Opening Weekend Sparks Fresh Momentum for the New Season
Photo: Mike Vitale / PWHL
Written by Gina Anton
New York Sirens Start Strong
The Sirens opened the season with a 4–0 shutout win over the Ottawa Charge.
Taylor Girard had a natural hat trick in the third period. She's now the first in league history to accomplish this. Maddi Wheeler, a rookie, assisted on all three of Girard’s goals, which turned out to be a very impressive PWHL debut. Additionally, Goaltender Kayle Osborne shut out Ottawa, saving all 28 shots.
There was a heated moment between Sirens captain Micah Zandee-Hart who cross-checked Ottawa’s Gabbie Hughes in the face, earning a five-minute major and game misconduct. This shows that physical play is a big part of the league early on, and the women are ready to play with intensity this upcoming season.
Vancouver Makes a Big Debut
The Vancouver Goldeneyes played their home opener in front of a sold-out crowd of almost fifteen thousand people at the renovated Pacific Coliseum.
In an intense game, Abby Boreen scored in overtime (off a feed from Tereza Vanišová) to give Vancouver a 4–3 win over Seattle. With the crowd behind them and a resilient comeback effort throughout the periods, the team delivered a powerful statement in their debut.
Toronto vs. Minnesota Making A Big Impact
In the Frost (Minnesota) vs. Sceptres (Toronto) game, Minnesota’s Kendall Coyne Schofield scored early to spark them, but Toronto fought back. Toronto’s Raygan Kirk made a clutch penalty shot save, keeping her team in the game.
Ella Shelton (Toronto) scored her first goal for the Sceptres, and Kiara Zanon netted her first PWHL goal, helping Toronto win 2–1.
Boston’s Goalie Stands Tall
In Boston’s home opener (vs. Montreal), Aerin Frankel stopped all 25 shots she faced to record a shutout. This is a big accomplishment for Boston since having a reliable and dominant goal tender gives them a strong foundation.
What This Means Going Forward
The Sirens’ dominant start could set the tone for a bounce-back season. Their depth scoring and solid goaltending are very encouraging.
With early fights and big hits, physicality is not just talked about, but players are embracing it. That could lead to more equality between the PWHL and NHL
Frankel (Boston) and Osborne (NY) both looked rock-solid. Having reliable goaltending early is going to be a big deal breaker for these teams.
Execution is big. The too-many-men penalty in Ottawa is a reminder that small errors can swing games, especially in tight matchups.
