The PWHL schedule is finally out and the Toronto Sceptres, as they did in the league’s wildly successful inaugural season, will be one of two teams getting things started.
The Sceptres open the league’s schedule Nov. 30 in their new home at Coca-Cola Coliseum with a 2 p.m. matinee against the Boston Fleet.
That is Game 1 of a 30-game schedule for the Sceptres which will see them play 13 games at the team’s new home rink in the Exhibition Place grounds in addition to four games at neutral or non-primary home venues.
The remaining 13 games will be played at the home venues of their five league counterparts.
Two of those neutral-site games — Jan. 8 vs. Montreal and Jan. 25 vs. New York — are considered home games, so expect those to remain in the area. Scotiabank Arena is open on both of those dates with the Leafs and Raptors on the road and no concerts scheduled those nights.
The league, though, has yet to announce any of the neutral-site locations.
The other two — Feb 16 vs. Ottawa and March 26 vs. Boston — are road games. Both the TD Garden in Boston, home of the Bruins, and the Canadian Tire Centre, home of the Ottawa Senators, have open dates on those nights.
Toronto’s move from Mattamy Athletic Centre to the 8,000-seat Coca-Cola Coliseum, while a boost in seating, does come with some baggage.
Because the arena is booked for the Toronto International Boat Show for the month of January, the team will not play a single home game for that month, although two neutral-site home games should at least cut the consecutive road games down to just three for the month.
The teams’ longest homestands are a pair of three-gamers from Dec. 21 through a New Year’s Eve game vs. the Ottawa Charge. That will be a 7 p.m. start.
The second three-game home stand runs from March 6 through March 19 with games against Montreal Victoire, Minnesota Frost and New York Sirens.
As was the case in Year 1, there will be three schedule breaks for international play. The first comes Dec. 9 with games resuming on Dec. 17. The league will break again on Feb. 3 resuming on Feb. 11 and then an extended break from April 3-Apri 26 for the IIHF women’s world championship.
Season ticket memberships for the Sceptres home game already are sold out, but a limited number of half-season ticket packages will go on sale Oct. 17 available to those fans who have signed up for the season ticket waitlist and the Sceptres newsletter.
Single-game tickets go on sale Oct. 30.
Broadcast and streaming information will be announced by the league in the coming weeks.
TORONTO SCEPTRES 2024-25 SCHEDULE
Sat. Nov. 30 – Boston, 2 p.m.
Tue. Dec. 3 – at Ottawa, 7 p.m.
Sat. Dec. 7 – Minnesota, 2 p.m.
Wed. Dec. 18 – at New York, 7 p.m.
Sat. Dec. 21 – Montréal, 2 p.m.
Fri. Dec. 27 – Boston, 7 p.m.
Tue. Dec. 31 – Ottawa, 7 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 8 – Montréal, TBA
Sun. Jan. 12 – at New York, 1 p.m.
Tue. Jan. 14 – at Ottawa, 7 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 22 – at Boston, 7 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 25 – New York, TBA
Tue. Jan. 28 – at Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Thu. Jan. 30 – at Montréal, 7 p.m.
Sat. Feb. 1 – Ottawa, 2 p.m.
Tue. Feb. 11 – Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Fri. Feb. 14 – Boston, 7 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 16 – at Ottawa, TBA
Wed. Feb. 19 – at New York, 7 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 23 – at Minnesota, 1:30 p.m.
Tue. Feb. 25 – at Montréal Place Bell 7 p.m.
Thu. Mar. 6 – Montréal, 7 p.m.
Sun. Mar. 9 – Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Wed. Mar. 19 – New York, 7 p.m.
Sun. Mar. 23 – at Montréal, 12 p.m.
Wed. Mar. 26 – at Boston, TBA
Sun. Mar. 30 at Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Sat. Apr. 26 – at Boston, TBA
Tue. Apr. 29 – New York, 7 p.m.
Sat. May 3 – Ottawa, TBA