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2025 PWHL Playoffs: Schedule, Standings, Playoff Rules & More

2025 PWHL Playoffs: Schedule, Standings, Playoff Rules & More

The final puck has dropped on the 2025 PWHL Playoffs and it’s official: The PWHL’s Minnesota Frost are back-to-back Walter Cup Champions after beating the Ottawa Charge in a 3-1 series. 

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2025 PWHL Playoffs Schedule & Results

Take a look back at how the entire 2025 PWHL playoffs went down with the game schedule and results below:

Date Time Finals Matchup Where to Watch in US
Mon., May 26* 5 p.m. ET Ottawa Charge (1) vs. Minnesota Frost (2) YouTube, FanDuel Sports Network North
Sat., May 24 5 p.m. ET Ottawa Charge (1) vs. Minnesota Frost (2) YouTube, FanDuel Sports Network North
Thurs., May 22 7 p.m. ET Minnesota Frost (2) vs. Ottawa Charge (1) YouTube, FanDuel Sports Network North
Tues., May 20 Final Minnesota Frost (1) vs. Ottawa Charge (2) YouTube, FanDuel Sports Network North

Semifinals Results

Date Time Semifinals Matchup Where to Watch in US
Fri, May 16* Final Montreal Victoire (1) vs Ottawa Charge (2) YouTube
Wed, May 14* Final Toronto Sceptres (3) vs Minnesota Frost (4) YouTube, FanDuel Sports Network North
Tue, May 13 Final Montreal Victoire (0) vs Ottawa Charge (1) YouTube
Sun, May 11 Final Toronto Sceptres (5) vs Minnesota Frost (7) YouTube, FanDuel Sports Network North
Sun, May 11 Final Ottawa Charge (2) vs Montreal Victoire (3) YouTube
Fri, May 9 Final Minnesota Frost (5) vs Toronto Sceptres (3) YouTube, FanDuel Sports Network North
Thu, May 8 Final Ottawa Charge (3) vs Montreal Victoire (2) YouTube
Wed, May 7 Final Minnesota Frost (2) vs Toronto Sceptres (3) YouTube, FanDuel Sports Network North

*If Necessary

Once the semifinals have concluded, the final two teams standing will then move on to the Walter Cup Finals. Fans can expect the finals schedule to be released as the semifinals come to a close.


Where can I watch the PWHL Playoffs?

Fans in the United States can stream the 2025 PWHL Playoffs on YouTube for free. Fans can also watch the Minnesota Frost play live on FanDuel Sports Network North, the team’s local regional sports network.


How do the Playoffs Work in the PWHL?

If you’re new to professional hockey, the rules, penalties and terms like “icing” can feel a bit overwhelming. Even seasoned NHL fans might find the PWHL rulebook a bit daunting, as there are key distinctions between the women’s and men’s games. That’s why we’ve put together a quick overview of the PWHL playoff rules—so you can follow the fast-paced action without missing a beat.

How do PWHL teams qualify for the playoffs?

This season, the league consisted of six teams (two new teams have since been announced as part of the PWHL expansion): Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montreal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge and Toronto Septres.

Throughout the regular season, teams can earn between 0-3 points per game: 3 points for a regulation win, 2 points for an overtime or shootout win, 1 point for an overtime or shootout loss and 0 points for a regulation loss.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the top four teams with the most points qualify for the playoffs. For the 2025 season, those four teams were the Frost, Victoire, Charge and Septres.

Here’s what the final standings looked like this season, with the top four teams gliding on to the postseason:

Position Team PTS Wins Overtime Wins Losses
1 Montreal Victoire 53 12 7 8
2 Toronto Septres 48 12 3 9
3 Ottawa Charge 44 12 2 12
4 Minnesota Frost 44 10 5 11
5 Boston Fleet 44 9 6 10
6 New York Sirens 37 8 4 13

You may have noticed that the Charge, Frost, and Fleet all finished the season with 44 points—so how did the Charge and Frost clinch playoff spots over the Fleet? It all comes down to the league’s tiebreaker rules. Here’s how the PWHL breaks ties:

  • Fewer number of games played (all teams were equal)
  • Greater number of regulation wins (Charge: 12, Frost: 10, Fleet: 9)
  • Greater number of regulation and overtime wins
  • Greater number of total wins

While there are additional tiebreaker criteria beyond these, ties are typically resolved well before reaching that point—just like this one.

PWHL Playoff Format

The PWHL Playoffs begin with two best-of-five semifinal series and culminate in the Walter Cup Final, where the last two teams standing face off for the championship. One of the most unique aspects of the PWHL playoffs is how the matchups are set: The No. 1 seed gets to choose who they will face in the semifinals between the third and fourth seeds.

With only four teams in the playoffs—and just six in the league overall—this rule gives the top seed a major advantage by allowing them to pick the matchup they feel most confident about, regardless of traditional seeding.

How does overtime work in the PWHL playoffs?

PWHL overtime rules shift dramatically in the postseason. During the regular season, tied games go to a five-minute, 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime. If no goal is scored, the game moves to a best-of-five shootout.

In the playoffs, however, the format mirrors traditional hockey more closely. Teams ending in a tie during playoff games will be given a fifteen-minute intermission before continuing to play a full 20-minute period, with the first goal scored determining the winner.

In last year’s playoffs, Boston and Montreal had a total of five 20-minute overtime periods during the semifinal series, including a gripping triple-overtime game that essentially added another full games’ worth of hockey to the clock. In the 2025 Playoffs, Game 2 between the Charge and Victoire went 4 overtimes.


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Frequently Asked Questions

Which teams made it to the 2025 PWHL Playoffs?

Montreal Victoire, Toronto Sceptres, Ottawa Charge, Minnesota Frost

Which team won the 2025 PWHL Walter Cup?

Minnesota Frost

Which PWHL teams are in the 2025 PWHL Championship?

Minnesota Frost and Ottawa Charge

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