The Pittsburgh Penguins and Penguins Foundation, along with the NHL, will celebrate Gender Equality Month throughout the month of March to amplify women driving the sport of hockey.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are fortunate to have many strong female leaders throughout the organization, and two of them are being recognized for their hard work and dedication.

The Penguins were originally set to host their second annual "Her Hockey Day" today at PPG Paints Arena. And though the NHL season is currently paused, we still wanted to take the time to salute all women in hockey - from the littlest Penguins fans to the inspiring women forever changing the game.

William Douglas has been writing The Color of Hockey blog for the past eight years. Douglas joined NHL.com in March 2019 and writes about people of color in the game. Today, he looks at the increasing number of women of color working in the NHL and throughout hockey.

ST. LOUIS - As the U.S. and Canadian national anthems were being sung ahead of NHL All-Star Skills on Friday at Enterprise Center, an incredible scene was displayed on the ice.

Pictured above is the Wisconsin Badgers women's hockey team, who defeated the Northeastern Huskies in overtime, 4-3, to win the first-ever 'Battle at the Burgh' invitational tournament.

As the clock ticked down to the final seconds of regulation in the consolation game between No. 12 Robert Morris and No. 16 Colgate in the first 'Battle at the Burgh' women's college hockey invitational tournament on Sunday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, Colonials forward Kyleigh Hanzlik received a pass while heading up the ice.

Pictured above is defenseman Chayla Edwards, a six-year alumnus of the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program who is in her freshman campaign with the top-ranked Badgers - the defending national champions. (Photo credit: David Stluka)

When Wisconsin freshman defenseman Chayla Edwards walked into UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Saturday, she did a double take.

That's because Edwards, an alumnus of the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program who is here this weekend for the 'Battle at the Burgh' women's college hockey tournament, spotted Penguins captain Sidney Crosby finishing an on-ice workout before the Badgers were set to skate.

After former Penguin Mark Johnson - who is the head coach of the Wisconsin women's hockey team - walked into the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex for the first time on Friday afternoon, he sat at one of the tables in the lobby with a smile on his face.

Pictured above is Wisconsin senior forward Abby Roque, who made her debut with the U.S. women's national team this week and will be in town for the upcoming 'Battle at the Burgh.'

An important takeaway came out of the joint training camp between the U.S. and Canadian women's national teams last month at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex ahead of their five-game Rivalry Series.

The defending national champion University of Wisconsin women's hockey team, currently ranked No. 1 in the country - and coached by former Penguin Mark Johnson - will highlight a powerhouse field in the first 'Battle at the Burgh' invitational tournament January 4-5 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township.

Wisconsin will be joined by local power Robert Morris and two other nationally-ranked teams, Northeastern and Colgate.