Osborne Posts 28-Save Shutout in Hometown; Wheeler Records Three Assists in PWHL Debut
OTTAWA, ON – Taylor Girard scored a natural hat trick in the third period, and Kayle Osborne posted a 28-save shutout to lead the New York Sirens to a 4-0 victory over the Ottawa Charge on Saturday night in front of 7,371 fans at TD Place.
In a fast-paced, physical game that remained scoreless through two periods, Girard broke through 7:49 into the third period before adding two more goals to complete the first hat trick of her PWHL career. Rookie Maddi Wheeler, drafted out of Ohio State, assisted on all three of Girard’s tallies, setting a PWHL record for most points in a debut, while linemate Elle Hartje contributed two assists.
Defender Maja Nylén Persson added a shorthanded, empty-net goal with four seconds remaining to cap the scoring.
The victory marked New York’s third consecutive season-opening road win in PWHL history and spoiled Ottawa’s home opener.
Girard Erupts in Third Period with Historic Hat Trick
After a scoreless first two periods in which both goaltenders stood tall, Girard took over in the third period with a dominant offensive performance.
Her first goal came 7:49 into the final frame, breaking the deadlock and giving the Sirens a 1-0 lead. Just under five minutes later, at the 13:39 mark, Girard struck again with assists from Wheeler and Hartje to extend New York’s advantage to 2-0.
Girard completed the hat trick at 16:48 of the third period, once again assisted by Hartje and Wheeler, to give the Sirens a commanding 3-0 lead with just over three minutes remaining.
The three-goal outburst made Girard the first player in PWHL history to score three goals in a single period and the league’s second natural hat trick following Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle on Jan. 6, 2024.
Girard’s three goals came on a career-high seven shots on goal and matched her entire offensive output from the 2024-25 season (1 goal, 2 assists) in 23 games.
“It is special to be a part of this group, and Kayle obviously helped us out in a lot of areas,” Girard said. “All of the goals that were scored — the credit goes to everybody else on the team who worked their butts off in every area of the ice. We scored because we set each other up every shift, shift after shift. We were hard on the puck, and it was a great win.”
Girard was drafted first overall in the 2021 NWHL/PHF Draft, making her professional debut that year with the Connecticut Whale. She was named 2021-22 PHF Newcomer of the Year and PHF All-Star after leading the league with four short-handed goals and ranking in the top four with 28 points, 18 assists, and four power-play goals.
Wheeler Sets PWHL Debut Record with Three Assists
Rookie forward Maddi Wheeler made an immediate impact in her PWHL debut, recording three assists to set a league record for most points in a debut performance.
The fourth-round pick became just the second Sirens player to record three assists in a game, following Ella Shelton on Jan. 14, 2024.
Wheeler finished with four shots on goal and a plus-4 rating while logging significant minutes on a line with Girard and Hartje.
At Ohio State in 2024-25, Wheeler played in all 37 games, tallying 7 goals and 14 assists for 21 points with a plus-17 rating. Over four seasons at Wisconsin, she recorded 40 goals, 63 assists, and 103 points in 176 games.
A two-time NCAA National Champion, Wheeler represented Team Canada at the U18 Women’s World Championships in 2019 and 2020, scoring the game-winning overtime goal in the gold medal game against the United States in 2019.
Osborne Shines in Hometown with Second Career Shutout
Kayle Osborne, a native of Westport, Ontario, delivered a stellar performance in front of family and friends, making 28 saves to record her second career shutout and third career victory—all of which have come in Ottawa.
Osborne earned her first shutout against the Charge with 31 saves on Jan. 27, 2025, in a 3-0 victory, then made 15 saves in a 6-3 win on March 25, 2025, at TD Place.
She becomes the second goaltender to record a shutout in a season opener, following Corinne Schroeder, who stopped all 29 shots in the league’s inaugural game.
“[Playing at TD Place] feels great. I think it just felt better to have our first win with this group — we’re super young, and we’ve proven that we belong in this league,” Osborne said. “It makes it more special to play here today. I have a lot of support and family and friends here; we only play a few times a year in this building, so it’s special for them to get to see me.”
Osborne faced consistent pressure throughout the game, making 11 saves in the first period, eight in the second, and nine in the third to preserve the clean sheet.
Philips Makes Career-High 38 Saves in Loss
Ottawa goaltender Gwyneth Philips delivered a strong performance in defeat, making a regular-season career-high 38 saves on 41 shots.
Philips’ previous career-high for regular-season saves came in her season debut on Dec. 19, 2024, with 35 stops in a 5-2 loss in Minnesota.
Despite the lopsided final score, the game remained a goaltending duel through two periods, with Philips matching Osborne save for save to keep the Charge within striking distance.
New York’s 42 shots on goal set a new team record and is the highest total so far in the 2025-26 PWHL season.
Charge’s Disallowed Goal Proves Costly
Ottawa appeared to break the scoreless tie at 10:45 of the first period when Fanuza Kadirova found the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed after the Charge were assessed a minor penalty for too many players on the ice.
The call proved to be a turning point, as Ottawa was unable to generate sustained offensive pressure for the remainder of the game.
Forward Gabbie Hughes reflected on the disallowed goal and Kadirova’s reaction.
“I was just so excited for Fanuza. She was so pumped and amped up. So, to see that excitement for her was fun. We saw her personality show a little bit more,” Hughes said. “It was frustrating to have it called off, but we’ll work things out as a team, and on the ice, and the goals will come.”
MacLeod Emphasizes Adjustments After Season-Opening Loss
Ottawa head coach Carla MacLeod acknowledged the need for offensive adjustments following the shutout loss but emphasized the positives from her team’s defensive structure.
“It’s game one. There is a lot that needs to be adjusted. In the grand scheme of things, there were a lot of good things that we saw,” MacLeod said. “It’s just about tuning the fine details within that structure. I thought our defenders did a nice job with their gap for the most part of the night. We’ve just got to make sure that we keep learning.”
Forward Emily Clark led the Charge with five shots on goal after tying for the team lead during the 2024-25 campaign with 87 shots in 30 games.
Ottawa is now winless in three season-opening games. Last season, they dropped a 4-3 shootout decision in Montréal on Nov. 30, 2024, and previously lost their inaugural game 3-2 in overtime at home against Montréal on Jan. 2, 2024.
Sirens-Related News
- New York Sirens Name Fillier and Bourbonnais as Alternate Captains for 2025-26 Season
- Minnesota Frost Dominate New York Sirens 5-2 in PWHL Preseason Training Camp Opener
- New Era Begins: NY Sirens Open Training Camp with Speed, Skill, and Championship Aspirations
Statistical Breakdown
New York outshot Ottawa 42-28, including a 17-9 advantage in the third period when the Sirens scored all four goals.
The Sirens went 0-for-6 on the power play, while Ottawa was 0-for-0 as New York did not commit a penalty until late in the game.
New York was assessed 23 penalty minutes on six infractions, including a five-minute major and game misconduct to Micah Zandee-Hart for cross-checking at 11:17 of the first period. Ottawa was assessed four penalty minutes on two infractions.
Three Stars
- Taylor Girard (NY) – 3 goals
- Kayle Osborne (NY) – 28 saves, shutout
- Gwyneth Philips (OTT) – 38 saves
Up Next
New York: Tuesday, Nov. 25, at Montréal, 7 p.m. ET
Ottawa: Wednesday, Nov. 26, vs. Vancouver, 7 p.m. ET
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LinkedIn:
“The New York Sirens opened their 2025-26 PWHL season with a 4-0 road victory over the Ottawa Charge. Taylor Girard scored a natural hat trick, Kayle Osborne recorded a shutout, and rookie Maddi Wheeler set a league debut record with three assists. #PWHL #WomensHockey #ProfessionalSports”
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