The Professional Women’s Hockey League playoff format features the top four teams from the regular season standings securing their chances to battle it out for the Walter Cup.
The playoff format features best-of-five semifinals and a best-of-five final series. Home-ice advantage is a key factor, with the higher-seeded teams hosting games one, two, and five in each series.
Something unique that the league is trying out in this first season, is that the first-place team earns the privilege of selecting their semifinal opponent. With a 24-hour window to make their decision, they choose between the third- or fourth-place teams.
How the 2024 PWHL Playoffs Work
The stage is now set for the inaugural PWHL playoffs.
Montreal, Toronto, Boston and Minnesota are in, and New York and Ottawa are out.
The PWHL playoffs will commence with the first-round best-of-five series starting on Wednesday, May 8. The action will unfold at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, boasting a seating capacity of 8,000. This venue serves as the home of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
The second series will kick off on May 9 at Place Bell in the Montreal suburb of Laval. With a seating capacity of 10,000, this venue provides the perfect backdrop for Montreal to host its first-round opponent. Place Bell is widely recognized as the home of the AHL’s Laval Rocket.
2024 PWHL Playoffs Schedule
Wednesday May 8 Game 1: Toronto vs TBD (Coca-Cola Coliseum) at 7:00 p.m. ET
Thursday May 9 Game 1: Montréal vs TBD (Place Bell) at 7:00 p.m. ET
Friday May 10 Game 2: Toronto vs TBD (Coca-Cola Coliseum) at 7:00 p.m. ET
Saturday May 11 Game 2: Montréal vs TBD (Place Bell) at 7:00 p.m. ET
Times for games 3, 4, and 5 of both series will be announced upon the confirmation of semifinal matchups.
