With every first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series still to be decided, these storylines are the stuff of fairy tales. Grab your tissues and scroll on for the icy and spicy latest.

It’s happening. Well, two things are happening: The PWHL is expanding, officially naming Vancouver as its seventh franchise on Wednesday, and this season’s on-ice action returns from the international break tomorrow. A women’s hockey double whammy? Yes, please.

After grinding through 82 regular-season games, it’s time to wipe the slate clean. Sixteen NHL playoff teams are contending for the Stanley Cup, the hardest trophy to win in sports.

If you thought February’s 4 Nations Face-Off was feisty, buckle up — the 24th IIHF Women’s World Championship begins from Czechia today, with the globe’s 10 best women’s national hockey teams in action in the game’s top tourney. So while PWHL teams are on break until the end of the month, some spicy international rivalries are about to take the ice. Pass the milk.

Since the beginning, the PWHL has been intentional in its development, from signing a CBA before the puck dropped to nabbing early broadcast and founding partners. One of those decisions — a deal with software company Greenfly — has provided insight into how athlete engagement behaviors can shape sponsorship, especially amid the growth opportunity of tunnel walks.

The GR8 Chase is over — Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal in yesterday’s 4–1 loss to the NY Islanders, making him the top goal scorer in NHL history. Here’s a look at the historic hockey moment, by the numbers.

If you thought last week’s 4 Nations Face-Off was fun, then feast your eyes on Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who’s now just 13 goals away from breaking the NHL’s all-time career goals record, a mark long held by Wayne “The Great One” Gretzky. History is happening.

Political tension? Check. Glove dropping? Check. Moments that made you cry? Check. The NHL’s innovative 4 Nations Face-Off tournament had it all, with Canada defeating Team USA to win the inaugural trophy in dramatic fashion last night. Here’s how it went down.

Drop the gloves because Team Canada and Team USA meet for the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET, a highly anticipated rematch of their feisty round robin tilt. As a refresher, the victor earns bragging rights as winner of the NHL’s inaugural 4 Nations tourney (a replacement for the league’s All-Star break), but the stakes are ultra-high in this storied hockey rivalry. No wonder ticket prices are soaring — it doesn’t get better than this.