New York Sirens forward Sarah Filia was carrying the puck and was speeding up.
At that moment, Filier dropped a pass to linemate Alex Carpenter, who fired a wrist shot that sailed past the Minnesota Frost goalie.
Just like that, the New York Sirens, just months away from finishing last in the PWHL's inaugural season, won 4-3 in overtime on December 1st to become the defending champions. Ruined one Frost's flag-raising night.
The play, which occurred just 19 seconds into overtime, was Fillier's second assist on Carpenter's goal of the game.
More than two weeks into the season, Filier has handled the pressure of being the No. 1 overall pick with ease.
She currently leads the league in points (5) and has already scored two goals in three games, making her part of one of the most effective lines in the league.
Filia and Carpenter have combined for half of the Sirens' 10 goals this season.
“It was a lot of fun,” Carpenter told the Post this week. “Sarah is a very dynamic player who can play with players who see the ice well and know where the open spots on the ice are.”
Nothing Fillier has ever accomplished has surprised those who knew her best.
“Everyone talks about her transition from college, but she's been on varsity for a long time,” Sirens coach Greg Fargo said ahead of Wednesday's opener at Prudential Center. “What Sarah is doing is exceptional. She's not only on the board, but she's involved in a lot of our key offenses…and to me, that's the sign of someone who's leading the way.”
On a personal level, Fillier has modest expectations for this season.
“I want to have a really great rookie year,” she said. “I want to continue to develop.”
But for the team, Filier has even higher goals.
“As a team, we want to be at our best as soon as possible,” she said. “Get a ton of points early in the season and hopefully aim for a championship.”
It was clear from an early age that Fillier was special. After playing her first nine years on the men's team, more people started taking notice when she rocked the state girls' hockey league with the Oakville Junior Hornets.
“Even a 16-year-old should understand,” said Carla Morley, Princeton's women's hockey coach. “She saw the game on a different level.”
Fillier has been one of the most exciting up-and-comers in women's hockey since becoming the nation's leading scorer with 22 goals and 35 assists in 29 games as a freshman at Princeton University in 2018-19. are.
But the 2022 Olympics were the Games that introduced the world to Fillier, who acted like a veteran.
Fillier scored a hat trick in Canada's convincing victory over Sweden in the quarterfinals, helping his country win the eventual gold medal.
She ended up finishing second in the tournament with eight goals.
But while some believe this was Fillier's breakthrough, those who knew him were not at all surprised.
“She did exactly what I thought she would do at the Olympics,” said Morley, who has known Fillier since she was 15 years old.
There was speculation last season that Filier would be the top pick in the 2024 PWHL Draft.
But she ignored the outside noise as best she could, scoring a career-high 30 goals in 29 games at Princeton University.
When Billie Jean King announced that the New York Sirens would take Fillier with the first pick in June's draft, Fillier could hardly believe it.
“Being selected No. 1 overall in your respective sport is something that not many people get to experience,” Fillier said.
The transition from college to PWHL was smooth for her.
“She's played at the varsity level, so she kind of knows what that extra step is,” Carpenter said. “[She] We entered training camp firing on all cylinders. ”
The Sirens are already three games into their young season, but Wednesday's game against Toronto could mark a new era for them in some ways.
After playing home games at three different venues last season, the Sirens now have a permanent home at Prudential Center.
Fillier expects many friends and family to be in attendance, including his Princeton teammates. Competing against her close friend and former Tigers teammate, Toronto's Maggie Connors, will make the home opener even sweeter.
“It was really cool to play against her in a preseason game,” Fillier said. “But to wear the real jersey tomorrow at Prudential Center… it's going to be really special.”
