PWHL notebook: Takeover Tour begins in Nova Scotia after international break

With the Professional Women’s Hockey League having begun its third season, NHL.com staff writer Anna Kulesa will be filing a biweekly notebook on all the happenings in the league. Today, a look at the PWHL Takeover Tour’s first stop in Nova Scotia following the league’s international break, and the Boston Fleet remaining undefeated.

Return from 1st international break

The PWHL returned from its first international break Tuesday after pausing from Dec. 8-15 for national team training and competition. The United States defeated Canada in the final two games of the Rivalry Series, winning 10-4 on Dec. 10 and 4-1 on Dec. 13 at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The victories completed a four-game sweep for the United States of Canada in the series. From Dec. 10-12, Finland, Czechia, Sweden and Switzerland played their final games of the Women’s Euro Hockey Tour. It was the last international competition before the national teams name their official rosters in January for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in February.

Takeover Tour kicks off in Nova Scotia

The 2025-26 PWHL Takeover Tour dropped the puck at its first stop this season at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Wednesday. A sellout crowd of 10,438 watched the Montreal Victoire defeat the Toronto Sceptres 2-1 in the shootout in the first of two games that will be played in the city this season. Both teams received a warm welcome from fans as they arrived at the arena for the matchup.

The Ottawa Charge and Boston Fleet will play at the Halifax arena on Jan. 11. The next stop on the Takeover Tour will be Dec. 21, when the Charge face the Minnesota Frost at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.

Fleet sail to 5th straight victory

The Boston Fleet remained undefeated with a 2-0 win against the New Yorks Sirens at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Wednesday. It was their fifth straight victory. Fleet rookie Ella Huber scored her first PWHL goal in the second period, and Aerin Frankel made 33 saves for her third shutout of the season. Boston, which comfortably sits in first place with 15 points, is the first team in PWHL history to win its first five games to start a season and the second PWHL team to record five straight regulation wins.

Goldeneyes’ home-rink advantage

The Vancouver Goldeneyes continued to hold down the fort at Pacific Coliseum by winning their third straight home game to start the season, defeating the Charge 2-1 on Tuesday. Goldeneyes forward Katie Chan, who was born near Vancouver in Richmond, British Columbia, scored her first PWHL goal in the victory. The Goldeneyes are tied with the Victoire for second place with eight points.

League leaders

Minnesota forward Kendall Coyne Schofield leads the league with four goals in four games and is tied with eight players for second with five points, having scored her first PWHL hat trick on Dec. 2 at the Charge. Seattle Torrent forward Hannah Bilka is first with six points (two goals, four assists) in four games after finishing with a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win against the Charge on Wednesday. Frankel leads PWHL goalies with five wins, three shutouts, a 0.40 goals-against average and a .985 save percentage.