The New York Sirens underwent significant roster changes this offseason. Those changes have paid dividends for the team's on ice cohesion and success as Rick Menning writes.
Quality building blocks, a strong foundation and structural integrity. The New York Sirens' blueprint for a playoff-contending PWHL team was laid out for an American-record women's hockey crowd of 17,228 to see firsthand in Washington, D.C. on Sunday afternoon.
Facing a Montreal Victoire squad with a veteran presence and a winning pedigree, the youngest team by average age in the league played with conviction and purpose resulting in a 2-1 Takeover Tour victory at Capital One Arena.
Like workers on a construction site, the Sirens went blue-collar right from the opening puck drop on Sunday afternoon in the nation's capital and hammered away at all the integral details essential to a sturdy finished product. They excelled on the rush and applied tenacious pressure in their defensive end.
But there was so much more to like about this Sirens' effort, when enabled them to break their previous team record ofscoring at least two goals in seven consecutive games this season. That eclipses the six-game streak between Jan. 1 and Jan. 20, 2024.New York initiated masterful cycling during a power-play opportunity just 90 seconds in leading to the opening goal by Kristyna Kaltounkova. The home team on this D.C. stop showcased persistent forechecking by all four lines, precision passing,, sustained 'O' zone time, disruptive stickwork and taking no time off on every shift.
And, of course, there's the X factor, Kayle Osborne, who continues to extend her PWHL record for the most consecutive games in goal.
Top PWHL draft pick keeps lighting the lamp
Kaltounkova's goal -- off a pass from Maja Nylen Persson -- was her eighth of the season and fifth in her last five games. That's the most among PWHL rookies and the second-most among all PWHL skaters. The Sirens’ first overall pick is now tied with teammateCasey O’Brien (4G, 4A) for the most points among all rookies this season with eight in 13 games.
New York forward Paetyn Levis, who had the primary assist on Anne Cherkowski's first goal in the PWHL and one that decided Sunday's outcome, made mention in her post-game comments about the exceptional strategy the Sirens utilized in the last 2:16 of the game and with Montreal in the penalty box.
New York plays keep-away on late power play
Rather than use its normal power-play cycling to take what could have been several shots on goal and risk a Montreal takeaway, the Sirens moved the puck around the 'O' zone for more than a minute while the Victoire tried to give chase but could not take possession.
"...Some of the leaders in the locker room have stepped up, and we’ve matured in understanding situations like being on the power play with two minutes left -- controlling the puck and being smart about how we close out games," Levis said. "That growth has led to us playing a more mature game late and being able to come away with tight wins.”
The strategy was so effective that it forced Montreal goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens to stay between the posts and it also kept the visitors trapped inside the blue line. That continual cycling and puck management by New York left only 16 seconds for Montreal to mount one last attack.
The Victoire, to their credit, created a little tension trying to knock home a loose puck close to Osborne's crease in those fleeting moments but time ran out as a scrum ensured after the final buzzer. Even in the after-game physicality, the Sirens stood their ground.Osborne, who turned aside 31 of 32 shots, again had good looks on most of Montreal's scoring attempts except for a sizzler from the point by Maggie Flaherty. A rocket by Marie-Philip Poulin in the third period from the right circle was gloved by Osborne right before it crossed the line in a play reviewed and upheld as no goal. Poulin vigorously argued the result of the review but to no avail.
Sirens back in second place as D.C. fans sing
With a major turnaround from six points and last place on Dec. 21 to five regulation wins and 16 points in their last six games, the Sirens are back in second place as they await a visit to The Prudential Center by the Ottawa Charge on Tuesday at 7 p.m. New York closes out the first half of its PWHL campaign in Minnesota next Sunday. Puck drop is at 3 p.m.
The fan support in Washington, D.C. left Sirens' forward Sarah Fillier in awe.
“It was awesome. In the third (period), when they were singing along during play, it’s an incredible feeling as a player to know fans are excited to show up, support women’s hockey, and watch the product we put on the ice," Fillier said. "... You can tell there’s a lot of passion in this city for sports, and especially for women’s sports..."
OF NOTE: Kaltounkova and O'Brien, selected first and third respectively in last summer's PWHL entry draft, each have two power play goals, accounting for all four Sirens' goals with the player advantage this season.
-- Cherkowski, who has four assists to go along with Sunday's goal, became the tenth PWHL rookie to reach the five-point mark this season. The Sirens second-round pick's previous point came in the team’s last game against Montréal on Jan. 2 at Prudential Center. -- Fillier notched her first multi-point game of the season and eighth of her career with two assists. The Sirens' alternate captain now has six assists this season, all in the team’s last five games as the home team.
-- Osborne produced her fourth game with at least 30 saves this season in her record 13th consecutive start for the Sirens, matching her four 30-plus save performances in 10 games as a rookie last season. Today marked the New York netminder’s fifth outing this season where she allowed one goal or less.
-- Levis' assist brought her season points total to six which ties her for the fourth-most on the team. The former Ohio State Buckeye is now one assist away from her career-high assist total in 30 games last season.
-- Sunday's game in Washington, D.C. was the highest-attended in-arena game in U.S. women’s hockey history. The crowd of 17,228 surpassed the previous record of 16,014 fans set on Nov. 28, 2025, when the Seattle Torrent hosted the Minnesota Frost for their inaugural home opener at Climate Pledge Arena. The first-ever PWHL contest played in Washington, D.C. ranks tenth all-time in league attendance.