Sunday, December 21, 2025 | 12 p.m. ET | Prudential Center
WATCH LIVE: MSGHD, My9, TSN 5, TSN.ca, TSN App, PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com (U.S. / International), More
Andrew Luftglass (Play-by-Play), Becky Kellar (Analyst), Abby Labar (Reporter)
TORONTO SCEPTRES
2-0-1-2 | 7 PTS | 5TH PLACE (TIED)
Top Scorer: Natalie Spooner - 5 GP, 1-2-3 PTS
Last Game: 2-1 SOL vs. MTL (in Halifax) on Dec. 17
NEW YORK SIRENS
2-0-0-4 | 6 PTS | 7TH PLACE
Top Scorer: Taylor Girard - 6 GP, 3-0-3 PTS
Last Game: 2-0 L vs. BOS on Dec. 17
2024-25 SEASON SERIES: TORONTO WON 12-6 IN POINTS (TOR WON 11-4 IN 2024)
Dec. 18 at NY: 4-2 NY | Jan. 12 at NY: 1-0 NY (OT) | Jan. 25 at TOR: 4-2 TOR | Feb. 19 at NY: 4-1 TOR | Mar. 19 at TOR: 2-1 TOR | Apr. 29 at TOR: 2-1 TOR (SO)
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Toronto has won four straight games against New York and held the Sirens to one goal in each of the last three meetings between the teams last season. That is tied for Toronto’s longest streak of allowing no more than one goal against a single team, also doing so in three straight against Montréal in February/March 2024.
The Sceptres fired off 36 shots on goal in their 2-1 shootout loss in Halifax to the Victoire. Toronto is the only PWHL team to have multiple games with at least 35 SOG this season, after tallying 37 against Ottawa on Dec. 4.
Raygan Kirk made 30 saves against the Victoire, matching her season high after also having 30 at Minnesota in her season debut in November. In Kirk’s career, she has made 30 or more saves in five of her 11 PWHL starts.
Anna Kjellbin’s first goal of the season on Wednesday was set up by first assists of the season for Clara Van Wieren and Emma Woods to bring Toronto up to 15 players with at least one point. That’s tied with New York and Montréal and behind Boston and Minnesota with 16 players each.
Ella Shelton returns to New York for the first time since being acquired by Toronto in a draft day trade for picks the Sirens used to select Casey O’Brien third overall and Maddi Wheeler 27th. The highest scoring defender in PWHL history, Shelton recorded 37 points in 48 games for New York, including the league’s first-ever goal against Toronto on Jan. 1, 2024.
Kiara Zanon will play against her home state team for the first time in her PWHL career. The Sceptres second-round pick from Fairport, NY, has one goal in five games, scoring in her debut in Minnesota. The former Ohio State Buckeye played last season with Wheeler, who had three assists in her debut in Ottawa.
Before departing Halifax, the Sceptres hosted a Grassroots Hockey Clinic in Pictou County, NS, led by captain and hometown hero Blayre Turnbull alongside Clair DeGeorge, Renata Fast and Jessie McPherson with a sold-out group consisting of girls in U9, 11, 13 and 15 age groups. The clinic included on-ice instruction, autographs, and a Q&A session.
New York beat Toronto twice last season at Prudential Center which accounted for half of the team’s four wins at their primary home venue in 2024-25. The Sirens 1-0 overtime win over the Sceptres on Jan. 12 was their only Sunday afternoon victory in four such contests at The Rock.
The Sirens have been shut out three times this season (including each of the last two games), despite attempting at least 28 shots on goal in each shutout loss. Over the first two seasons, New York failed to score a goal while attempting 28+ shots on goal once (March 3, 2024 vs. Minnesota).
New York leads the PWHL in average shots on goal per game at 31.33 and has also allowed the fewest shots on average per game at 23.33. They are the only team in the PWHL to have outshot their opponent in every game this season.
Kristin O’Neill won 11 of her 17 faceoffs on Wednesday, and she has won at least 10 faceoffs in all six of her games this season. That is the most such games by any PWHL player this season. She enters the game as the only player across the league with more than 100 faceoffs taken (123).
Sarah Fillier has scored 14 career PWHL goals but none of them have come against Toronto. The Georgetown, ON, forward, who ranks third in PWHL shots on goal with 23, scored at least two goals against every team she played against other than the Sceptres in her rookie season. Her only three-game pointless drought was snapped with a two-point performance in last season’s finale.
Jincy Roese will hit the ice at Prudential Center just a few hours before her younger brother, Josh Dunne, suits up for the Buffalo Sabres against the New Jersey Devils at night. It’s the first time the siblings will compete on the same ice on the same day as professionals. Dunne is also Shelton’s partner, adding another personal connection to the doubleheader.
The Sirens are the only team in the PWHL without a power play goal despite 16 opportunities with the advantage, tied for most in the league. The Sceptres have just one power play goal and rank seventh with a 6.3% conversion rate. These two teams had the best two power plays during the 2024-25 season with Toronto at 25.8% and New York at an 18.5% efficiency.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“I’m looking forward to the first game against New York this season and am happy to get back to Prudential Center for a game. I know I had fans and supporters here, and it will be cool to see them in the stands again. I have a lot of good memories from my time with the Sirens, and I’m excited to see some familiar faces in the organization.” – Sceptres defender Ella Shelton
“There’s real excitement being back home and continuing this home stand in front of our fans. It’s early, but this is an important stretch for us. We’ve laid a solid foundation, and now it’s about pushing our game to another level. Toronto will challenge us, and we’re looking forward to that opportunity on home ice.” – Sirens Head Coach Greg Fargo
SUNDAY’S GAME: The Sirens take on the Sceptres for the first of two meetings in Newark this season and drop the puck on a PWHL/NHL doubleheader at Prudential Center with the Devils taking on the Sabres at 7 p.m. It’s Kids’ Takeover Game with special in-arena moments for community youth to enjoy throughout the afternoon, including a High Five Tunnel and Bench Buddies for both teams during warmups, kids hosting in-arena presentation and video board games, DJ, PA announcements and Sirens Woo Crew. The Prudential Center main concourse will be jam packed with fun for kids with the popular bracelet station and Midea sign-making kiosk among the activations. In the spirit of celebrating kids, keep an eye on various game presentation elements that will substitute Sirens player headshots with photos of Sirens players from their youth hockey days. Fans are invited to take part in a Teddy Bear Toss during the first intermission in support of the Salvation Army. The Sirens will also welcome legendary sports icons and PWHL Advisory Board members, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, who will be in attendance for the game.