PWHL celebrates sellout at Madison Square Garden in 'awesome moment for women's hockey'

NEW YORK -- There’s nothing the PWHL can’t do in New York.

The New York Sirens defeated the Seattle Torrent 2-1 in a shootout during the first-ever PWHL game at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

The game was a sellout with 18,006 fans in the stands, which set a new U.S. attendance record for a professional women’s hockey game. 

Fans gave loud ovations to the players during starting lineups, especially for Torrent and Team USA captain Hilary Knight and Sirens forward and hometown hero Casey O’Brien.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King performed the ceremonial puck drop alongside fellow PWHL advisory board member and former tennis player Ilana Kloss and LSU basketball star Flau'jae Johnson.

Torrent forward Alex Carpenter scored the first goal of the game at 2:51 of the second period. Sirens forward Sarah Fillier tied the game with under four minutes left to play in the third period to send it to overtime.

The significance of the game and its venue was not lost on the players. 

“Honestly, it’s funny because people ask, ‘are you surprised?’ I’m not surprised that we sold out MSG,” Knight said after the game. “It’s a testament to the caliber of play that we have, our fan base, the product that we put together, the work that we do when the lights aren’t bright. 

“To finally have this moment, and I hope it’s not a moment, I hope we are 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 I hope those moments continue.”

Torrent head coach Steve O'Rourke echoed Knight’s sentiment saying the result didn’t matter when “you think of the gravity of the night.”

Fillier said after the game her "pinch me" moment was during the National Anthem.

“I think standing on the blue line during the (national) anthem, I’ve never been in a building like that during the anthem with the fans so engaged, cheering for the Sirens, mid-anthem,” Fillier said. “I had goosebumps looking up in the building and it felt like the longest five minutes of my life. I was so excited for my job.”

Before the game, Los Angeles Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten and King, who are both on the PWHL Advisory Board, spoke about the emotions of taking over the “World’s Most Famous Arena.” 

“All the women’s sports are on its way, finally. … I’m pre-Title IX. This is so exciting, you have no idea for me,” King said. “These kids come up to us, parents come up to us, grandparents come up to us. Some of them are crying and thanking all of us for doing this so, and they just, they can dream.”

It was always a goal of the League to play a game at Madison Square Garden, though neither Kasten nor King thought the PWHL would be playing at the iconic New York City arena in only its third season. 

“It’s hard for me not to get choked up. … We were not forecasting this in year three,” Kasten said. “I guess I assumed eventually we’d get there. … We’re building something not short term, not even longer term, but something permanent. And every one of our players understands that because they’ve heard this speech from me and they understand they are pioneers.”

Kasten and King also discussed the growth of the PWHL.

The PWHL's historic debut at Madison Square Garden marked the League’s fourth time this season -- and eighth all-time -- breaking the U.S. arena record for a women’s hockey game since the inaugural puck drop in January 2024.  Either the Sirens or Torrent have been involved in all four milestones in 2025-26. 

According to King, ticket sales are up 25 percent for the PWHL since the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.

With hints at another expansion team, the PWHL can certainly make it anywhere.