NEW YORK – The New York Sirens made their Madison Square Garden debut a night to remember, earning a 2-1 shootout win over the Seattle Torrent on Saturday in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,006 fans, setting a U.S. arena attendance record for women’s hockey. Sarah Fillier tied the game with 3:45 remaining and scored one of the Sirens’ two shootout goals in the historic victory. Defender Maja Nylén Persson netted the shootout winner, and Kayle Osborne capped a 20-save performance by stopping four of five shootout attempts for her ninth win of the season. Alex Carpenter was the only player to beat Osborne tonight, first when she buried a centering pass from Danielle Serdachny at 2:51 of the second period as time expired on a five-minute power play, and once on two shootout attempts. Fillier’s third-period goal came on a tremendous effort from rookie Anne Cherkowski, who battled her way out of the corner and feathered a perfect cross-crease pass for a tap in. Cherkowski had the best chance to win the game in overtime when she deked her way through the Torrent defense in the dying seconds but couldn’t beat Corrine Schroeder who made one of her 37 saves of the night. New York picks up two points for the second straight game and now trail fifth-place Ottawa by two points and fourth-place Toronto by three points, all with five games remaining, in the hunt for the final spot in the PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs. Seattle has six games remaining and trail seventh-place Vancouver by four and New York by eight.
QUOTES
New York goaltender Kayle Osborne on the magnitude of tonight’s historic game and record crowd: “It means the world; like you just can't put it into words to have all those people show up for us tonight and show their support for not only the Sirens, but women's hockey. I think it's just a huge step for us and for everyone who plays, and young girls that watch. I think it's just a huge step to see all those people supporting here tonight.”
Sirens Head Coach Greg Fargo on the team’s young players stepping up in big moments and on big stages: “I think that's been a story with our team since day one. We’re a young group and we knew there was going to be some kind of a learning curve for our group, and we're still going through that to a certain extent. But I'm really proud with how this team's developed over the course of the season. I know there's only five games left in the regular season, but it feels like we've got a lot more to give, and we're not anywhere near done.”
Seattle Captain Hilary Knight on the significance of selling out Madison Square Garden: “It’s funny because people ask if I’m surprised...I’m not surprised that we sold out MSG. It’s a testament to the caliber of play that we have, our fanbase, the product that we put together and the work that we do when the lights aren’t bright. So, to finally have this moment, and I hope it’s not a moment, I hope we’re back here, it’s truly incredible. Even if we were getting booed or cheered for it didn’t really matter, it was an awesome moment for women’s hockey and to be a part of a game where you set a record is truly outstanding.”
Torrent Head Coach Steve O’Rourke on what tonight indicates for the future of the league: “The biggest thing is that I’m just happy and proud, regardless of the result, to be a part of this, and to see the visions of the people who started this and how quickly it has grown and been supported everywhere across the country. Every one of these venues we go into are just about sold out, and what’s going on in Seattle is second to none. It’s an amazing fanbase and encouraging to keep growing the footprint of this league.”
NOTABLES
Tonight’s sold-out crowd of 18,006 at Madison Square Garden set a new U.S. arena attendance record for a women’s hockey game, surpassing the sold-out crowd of 17,335 at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena for a game between the Torrent and Sceptres on Feb. 27. It ranks as the second highest attendance of the 2025-26 season and seventh highest in PWHL history.
This was the Sirens first win in two shootouts this season. New York has now won three shootouts on home ice in three seasons and each win has occurred in a different NHL venue, including UBS Arena on Feb. 21, 2024, Prudential Center on Jan. 15, 2025, and Madison Square Garden tonight.
New York won for the second straight game beyond regulation when trailing after two periods, following a 4-3 overtime victory on Wednesday against Minnesota after being down 2-1 heading into the final frame. Before this week the Sirens were winless in 11 games when down after two.
Seattle wins the four-game season series 7-5 in points having previously earned regulation wins at home (2-1 on Dec. 3) and in Chicago (4-1 on Mar. 25), while New York won once in regulation in Dallas (4-3 on Dec. 28) prior to tonight. The Sirens limited the Torrent to 21 or fewer shots on goal in three of the four games.
The Torrent have just one win in four games beyond regulation this season and are 1-2 in shootouts.
Seattle has scored first seven times this season but have the league’s lowest winning percentage in those games with a 2-1-2-2 record (.476). This was their third loss in five games when leading after two periods.
New York’s professional hockey teams completed a Saturday sweep at Madison Square Garden with the Sirens victory following the Rangers’ 4-1 win over Detroit this afternoon.
Sarah Fillier has eight goals in her last seven games after finding the back of the net just once in her first 17. The Sirens alternate captain is the fifth player to record 20 points this season and just the third player in history to record consecutive 20-point seasons to launch their PWHL careers (Marie-Philip Poulin and Alex Carpenter). Tonight she scored the first shootout goal of her career and is within one point of 50 for her career with 49 (22G, 27A) in 54 games.
Carpenter became the seventh player to score 10 goals this season, doing so in her 24th game, and the fifth player all-time to reach 60 career points (29G, 31A) in 74 games. The Torrent and Team USA alternate captain has recorded 17 of those points in a Seattle uniform, including four in four games against her former team (3G, 1A), after producing 43 points in two seasons with New York. Carpenter scored her first shootout goal on four attempts this season and is 4-for-13 in her career.
Kayle Osborne earned her first career shootout win in five shootout results over two seasons with the Sirens. Her ninth win of the season is the fourth-most among PWHL netminders, as are her seven starts with one or fewer goals allowed. It was her first win since Mar. 8, snapping a four-game losing streak and tying a PWHL single-season record with her 23rd appearance.
Corinne Schroeder’s 37 saves were a season-high in 14 games as a member of the Torrent and her most since stopping 39 in an overtime win for New York in her sixth game of the inaugural season back on Feb. 4, 2024. She has allowed one goal in three starts this season, two of which have resulted in shootout defeats.
Casey O’Brien collected a secondary assist to extend her point streak to a career-high five games (1G, 6A), one game shy of the longest streaks in the league this season. Manhattan born, the hometown hero leads all rookies and is tied for sixth in PWHL scoring with 19 points (6G, 13A) in 23 games and led all skaters tonight with six shots on goal and 16 faceoff wins.
Anne Cherkowski picked up a primary assist for her seventh helper of the season and second in three games. The Clarkson graduate is up to nine points in 23 games, tied for ninth in rookie scoring.
Danielle Serdachny picked up a primary assist for her fourth point in her last two games against the Sirens and finished the season series with five points (2G, 3A) in four games to lead all skaters. The second-year forward is third in Torrent scoring with 12 points (4G, 8A) in 24 games has reached 20 career points (6G, 14A) in 54 games.
Aneta Tejralová collected her fifth assist to bring her point total to six in 17 games to lead all Torrent defenders. Five of her six points have come in 10 games since captaining Czechia at the Olympics.
Maja Nylén Persson is 2-for-3 in shootout attempts this season after playing her entire rookie season without a single attempt. The Swedish defender is second on the Sirens in scoring at the position with nine points (1G, 8A) in 25 games.
Mikyla Grant-Mentis returned to the Torrent lineup after missing five games on LTIR with an upper-body injury and logged 17:50 in ice time and went 9-for-18 at the faceoff circle.
Emmy Fecteau was assessed a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct for an illegal check to the head following a review by the on-ice officials in consultation with the PWHL Central Situation Room.
THREE STARS
1. Sarah Fillier (NY) 1G
2. Kayle Osborne (NY) 20/21 SV
3. Corinne Schroeder (SEA) 37/38 SV
STANDINGS
New York: 31 PTS (8-2-3-12) – 6th Place
Seattle: 23 PTS (6-1-3-14) – 8th Place
UPCOMING SCHEDULES
Seattle: Tuesday, Apr. 7 at Montréal at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
New York: Saturday, Apr. 11 at Minnesota at 1 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. CT