PWHL Semifinal Matchups Set After Montreal Victoire Choice

Apr 27, 2026, 04:17

Introduction

The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) has confirmed the semifinal pairings. The Montreal Victoire, who finished first in the regular season, chose to play against the Minnesota Frost. As a result, the Boston Fleet will face the Ottawa Charge in the second semifinal series.

Main Body

Montreal decided to face the Minnesota Frost, a team that has won the Walter Cup twice. By making this choice, Montreal avoids a rematch with Ottawa from last season. Although Montreal won all four of their regular-season games against Minnesota, history shows that the top-seeded team does not always win the semifinals. Montreal has a strong defensive record against the Frost, allowing only three goals despite Minnesota being the league's highest-scoring team. Meanwhile, the series between the Boston Fleet and the Ottawa Charge is expected to be very close. Ottawa won three of their four regular-season meetings, though all of those games were decided in overtime. Boston has a better defensive record and is more likely to score the first goal. However, Ottawa has shown a great ability to come back and win games even after trailing for the first two periods. From a technical perspective, both teams have similar scoring and power-play strengths. A key highlight will be the matchup between goaltenders Aerin Frankel and Gwyneth Philips, who were previously teammates. Additionally, Ottawa welcomes back head coach Carla MacLeod from medical leave. Both teams possess strong rosters, with Ottawa relying on players like Ronja Savolainen and Boston counting on stars such as rookie Abby Newhook and defender Megan Keller.

Conclusion

The semifinals begin on Thursday, April 30, with Boston hosting Ottawa at the Tsongas Center. The series between Montreal and Minnesota will start this Saturday in Laval.

Vocabulary Learning

medical leave (n.)

a period of time off work due to health reasons病假

Example:Carla MacLeod returned from medical leave after a successful treatment.

pairings (n.)

a match‑up or arrangement of opponents配對

Example:The pairings for the tournament were announced last week.

rematch (n.)

a second or additional match between the same opponents重新對決

Example:The teams were eager for a rematch after the controversial loss.

roster (n.)

a list of players on a team名單

Example:The coach reviewed the roster before the game.

semifinal (n.)

a round before the final in a competition半決賽

Example:The Montreal Victoire advanced to the semifinal after winning the quarterfinal match.

Sentence Learning

The Montreal Victoire, who finished first in the regular season, chose to play against the Minnesota Frost.

Relative Clause: The clause 'who finished first in the regular season' provides essential information about the Montreal Victoire, specifying its achievement.關係子句: 子句 'who finished first in the regular season' 為蒙特利爾勝利隊提供關鍵資訊，說明其成就。

The series between the Boston Fleet and the Ottawa Charge is expected to be very close.

Passive Voice: The sentence uses passive construction 'is expected to be' to report a future expectation in a formal tone.被動語態: 句子使用被動式 'is expected to be' 以正式語氣報告未來預期。

Montreal has a strong defensive record against the Frost, allowing only three goals despite Minnesota being the league's highest-scoring team.

Concessive Conjunction (despite): 'despite' introduces a contrast, showing that even though Minnesota scores many, Montreal still limits goals.讓步連接詞（despite）: 'despite' 引入對比，說明儘管明尼蘇達進球多，蒙特利爾仍限制進球數。

Although Montreal won all four of their regular-season games against Minnesota, history shows that the top-seeded team does not always win the semifinals.

Concessive Conjunction (although): 'although' signals a contrast between Montreal's past success and the uncertainty of the semifinals.讓步連接詞（although）: 'although' 表示對比，說明儘管蒙特利爾過去取得全部勝利，半決賽的結果仍不確定。

However, Ottawa has shown a great ability to come back and win games even after trailing for the first two periods.

Contrast Conjunction (however): 'however' introduces a contrasting idea, highlighting Ottawa's resilience despite early deficits.對比連接詞（however）: 'however' 引入對比，強調盧薩在早期落後仍能逆轉勝利。