BOSTON, MA – (February 14, 2023) – The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced its Three Stars of the Week following action played February 11-12, 2023. Top performers include goaltenders Tricia Deguire and Elaine Chuli who traded wins between-the-pipes for Montreal and Toronto in the weekend’s all-Canadian rivalry, and Force forward Alexandra Labelle who had two points in two games.
First Star: Tricia Deguire backstopped Montreal to their first shutout in franchise history with a career-high 39-save performance in Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Toronto. She turned aside seven shots in the first period, 22 in the middle frame, 10 in the third, and denied a penalty shot in the final minutes while nursing a one-goal lead. Her 22 stops on Sunday gave the Force another opportunity to win but fell short in a 2-1 defeat. It was still one of Deguire’s top three games of the season in terms of save percentage and gave her a weekend mark of .968. The 25-year-old from Sherbrooke, Quebec has started 10 games for the expansion unit since joining the PHF following a U SPORTS career that spanned six years at McGill University. She currently boasts a 4-6-0 record with a goals-against-average of 2.68 and a .912 SV% that both rank fifth among PHF starters. Two of her victories this season have come in a shootout which ties the PHF single season record and notably includes the team’s first ever win in their PHF debut in Buffalo on Nov. 5. She also won the historic first PHF game played in Quebec on Nov. 26 against the Riveters.
Second Star: Elaine Chuli did her part to make it a low scoring weekend by stopping 54 of 57 shots faced over two games for a save percentage of .947. Toronto’s tender turned aside 31 despite Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Montreal, then helped the team rebound with 23 saves in Sunday’s 2-1 win. That performance stands as her second best of the season in terms of goals-against and SV% with a single-game mark of .958 that follows her Feb. 4 shutout over Buffalo. The victory counts as Chuli’s tenth of the season and 30th of her career which ranks second in all-time PHF wins. Over 15 starts this season she’s posted a 10-3-2 record with a 2.56 GAA and .918 SV% that both rank third among PHF starters. The 28-year-old from Waterford, Ontario is playing in her third PHF season with T6 and is the reigning Goaltender of the Year. This marks her second weekly honor of the 2022-23 campaign after being recognized as the league’s third star following Toronto’s back-to-back wins over Montreal last month.
Third Star: Alexandra Labelle extended her point-streak to three-straight games after contributing to two of Montreal’s four goals over two weekend games. The 26-year-old from Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague, Quebec had a primary assist on Sarah Lefort’s third period power play insurance marker in Saturday’s 3-0 win, then scored the Force’s lone goal at even strength in Sunday’s 2-1 loss. Labelle now has six goals and four assists for 10 points in 18 games which ranks fourth on the team in scoring. She ranks third on the Force with 42 shots on goal and is one of the team’s most proficient at the faceoff dot with 166 wins and a .536 winning-percentage. Her first career PHF season follows two years as a member of the PWHPA and a five-year U SPORTS tenure at the University of Montreal where she won a national championship with the Carabins in 2016.
2022-23 PHF Three Stars of the Week:
February 11-12:
1. Tricia Deguire (MON) 2. Elaine Chuli (TOR) 3. Alexandra Labelle (MON)
February 3-6:
1. Loren Gabel (BOS) 2. Shiann Darkangelo (TOR) 3. Corinne Schroeder (BOS)
January 17-22:
1. Loren Gabel (BOS) 2. Kennedy Marchment (CTW) 3. Brittany Howard (TOR)
January 14-15:
1. Allie Thunstrom (BOS) 2. Ann-Sophie Bettez (MON) 3. Jonna Albers (MIN)
January 6-8:
1. Taylor Girard (CTW) 2. Loren Gabel (BOS) 3. Elaine Chuli (TOR)
December 16-18:
1. Natalie Snodgrass (MIN) 2. Shiann Darkangelo (TOR) 3. Taylor Girard (CTW)
December 9-11:
1. Jillian Dempsey (BOS) 2. Loren Gabel (BOS) 3. Brittany Howard (TOR)
December 3-4:
1. Kennedy Marchment (CTW) 2. Minttu Tuominen (MET) 3. Sydney Brodt (MIN)
November 26-27:
1. Jade Downie-Landry (MON) 2. Ann-Sophie Bettez (MON) 3. Fanni Gasparics (MET)
November 18-20:
1. Sarah Bujold (MET) 2. Corinne Schroeder (BOS) 3. Leah Lum (TOR)
November 5-6:
1. Corinne Schroeder (BOS) 2. Brittany Howard (TOR) 3. Élizabeth Giguère (BOS)
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.
