The PWHL's season is one quarter done: attendance records have fallen, players are finding the spotlight, and there's more to come. Friday Faceoff is a weekly feature where Erin Brown and Ian Kennedy discuss, and sometimes debate, topics in women's hockey. This week the pair look at the quarter mark of the PWHL season. Erin Brown: Ian, I’m going through withdrawal. It’s been a few days without a PWHL game to watch. It goes without saying, the league has been fun on all levels. You can tell it is built not just by higher-ups in an office, but the labor of love of more than 300 involved league-wide. It reflects on-ice. That may be my favorite thing so far — seeing players with a pure joy that seems absent elsewhere in sports right now. You see it in their smiles, how they’re feeding off and soaking in record crowds. There’s obviously pressure, but they’re still in living-the-dream mode. And it has made for great hockey. Of the 22 games played, 14 (63 percent) were by one-goal and eight of those needed extra time. We’ve seen plenty of highlight-reel plays, physical but not dangerous encounters, feisty interactions (here’s looking at you, Abby Roque and Marie Philip-Poulin) and countless friendly ones, too. The honeymoon always comes to an end at some point, but let’s hope this one lasts a long, long time. It has been uplifting watching the dream being lived out. Ian Kennedy: I couldn’t agree more. Watching the faces of fans and players, it’s been incredible. In my own home, seeing my daughter connect with the sport, it’s such an important moment. Fans have to be impressed with the top to bottom talent. We knew there was doing to be depth in this league, but to see players step forward into starring roles that extend beyond national team rosters, and to see those players earn a following, fandom, and broadcast coverage is another testament to what’s going on. Players like Sam Cogan and Rebecca Leslie in Toronto, or Daryl Watts, Sidney Morin, Susanna Tapani, Tereza Vanisova, Brooke Hobson. These are names that weren’t making headlines last year, and now they’re receiving their due. Through the first quarter, I’m not sure anyone fully expected attendance to be as high as it has been either. In terms of what’s happening in the arenas and on the broadcasts, it’s been win after win. Nearly 5,000 fans league wide for average attendance, a number we can pretty much guarantee would be a few thousand higher if Toronto had a bigger venue is just incredible for a league that threw things together quickly. Erin Brown: Who had Lexie Adzija atop Ottawa’s scoring leaders? Not I. I’ve also been thinking about venue sizes. I have a feeling this season will also be special to catch women’s hockey in some historic barns — site of the first Women’s World Championship in Ottawa, historic Verdun Auditorium in Montreal and - technically — Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. I think TD Place will hold for a little while, but the latter two markets seem to have way too much demand to stay in venues smaller than the league average. But seeing a game at a renovated Verdun was magical, I think, because it *didn’t* have all the amenities and distractions of typical arenas. I consider it part of the experience, to see that level of hockey in such a close setting. What was your take on the experience in Toronto? Ian Kennedy: I think Maple Leaf Gardens, now Mattamy is fabulous because of the history, but it’s just not enough. I’d be shocked if we don’t see Toronto already looking into Coca-Cola Coliseum. With the Leafs and Raptors at Scotiabank, that might be a bit much on scheduling, but who knows. One thing I do know for sure is, it’s better to have full rinks and demand in a smaller venue than the perception that rinks are empty. Thinking of Adzija, the other thing I’ve seen so many fans engaging with is the off ice walk ups, and social media accounts. So many fans have been engaging with Adzija’s fashion, and Emma Maltais’ quirky questions about dog languages and squirrel nests. It’s the kind of content that is both fun and engaging for fans. And there’s so much personality in this league compared to the robotic NHL. Erin Brown: Circling back, before we wrap — Has your daughter chosen a favorite player or team yet? Ian Kennedy: I just turned to her and asked that question. First she said “Canada.” Then when I clarified that we’re talking about the pro hockey that we’ve been watching, she quickly answered “New York, no, no, Ottawa, no New York. Ottawa, New York.” That’s the quote, verbatim. So I think it's safe to say she likes New York...or Ottawa. What I do know is, she loves it, and so do I.
