PWHL announces playoff arenas for Toronto, Montreal to start their semifinal series

TORONTO – The Professional Women’s Hockey League’s first four playoff games will be played in Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum and Place Bell in Laval, Que.

With Toronto and Montreal having secured playoff berths and home-ice advantage, the PWHL announced Tuesday their best-of-five semifinals will start in those arenas.

Toronto’s first two playoff games are May 8 and 10, and Montreal’s are May 9 and 11.

The top four in the six-team league advance to the post-season.

Once the regular season concludes Sunday and the standings are final, the top team in the league has a 24-hour window to choose its semifinal opponent between the third and fourth seeds.

Toronto and Montreal were tied atop the standings with 41 points apiece Tuesday. Toronto had two games remaining and Montreal one.

Minnesota, Ottawa and Boston were still in the hunt for the two remaining playoff spots. New York was eliminated from contention.

Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum, with a capacity of about 8,000, is the home of the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies.

Place Bell, which is the rink of the AHL’s Laval Rocket, holds just over 10,000.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2024.