Around the NSL: Record broken; standings rocked; Calgary a wild watch

Records were broken, the standings were rocked and the Calgary hasn’t lost a match since Week 15.

The last two weeks of the Northern Super League have been electric.

With six weeks left in the regular season, here’s a rapid-fire breakdown of where each club stands.

Montreal Roses (11-4-5, 38 points)

Before we dive into the impressive resurrection, let’s bask in the record-breaking 17,077 in attendance at Stade Saputo on Aug. 29. To put it in perspective, CF Montréal — the club that calls Stade Saputo home — has been averaging around 15,500 fans this season. The showdown against the Halifax Tides, which ended in a 1-0 victory for the home side, didn’t just break the league’s attendance record of 15,500 set in April 2025 at BMO Field, it broke the home club’s 2026 average attendance record.

What’s more impressive? After defeating Halifax at home, Montreal beat the Ottawa Rapid 3-2 on the road in Week 20. And while (Week 21 spoilers ahead) AFC Toronto forced a 2-2 draw on Thursday at Stade Boréale, forward Elyse Bennett remains at the top of the scoring pack. Her strike against the Rapid was her 11th of the season.

With two wins over Weeks 19 and 20, the club now stands five points clear of second place.

AFC Toronto (9-5-6, 33 points)

The Mighty Maroons are on a mission to prove the inaugural season wasn’t a fluke. The last time Toronto lost was Week 17. The club has two wins and two draws in its last four games, including a 2-1 victory over the Rapid in Week 19 before drawing the sizzling hot Roses on Thursday.

Forward Kaylee Hunter has been a sensation for the team and sits in third in goals scored with nine. Teammate Lauren Rowe is tied for fourth with eight.

Goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo has been a difference maker the past four weeks, giving the club a chance to climb the standings. Toronto has put itself in position to make a push for first place.

Ottawa Rapid (10-6-3, 33 points)

The once untouchable Ottawa Rapid last won a game in Week 15. The club has since been held to a 2-2 draw by Toronto in Week 16, and has lost every other game, including a 5-1 drubbing in Week 18 at home by the Vancouver Rise.

The Rapid’s opponent in Week 22? You guessed it. Ottawa rides into Swangard Stadium on Sunday (3 p.m., CBC). It’s not clear what it will take to stop the nosedive with fourth place team, the Tides, three regulation wins behind the Rapid. With six weeks left, that math is not good for once indefatigable Ottawa.

The positives? Forward Delaney Baie Pridham’s foot is still hot, having logged eight goals on the season to sit tied with Rowe for fourth. Midfielder Keera Melenhorst has six — good enough for sixth place.

Halifax Tides (7-9-3, 24 points)

The Tides have scrapped their way back into fourth place thanks to Calgary drawing the Rise in Week 19 before Halifax took a 1-0 win on the road at Swangard Stadium in Week 20. The jostling match for the last spot in the playoffs should be fun over the tail end of the regular season.

Halifax’s Jordyn Rhodes has gone cold, last netting a goal in Week 17 against Vancouver. But the club’s team play was evident against the Rise in a hard-fought road win last Saturday. Midfielder Julia Benati’s heroic stoppage time strike came off the back of Anika Toth, who survived eight corners and a dangerous strike in the game.

The Tides next big task? Taking on the formidable Calgary Wild at McMahon Stadium on Saturday (1 p.m., TSN). It’s a must to take away points to keep the club on the right side of the playoff cut-off line.

Vancouver Rise (7-10-2, 23 points)

Will they bounce back after parting ways with bench boss Anja Heiner-Moller on Monday? Sunday’s match against a desperate Ottawa will be as good a test as any. The reigning Diana B. Matheson champs will be under the helm of interim head coach Iain Darbyshire when the Rapid roll into town — promoted from assistant head coach this season.

What could help Darbyshire? Rise star Jessica De Fillippo, easily. The forward is second in the league with 10 goals. And perhaps having a veteran like decorated Olympian Quinn on the club can help stabilize any doubts from switching up the manager so late in the season.

We’ll find out much sooner rather than later if the late-season move was worth it for a shot at back-to-back league titles.

Calgary Wild (2-12-5, 11 points)

They continue to impress. Yes, the team is statistically eliminated from the playoffs, but the club has been a blast to watch. The Wild spent Week 19 and Week 20 drawing the Vancouver Rise 2-2 and AFC Toronto 0-0, respectively. Calgary hasn’t lost a game since Week 15.

Apart from the great play, it’s been fun to watch them be agents of chaos — thwarting favourable playoff positions week after week.

It’s safe to say the Tides should be prepared for another test Saturday against a team with nothing to lose.

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