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.

Count ’em — not one, not two, not three, not four, but five Canadian NHL teams are playoff-bound this season, the most since 2017. That means five chances to end Canada’s 32-year Stanley Cup drought. Eh-xcellent.

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.

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.

It’s been nearly a decade, but the world’s best men’s hockey players are finally taking center ice in international competition, ready to represent their respective home countries at the NHL’s highly anticipated 4 Nations Face-Off.

The PWHL is on international break, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your women’s hockey fix. The Rivalry Series — aka the spicy, icy five-game showdown between the Canadian and American national teams — is back on the ice. Drop that puck.

After an incredible offseason filled with team name reveals, jersey releases, and business deals aplenty, the puck drops on the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s (PWHL’s) second season later today. Here’s everything you need to know before the world’s best take the ice.