PHF PARTNERS WITH ARIZONA COYOTES AND OVG360 TO BRING PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S HOCKEY TO THE DESERT ON MARCH 26 WITH LIVE COVERAGE ON ESPN2 AND TSN
BOSTON, MA – (March 9, 2023) The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced that the 2023 Isobel Cup Championship, in partnership with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes and OVG360, will be at Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ, on Sunday, March 26. The league’s top two teams will battle in the desert for the ultimate prize in professional women’s hockey beginning at 6 p.m. MT (9 p.m. ET) and broadcast live on ESPN2 and TSN.
“Raising the Isobel Cup and celebrating a championship is what all PHF athletes commit themselves to achieve, and we can’t wait to see the moment unfold at Mullett Arena on March 26,” said Reagan Carey, PHF Commissioner. “As we continue building momentum for our sport in the new PHF era, it’s important to strengthen relationships in different markets and grow the game by showcasing professional women’s hockey to more fans throughout North America. The support from the Arizona Coyotes and OVG360 is instrumental in helping us achieve these goals and will provide a special experience and environment for both teams to compete for their place in history.”
The Isobel Cup Championship will take place following the Coyotes’ afternoon game against the visiting Colorado Avalanche at Mullett Arena. During championship weekend, the PHF will also team up with the Coyotes and Lyndsey Fry, President of the Arizona Kachinas Girls Hockey Association, to host activities for local youth.
“We are thrilled to host the Premier Hockey Federation’s Isobel Cup Championship at Mullett Arena,” said Coyotes President & CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez. “The Coyotes are extremely proud of our support for women’s hockey and our Arizona Kachinas program, and we look forward to watching the league’s top teams compete for the cup! Mullett Arena has proven to be an incredible venue for NHL hockey, and we are confident that the arena will be rocking for the Isobel Cup final.”
“The Mullett Arena is truly an amazing facility for hockey as we have seen with the ASU Sun Devils and the Coyotes this year,” said OVG360’s Joe Sheridan, General Manager, Mullett Arena. “An event like this inspires the future generation of women’s hockey players, and we look forward to working closely with the PHF and the Coyotes in showcasing our beautiful arena. It will be great for hockey in the desert.”
The Boston Pride, Toronto Six, Connecticut Whale, and Minnesota Whitecaps all remain in contention for the prestigious Isobel Cup. Best-of-three semifinals are slated for March 16-20 and will be hosted by the Pride at The Bentley Arena at Bentley University and T6 at Mattamy Athletic Centre. Final standings and playoff matchups will be determined over the course of the league’s remaining regular season games to be played this weekend, March 10-12. In addition to managing and operating the Mullett Arena in Tempe, AZ, OVG360 also manages and operates the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
The Pride are the two-time defending Isobel Cup champions and were also crowned the league’s inaugural winner in 2016. Minnesota claimed the 2019 title in their expansion season and were also finalists against Boston in 2021 and the 2020 series that was canceled because of the pandemic. Connecticut was a finalist for the first time last season, and Toronto is pursuing its first championship appearance after semifinal losses in their first two PHF seasons.
This will be the first time the Isobel Cup Championship will be played on official NHL game ice, and the second straight season for a neutral site NHL host outside of traditional PHF markets following the 2022 playoffs in Florida in partnership with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tickets for the final will go on sale beginning Monday, March 13 at MullettArena.com.
For more information about the 2023 Isobel Cup Playoffs visit premierhockeyfederation.com/playoffs.
About the Isobel Cup
The Isobel Cup takes its name from Lord Frederick Arthur Stanley’s daughter, Isobel, who shared his love of the game and is known to be one of the first female hockey players in Canada. Isobel, along with her brothers, encouraged her father to purchase a silver cup to award to the best amateur hockey team in Canada. The Stanley Cup, as it was later named, became the championship trophy of the National Hockey League. The front of the Isobel Cup reads: “The Lady Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Cup 1875-1963. This Cup shall be awarded annually to the greatest professional women’s hockey team in North America. All who pursue this Cup, pursue a dream; a dream born with Isobel, that shall never die. EST. 2016.”
About the Premier Hockey Federation
The PHF is the home of professional women’s hockey in North America. Established in 2015 as the National Women’s Hockey League, the NWHL rebranded to become the PHF in 2021 and provide opportunities for elite athletes to earn a living playing the game they love while fueling the continued growth of the sport. The league is made up of the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, Minnesota Whitecaps, Montreal Force, and the Toronto Six who all compete annually for the Isobel Cup. As part of a two-year agreement with ESPN, live coverage of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 PHF seasons is available exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States, and provides international rights for games which includes TSN in Canada. For more information visit premierhockeyfederation.com.
About OVG360
OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client-partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client-partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides a set of services, resources and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service- oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and public safety and more.
