The PWHL shattered another attendance record Saturday night, as 18,006 fans packed Madison Square Garden to witness the New York Sirens' 2-1 shootout win over the Seattle Torrent.
The sold-out crowd set a new US attendance benchmark for women's hockey, surpassing the previous high of 17,335 set at Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena on February 27th. The milestone represents the fourth time the PWHL has broken the US record this season — and the eighth time since the league's 2024 debut.
"People ask if I'm surprised," said Torrent and Team USA captain Hilary Knight. "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."
Sarah Fillier tied the game for New York with 3:45 remaining in regulation before scoring in the shootout. Defender Maja Nylén Persson netted the shootout winner while goaltender Kayle Osborne stopped 20 shots and four of five shootout attempts for her ninth win of the season.
Alex Carpenter scored Seattle's lone goal on a power play in the second period. The Torrent outshot New York 38-21 but fell short in the end.
The attendance figure ranks as the second-highest of the 2025/26 season and seventh-highest in PWHL history. New York completed a professional hockey sweep at Madison Square Garden after the NHL's Rangers defeated Detroit 4-1 earlier that day.
The victory keeps New York's playoff hopes alive as the Sirens trail fifth-place Ottawa by two points with five games remaining in the push for the final PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs spot.
Boston anticipates its own sellout at TD Garden next week, as the Fleet host Montreal in what should rank second in US attendance for the league.
