The PWHL sets a new attendance milestone for professional women’s hockey in the United States as the game between the New York Sirens and Seattle Torrent at Madison Square Garden attracted a crowd of 18,006 spectators on Saturday night. This surpasses the previous record of 17,335 set at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Feb. 27, following the U.S. women’s gold medal win at the Olympics in Milan. A game in Washington on Jan. 28 also drew a significant crowd of 17,228 before the Olympics.
In their debut match at Madison Square Garden, the Sirens clinched a 2-1 victory in a shootout. Canadian player Sarah Fillier scored the equalizing goal late in regulation and was honored as the first star of the game, boasting eight goals and one assist in her last seven appearances. Kayle Osborne made 20 saves for the Sirens, who now hold a record of 8-1-4-12.
On the opposing side, Alex Carpenter found the net for the Torrent, while Corinne Schroeder made 37 saves. The Torrent currently holds a record of 6-1-3-14 in the league standings.