The New York Sirens are embarking on a new journey in their third PWHL season, standing as the sole team yet to experience a playoff game in the league. The team’s fresh start has proven successful as they triumphed over the Ottawa Charge with a 4-0 victory in their season opener.
In the midst of significant changes, including the departure of four of their top five scorers from the previous season and the exit of long-standing goaltender Corinne Schroder, who joined the Seattle Torrent, the Sirens (1-0-0-0) have smoothly transitioned with Kayle Osborne assuming the primary goaltending position. Osborne showcased her skills by securing a shutout against the Ottawa Charge (0-0-0-1) for the second time in her PWHL career.
“We demonstrated our worth in the league tonight as a young team,” remarked Osborne.
New York’s offense shone brightly during the game, as they netted four goals in the final 12:11 of play, with forward Taylor Girard scoring a hat trick and Maja Nylen Persson adding an empty-netter.
New York’s top draft pick, Kristýna Kaltounková, displayed early physicality in her debut, drawing a boarding penalty. Despite Ottawa seemingly capitalizing on the advantage with a goal, their excess players on the ice nullified the score, much to the frustration of the home crowd.
The game saw escalating tensions, leading to the ejection of New York captain Micah Zandee-Hart for a cross-check. Gwyneth Philips, Ottawa’s playoff MVP from the previous season, put up a strong defense, keeping the Charge on par with the Sirens until late in the game.
The Sirens finally broke the deadlock in the third period, with Girard scoring her second goal after a series of saves by Philips. Wheeler and Girard combined effectively for another goal, with Nylen Persson sealing the 4-0 victory with an empty-net goal.
Osborne, undefeated in her PWHL visits to Ottawa, expressed gratitude for the support from friends and family in attendance.
On the Charge’s end, the scoreless season opener adds to their historical struggles with scoring. Despite a resilient performance last season, the team aims to improve their offensive output to avoid a repeat of their goal-scoring challenges.
The Charge will look to bounce back in their upcoming homestand against the Vancouver Goldeneyes and the Minnesota Frost, while the Sirens continue their road trip against the Montreal Victoire before returning home to face the Goldeneyes.