Saturday, April 11, 2026 | 12 p.m. CT | Grand Casino Arena
WATCH LIVE: FanDuel Sports Network North, FOX 9+, MSGHD, My9, Sportsnet 360, PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com (U.S. / International), More
Jamie Hersch (Play-by-Play), Alexis Huss (Analyst)
NEW YORK SIRENS
8-2-3-12 | 31 PTS | 6TH PLACE
Top Scorer: Sarah Fillier – 24 GP, 9-11-20 PTS
Last Game: 2-1 SOW vs. SEA on Apr. 4
MINNESOTA FROST
12-3-4-6 | 46 PTS | 3RD PLACE
Top Scorer: Kelly Pannek – 25 GP, 14-14-28 PTS
Last Game: 6-5 W vs. VAN on Apr. 4
2025-26 SEASON SERIES: MINNESOTA LEADS 9-3 IN POINTS (NEW YORK LEADS 23-22 IN POINTS ALL-TIME)
Jan. 16 at NY: 3-2 MIN (OT) | Jan. 25 at MIN: 6-2 MIN | Mar. 15 at MIN (DENVER): 4-3 MIN | Apr. 1 at NY: 4-3 NY (OT) | Apr. 11 at MIN
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
New York can eliminate Seattle from playoff contention with a win of any kind today against Minnesota. The Sirens are winless in six straight road games, the second longest road losing streak of the PWHL season behind the Torrent’s 10.
Of the 15 games between New York and Minnesota all-time, eight of them have been decided by one goal and seven of them have gone to overtime/shootout. The Sirens have won four of the seven OT/shootout games against the Frost, including 10 days ago in Newark with their first of two straight third period comebacks. The 27 total goals are the most in any four-game season series so far across the PWHL.
Sarah Fillier has scored eight goals over her last seven games after scoring just one through her first 17 games of the 2025-26 season. She and Casey O’Brien have combined on 11 goals this season (including last Saturday at Madison Square Garden), the third most of any PWHL teammate duo. The Sirens alternate captain is one point shy of 50 career and one goal away from double digit goals and assists in consecutive seasons, a feat only achieved by Kendall Coyne Schofield.
O’Brien is riding a five-game point streak (1G, 6A), one game shy of tying the longest streaks in the PWHL this season. Her next point will be the 20th of the season, becoming just the second rookie in PWHL history to meet the mark following Fillier (29 points in 2024-25). Both players lead the Sirens with four points against the Frost in the season series.
Denisa Křížová returns to Grand Casino Arena for the first time as a member of the Sirens since being acquired for defender Jincy Roese at the trade deadline. The Czech forward played 95 career games with Minnesota, including playoffs, and is a two-time Walter Cup champion. This is the third game for both players since the trade and second against their former teams.
Defenders Jaime Bourbonnais, Maja Nylén Persson and Allyson Simpson each have a multi-point game against the Frost this season. New York’s 36 points from its blue line ranks fifth in the PWHL. Minnesota is tied for first with 50 (Boston).
New York has outshot opponents in back-to-back games and 15 times overall. The only PWHL team with a positive shot differential in more games is Montréal (17). The Sirens (29.88) and Frost (28.12) rank 2-3 in average shots per game.
Minnesota scored six goals in its win over Vancouver last Saturday, its third game this season with at least six goals. The rest of the PWHL has combined for two such games (New York, Mar. 8 against Ottawa and Seattle, Jan. 20 against Toronto).
The Frost are averaging 0.35 more goals per game this season than they did in 2024-25. That is the largest increase of any PWHL team from last season to this season. They are also allowing an average of 0.15 fewer goals than they did last season, the third-largest decrease in the PWHL.
Kelly Pannek scored two goals and two assists last Saturday versus Vancouver, tying a PWHL single-game points record. The Frost alternate captain became the fourth player in PWHL history to have a game with at least two goals and two assists (Brianne Jenner this season, Laura Stacey and Hannah Miller last season). She has a three-game point streak and is two shy of becoming the first to 30 points in a season in PWHL history.
Pannek scored twice on the power play last Saturday and her seven goals with the player advantage is tied for the most in a single season (Natalie Spooner, 2024). The Frost were the season’s first to score three power play goals in a game last week and lead the league with a 23.6% power play efficiency.
Taylor Heise has a three-game goal streak and is one of three players already this season with a four-game goal streak. She has scored in each of her last three games against New York and has five points in the season series (3G, 2A). Her 26 points make Minnesota the only team in PWHL history to have two players with 25 or more points in a season. Britta Curl-Salemme needs one point to join that group but has been held without a point in three straight home games.
Grace Zumwinkle has recorded consecutive multi-point games for the second time this season and has consecutive multi-goal games against New York. She leads the season series with seven points (5G, 2A) in four games and is one point shy of 20 for the season and two away from 50 for her career.
Lee Stecklein recorded three assists for the first time last Saturday and has points in three straight games for the first time since the playoffs. The alternate captain is one of three Frost defenders with double digit points, along with Kendall Cooper (15) and Mae Batherson (12), most in the PWHL.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“It definitely means a lot coming back to Minnesota, there are a lot of memories here and relationships that I value, so it’ll be a special moment. At the same time, once the game starts, it’s about staying focused and doing whatever I can to help the team win.” – Sirens forward Denisa Křížová
“It was great to have some time off between games to rest and then get right back to it. A full week of practice also allowed us to focus on the small details before our final stretch of the regular season. We’re looking to feed off our last home game where we were able to solidify our spot in the playoffs.” – Frost rookie forward Abby Hustler
SATURDAY’S GAME: It’s the fifth and final regular-season matchup between the Frost and Sirens and Minnesota’s second to last game at Grand Casino Arena. Today is the Frost’s annual Pride Celebration Unity Game presented by e.l.f. Cosmetics. The celebratory afternoon is a part of the PWHL’s Unity Game series, which recognizes and supports diverse cultures and communities while promoting a welcoming and inclusive PWHL game experience for all. The Frost’s Pride Celebration programming will include:
- Rainbow Wardrobe Makeup & Personal Care Item Drive: In partnership with Twin Cities Pride, the Frost will host a makeup and personal care item drive ahead of the game in support of the Rainbow Wardrobe initiative. The Rainbow Wardrobe provides affirming clothing, accessories, and personal care items to LGBTQ+ individuals, supporting self-expression, confidence, and access to essential resources. Fans attending the game are encouraged to donate new, unused makeup and personal care items.
- Ceremonial Puck Drop: Minnesota State Senator Erin Maye Quade will take part in the ceremonial puck drop, recognizing her leadership and advocacy within the community.
- Anthem Performance: The performance by Lisa DiGuiseppi (they/them) brings a meaningful and inclusive presence to the opening moments of the game.
- Concourse Activations: Various community organizations will host tables on the concourse, providing fans with opportunities to learn more about their work, access resources, and engage directly with leaders and representatives from Minnesota’s LGBTQ+ community: Twin Cities Queer Hockey Association, Gender Justice, Transforming Families, Twin Cities Pride / Hockey’s Beauty Club.
- GLASS Fanboni experience: GLASS Volleyball will participate in the in-game Fanboni experience, highlighting their role in supporting LGBTQ+ inclusion and advocacy while fostering spaces that provide positive social activities for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities and their allies.
- Twin Cities Queer Country Dancers: TC Queer Country Dancers will perform during intermission, bringing an engaging and community-centered performance to the Pride Unity Game. The group creates inclusive dance spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies, using dance as a way to foster connection, expression, and community.
- Pride Merchandise: Fans will have the opportunity to purchase limited-edition Pride apparel designed by Peau De Loup (PDL), a queer women-owned Canadian apparel brand. The 2026 PWHL Pride Unity Collection will be available exclusively at the Hockey Lodge in Grand Casino Arena.
- Community Organizations: Various community organizations will be in attendance representing a wide range of LGBTQ+ advocacy, sport, and community leadership across Minnesota: The Trevor Project, The Twin Cities Queer Hockey Association, Team Trans, Twin Cities Pride, Reclaim, Queerspace Collective, Gender Justice, Transforming Families, TIGERRS, Pride at Work, MPLS Mayhem Rugby, The Minnesota Ice Swim Club, Hockey’s Beauty Club, GLASS (Gay and Lesbian Amateur Sports Society) Volleyball, and OutFront Minnesota.
As part of the PWHL’s ongoing community engagement, young athletes from the PWHL Mentorship Program, developed in partnership with Strong Girls United and made possible with support from Kyndryl, Founding Partner of the program, will be in attendance for a shared live-game experience paired with meaningful mentorship. The experience is designed to celebrate mentorship, foster leadership, and inspire the next generation of women in sport by connecting young girls with role models both on and off the ice. Mentees will participate in a post-game meet-and-greet with Frost Athlete Mentor Claire Butorac, offering an opportunity for conversation, relationship-building, and exposure to career pathways both within and beyond sports.