GIRARD, GABEL, CHULI NAMED PHF THREE STARS OF THE WEEK

BOSTON, MA – (January 10, 2023) – The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced its Three Stars of the Week following weekend action played January 6-8, 2023. Top performers include forwards Taylor Girard of the Connecticut Whale, Loren Gabel of the Boston Pride, and goaltender Elaine Chuli of the Toronto Six.

First Star: Taylor Girard is quickly ascending the scoring ranks with a league-leading eight-game point-streak that included two goals and three assists over the weekend. On Friday, the 24-year-old from Macomb, MI tied a PHF single-season record with her third shorthanded goal of the campaign in a 5-2 loss to Boston. Then on Sunday, she produced a career-high four-point performance with a power play goal and three assists as the Whale picked up a 6-0 shutout win over the Riveters. Girard is now tied for third in the PHF with 14 points in nine games, good for a 1.6 points-per-game average that ranks second overall. All five of her goals have been scored between the power play and penalty kill, and her nine assists are second most so far this season. The Quinnipiac University graduate was recognized as last season’s PHF Newcomer of the Year after being selected first overall by Connecticut in the 2021 draft. In 29 career games she’s scored 38 points for a 1.31 PPGA that ranks 12th all-time.

Second Star: Loren Gabel also had a five-point weekend that put her into a tie for first in the PHF scoring race and helped second place Boston win two games. The 25-year-old from Kitchener, Ontario contributed a primary assist on Élizabeth Giguère’s game-winning goal on the power play, Jillian Dempsey’s insurance marker at even strength, and added an empty-net goal of her own in Friday’s 5-2 win over the Whale. She set both linemates up again on Saturday with a pair of primary helpers in a 4-1 win over the Riveters. Gabel now has 18 points in nine games including a league-leading 10 assists and a points-per-game average of 2.0 that is on pace to set a new PHF record. The newcomer has collected points in eight of her first nine career games and is currently riding a four-game streak. She missed two PHF games back in November while competing for the Canadian National Women’s Team in the first leg of the 2022-23 Rivalry Series against the United States.

Third Star: Elaine Chuli backstopped Toronto to a pair of historic victories over Montreal in the league’s first ever all-Canadian matchup. The series included the first T6 shootout win in franchise history on Saturday where the 28-year-old turned aside 35 shots in regulation and overtime, then three of four shootout attempts to secure the 3-2 triumph. Sunday’s game was also significant for the Waterford, Ontario native who made a career-high 44 saves as part of another 3-2 decision to keep T6 at the top of the PHF standings. Chuli’s weekend goals-against-average of 1.92 and save percentage of .951 improved her season totals to 2.72 and .916 over 10 starts. Her seven wins this season rank second among PHF netminders, while her 27 career victories are the second most all-time. The third-year stopper was MVP of last season’s All-Star Showcase and awarded 2022 PHF Goaltender of the Year honors.

2022-23 PHF Three Stars of the Week:

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.