PWHL Players of the Week: Poulin, Shelton keep producing points while Campbell stands tall

Only four games to take from this week, but two of the game’s greatest looking their best, plus a goaltender whose shot up the list of best netminders this season make up this week’s DFO PWHL Players of the Week.

Marie-Philip Poulin (F, Montreal)

Now if we want to get technical, we could put Marie-Philip Poulin as the best forward every single week, and no one would bat an eye. Each and every game, there’s seven or eight plays Poulin makes that make me laugh out loud, little microcosms of how absurdly talented she is.

It was on full display last Wednesday as Montreal defeated New York 4-3. Assisting on Gabrielle David’s second of the season in the first period, Pouin scored her eighth of the year in the third period to seal the win. Going into Sunday, the Montreal captain is tied with Alex Carpenter for the lead league in points with 17.

Poulin and Montreal were held off the scoresheet in their 3-0 loss to Toronto on Friday, and the two teams are now tied atop of the PWHL standings. Entering the final third of the season, it will make for fantastic television to see these two slug it out for the No. 1 spot.

Ella Shelton (D, New York)

In the same game New York lost to Montreal in, Ella Shelton put on a great performance, recording two assists and continuing to be arguably the best offensive defender in the sport. Heading into the Sunday slate of games, Shelton is the only defender in the top-10 in league scoring with 12 points (four goals and eight assists).

What frustrates me with New York is how they have two of the league’s leading scorers in the top-10, as well as forward Jessie Eldridge at No. 11 with 10 points (six goals and four assists) but can’t muster enough secondary scoring to climb out of the league basement. New York, Ottawa and Boston are fighting for the fourth and final playoff spot, it’ll be one helluva race to see who ends up with it.

Kristen Campbell (G, Toronto)

Give Kristen Campbell her flowers, because after a tough start to the season, she has looked every bit as good as the rest of the league. The netminder recorded two wins this week and only allowed one goal on 46 shots between the two games.

Dating back to Jan. 20, the one they call “Soupy” has won 10 straight games, three of which were shutouts. With a record of 11-4-3 and a .924 SV%, she’s crept into the top-five in save percentage, all the more impressive when you consider she’s played at least four more games than the rest of her goaltending colleagues.

Toronto’s the hottest team in hockey, and while they’re getting more scoring from up and down the lineup, Campbell’s confidence and stability in the crease has as much to do with it than anything.