Women’s Hockey Thrives at Madison Square Garden
Hilary Knight wasn’t taken aback by the full house at Saturday’s women’s hockey matchup between the New York Sirens and Seattle Trent at Madison Square Garden. She expressed hope that this wouldn’t be the last appearance of the PWHL in such a prominent venue.
The game turned out to be more than just a score. With 18,006 fans cheering, the Sirens triumphed over Trent 2-1 in a nail-biting shootout. This event underscored the growing appeal of women’s sports in recent years, particularly following the U.S. women’s hockey team’s gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Italy back in February.
Late in the third period, Sarah Fillier tied the game, and Maya Nilen Persson secured the win in the shootout.
After the match, Knight remarked, “It shows the dedication our players have, even when the spotlight isn’t bright. We are now showing up on the biggest stages.” She added, “I’m looking forward to more opportunities like this. I think we’ve often found ourselves in spaces that weren’t built for us, but it’s encouraging to see that changing.”
This game not only set a record for attendance at women’s professional hockey events in the U.S. but also marked another milestone for the PWHL since the Olympics. In March, the league reported a 25% rise in average attendance compared to the previous year and a 101% boost in merchandise sales during the Olympics.
The excitement of the evening also served as inspiration for aspiring women’s hockey players, especially for those who didn’t have the role models that today’s stars provide.
For Sirens fan Victoria Brown, the event hit home. Having played hockey until she was 12 and recently coaching the Ithaca High School girls’ team, she reflected on the lack of role models in her youth.
She said, “It would have been awesome to have someone from the PWHL to look up to. They always reference NHL players, which is great, but having women to admire is equally important. Just seeing someone like Hilary Knight here tonight makes it special for young girls to have women to look up to.”
Friends Emily Senn, Sonya Darntle, Amy Eiferman, and Tina Allen found themselves amazed at the atmosphere.
Senn expressed, “The energy was electric. Just hearing the crowd during player introductions brought tears to my eyes. It was incredible.”
Walking through the concourse, it was hard not to notice fans of all ages proudly sporting teal Sirens jerseys. Outside the Garden, familiar red and blue Rangers jerseys were overshadowed by enthusiastic Sirens supporters.
When Fillier netted her ninth goal of the season with just over three minutes left, the crowd erupted like it was a playoff match. Anne Czerkowski nearly added to the excitement with a shot that was barely saved by former Siren Alex Carpenter, who managed to clear it just in time.
“Even once it’s over, we hope to inspire the next generation of PWHL players and continue to grow this league,” Fillier concluded.
