NWHL 2017-18 Season Preview and News
Season Opening Weekend
The third season of the National Women’s Hockey League begins on Oct. 28th. All four of the NWHL’s teams will compete on opening night. The season opener features the Metropolitan Riveters hosting the Boston Pride at the Prudential Center. In the second contest, the Connecticut Whale hosts the defending Isobel Cup Champion Buffalo Beauts at the Terry Conners Ice Rink. It is safe to say many are excited about another season.
Season Info
This season will consist of all four teams playing sixteen games during the regular season. The end of the NWHL regular season is Saturday, March 10th. The season consists of one game a week with the exception of a home and home series Jan. 20-21, 2018. The Boston Pride and Metropolitan Riveters are the two teams who compete in the home and home. The regular season breakdown is one Friday night, nineteen Saturday and twelve Sunday contests.
With the exception of two neutral site contests, all games will be held at the teams home rink. The four teams home rinks are the Warrior Ice Arena which is home to the Boston Pride. The Buffalo Beauts home Ice is the Harbor Center. The Connecticut Whale’s home Ice is the Terry Conners Ice Rink. The RWJ Barnabas Health Hockey House is the Metropolitan Riveters home Ice.
The two neutral site games feature the 2016-2017 Isobel Cup Champion Buffalo Beauts. On Nov. 4th the Beauts square off against the Riveters in Rochester. Then on January 14th, the Beauts and Whale square off in Pittsburgh.
The NWHL All-Star game will be held in an NHL city that will be named at a later date. The All-Star game weekend is Feb. 10-11, 2018. New this year, the NWHL will have a “Game of the Week” live streamed on twitter @nwhl.twitter.com. The broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date.
New Jersey Devils/Metropolitan Riveters Partnership
In another exciting development for the NWHL, the New Jersey Devils and Metropolitan Riveters have entered into a first of its kind partnership. To kick off the partnership the Riveters and Pride compete before the Devils square off against the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday, October 28th. The ultimate goal of the partnership is to increase girls and women’s hockey in New Jersey and the Riveters home territory.
By making the women’s game more visible, these partnership increase development opportunities to help grow the NWHL. Along with community projects, the players will coach and instruct the girls and women in local hockey programs.
By helping the Riveters operations, the Devils and Prudential Center will enhance the Riveters marketing, sales, events, and facilities. And for the attendees of the Riveters games, the game experience will be taken to a new level. With the Devils partnership, the Riveters rebranded to a new uniform with Devils colors. Also, select Riveters games will be featured on the Devils digital network One Jersey Network. This will bring more attention to the NWHL, Riveters and women’s hockey in general.
Support the NWHL
Women’s hockey is growing every year. It’s thrilling hockey. The talented ladies play a fast-paced game that’s loaded with exciting action at both ends of the ice. Skating, passing, shooting, offensive and defensive play, stellar netminding the hockey in this league is as good as any league in the world. If you live in one of the teams home markets. If you’re looking for a winter weekend getaway do yourself a favor and attend an NWHL game. Support the league, your favorite team, and your favorite player. Help to keep the league going and growing for the many girls and young women whose dream it is to one day play in the show.
