Around the PWHL: Another attendance record; Goaltending clinic; Battle for First

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This article was published 06/03/2026 (186 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Last Friday’s late game was history in the making once again. The Seattle Torrent broke the U.S. arena attendance record with 17,335 fans packing Climate Pledge Arena. But Ste. Anne’s Raygan Kirk sent the hometown fans home without a win as the netminder backstopped the Toronto Sceptres to a 5-2 victory over the Torrent.

The PWHL also announced Thursday that the Madison Square Garden and TD Garden games, which will see the New York Sirens host the Seattle Torrent on April 4 and the Boston Fleet play host to the Montreal Victoire on April 11, respectively, are officially sold out. What does this mean? More attendance records will be broken — it’s just when, not if.

“Everyone watches women’s sports,” indeed.

With a heavyweight battle for first place in the standings, let’s take a look at the other storylines from Week 12.

Highlight(s) of the week

Shoutout to the PWHL goaltenders who have put on a master class this past week.

Aerin Frankel and Gwyneth Philips’ clash last Saturday was one for the ages, with Team USA starter Frankel making one more save than Philips, her Team USA backup, in a shootout for the win. It was the third overtime matchup between the Boston Fleet and Ottawa Charge this season.

Frankel went on to backstop Boston’s fifth straight win Thursday night in a 1-0 victory over the New York Sirens, while Philips helped lead Ottawa to a 4-3 win over Seattle on Wednesday in a 33-save performance. The win helped Ottawa climb into playoff position in the standings.

Kirk went 2-1 this past week on the road, first with a win over Seattle followed by a 2-1 victory Monday over the Vancouver Goldeneyes at Pacific Coliseum. Her only loss came in Tuesday’s home game against Montreal, where she tallied 31 saves in the Victoire’s 4-3 shootout win over the Sceptres.

Meanwhile, Montreal has won six straight games, with Captain Clutch Marie-Philip Poulin netting the shootout winner Tuesday. Ann-Renée Desbiens’ Olympic encore has seen her stop 51 shots that have come her way since the Olympic break.

This is goaltending at its finest.

Battle for first

Montreal overtook Boston briefly this past week with their Sunday win over the Minnesota Frost. The Fleet clawed its way back into the first-place tie with its gritty Thursday-night win over the Sirens.

Montreal doesn’t play again until the heavyweights clash on Sunday, March 15, meaning Boston has the potential to add some breathing room this week. This battle will be one to watch throughout the rest of the season.

Game to watch in Week 13

In an International Women’s Day clash, the New York Sirens host the surging Ottawa Charge (11 a.m., Sportsnet). With a regulation win, the Charge will leap into third place in the standings and within reach of the first-place battle.

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