Toronto Six seek to sink Connecticut Whale in PHF semifinal series

Becoming the first Canadian team to win an Isobel Cup requires clearing a hurdle that's tripped the Toronto Six in back-to-back years.

The Six open a best-of-three Premier Hockey Federation semifinal Friday against the visiting Connecticut Whale in Toronto's Mattamy Athletic Centre.

The winner advances to a one-game championship March 26 in Tempe, Ariz., to determine which PHF team hoists the Isobel Cup in 2023.

Toronto was the higher seed in its 2021 and 2022 semifinal — one-game affairs — and lost both to eventual champion Boston Pride.

"The last two seasons were kind of disappointments for us, so it makes you that much more hungry going into the next season," Six forward Emma Woods said. "All the returners are feeling that big-time this year.

"We want to win the Isobel cup. It's never come back to Canada. There's a lot of anticipation and nerves of course too, but a lot of excitement. We're here to win."

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The Six and Whale square off in back-to-back games Friday and Saturday afternoons. A third game, if needed, is scheduled for Monday at Mattamy which is housed in Maple Leaf Gardens.

The defending champion and top-seeded Pride host the Minnesota Whitecaps in the other best-of-three semifinal starting Thursday.

Toronto (17-5-2) ranked second and Connecticut (14-8-2) third in the regular season. They split their season series at two wins apiece.

Connecticut rides a six-game win streak, including four straight on the road, into Toronto.

"We're on that streak but there's still more work to do," Orr said. "For us, it's a businesslike mentality and continue that message of we've got unfinished business from last year."

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