Denver will host their third ever PWHL game this weekend, and after two strong showings, the Mile High City might be atop the PWHL's shortlist for expansion if they can
Denver is set to get one final look by the PWHL this weekend ahead of potential expansion as the market prepares for their second PWHL Takeover Tour stop of the season and third all-time.
Earlier this season, the Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent played in front of 11,612 fans in Denver with Vancouver beating the Torrent 3-1. It came after Denver set an American attendance record, which has since been broken several times, in their first PWHL Takeover stop last season.
With the success Denver has experienced, and the continued push to move the PWHL west and into more American markets, it seems a safe bet that Denver will get an expansion team, although one final positive showing could go a long way for showing that the Mile High City is not only a good market for an annual stop, but for a permanent franchise.
The second match up this season will include two teams currently in playoff spots in the PWHL in the New York Sirens and Minnesota Frost.
For Minnesota, they'll return to Colorado for the second time after playing in Denver last year, a homecoming for Colorado product Nicole Hensely.
"..Getting to play in Denver last year was super exciting, and seeing, what the attendance has been, the PWHL's past two games in Denver, definitely excited to get back there, and I'm gonna have a lot of friends and family, so, just looking forward to being home for a few days," said Hensely.
"To see how far this game has come, that Denver's getting three games inside of two years, and it's super exciting," continued Hensley. "I know just from the things I've heard and going back and forth to Denver, how many more girls associations there are to play for, how many more girls are playing hockey, and just the options that girls have growing up there, I think, is huge now, and it's so cool to see… see where the games come out west."
The final PWHL Takeover Tour stop in Denver this season will take place at Ball Arena on March 15 at 2pm.