwards roster. EA Sports gifted each winner custom skates in honor of winning the award.

Takeover Tour continues in Edmonton

The PWHL continues its Takeover Tour with a stop in Edmonton this weekend. The Sceptres will play the Charge on Sunday afternoon for the tour’s fifth city stop. There are four games left on the tour which will be played in Buffalo, Raleigh, Detroit and St. Louis.