On Wednesday night, PWHL New York hosts PWHL Ottawa at Total Mortgage Arena. Both teams are coming into the matchup off a loss and looking to keep their playoff hopes alive with a win. New York desperately needs a win as they find themselves on a six-game losing streak, with their last win coming almost a month ago against Montreal.
A NY team that was highly noted for its talent at the beginning of the season now finds itself at the bottom of the standings, so why is that so? A significant factor in New York’s recent string of losses is their inability to stay out of the penalty box. During their last six games, NY has taken twenty penalties. While the penalty kill for NY has been playing well, taking so many penalties alters the momentum of the game. Many times, when New York had taken a penalty, it would be during a high point for the team and the penalty would shift the momentum to the other team.
The other problem NY faces is their lack of defensive play. Amongst all other PWHL teams, NY has given up over 100 more shots on net. If it weren’t for the stellar playing of their two netminders, these problems would have surfaced way sooner for New York. Looking at their roster, New York has solid top-four defensemen, but the defense is non-existent on the ice. Many goals scored by the opposition over this skid have come from sloppy passes and players easily getting a path to the goal.
The struggles New York is facing are incredibly alarming, especially considering there has been little change in the lineup to address the situation. With the trade deadline and roster freeze deadline having already passed, New York can no longer adjust their roster, but a shake-up of the lines may just be what this team needs to ignite a spark.
While NY is at the bottom of the standings, their playoff hopes are still alive as they are only five points out of a playoff spot. Momentum and luck will need to be on New York’s side, as they will need help from other teams to get into the playoffs. Wednesday night, NY will look to earn three crucial points, as every game from this point out becomes do-or-die for them.
Be sure to check out JerseySportingNews.com for the latest on PWHL New York
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