Sirens’ Rookie Class Delivers Statement Performance in 5-1 Rout of Goldeneyes

Four First-Year Players Find Scoresheet as New York Dominates at Prudential Center

NEWARK, NJ – The New York Sirens skated to a dominant 5-1 victory against the Vancouver Goldeneyes in their home opener at Prudential Center on Saturday afternoon, showcasing the depth and talent of their rookie class. Goaltender Kayle Osborne made 20 saves to earn her second win of the season, while four Sirens rookies found the scoresheet in front of 3,517 enthusiastic fans.

The victory marked a significant turnaround for New York, which had dropped a 4-0 decision to Montréal just two days earlier. Meanwhile, Vancouver’s struggles on the road continued as they fell to 0-2-0-0 away from home this season, surrendering five goals for the second consecutive game after a 5-1 loss in Ottawa on Tuesday.

Vallario Opens Scoring in PWHL Debut

Rookie defender Nicole Vallario opened the scoring less than five minutes into the first period, intercepting a clearing attempt by the Goldeneyes and sending a shot to the top corner to make it 1-0 at 4:08. The Swiss rearguard became the first rookie defender to score this season, finding the net in her PWHL debut after being activated from the Reserve Player list following Training Camp.

The early goal set the tone for a dominant first period in which New York outshot Vancouver 9-6 and controlled play in the offensive zone.

“The fans were awesome,” said New York rookie forward Casey O’Brien. “I think I have a lot of family, a lot of friends here, too, so it’s always nice to play in front of them. You don’t always get that opportunity, but it was cool to see it just when Nicole [Vallario] scored her first goal. How they [the fans] erupted, and they kept the energy the whole game. So that definitely has an impact on us.”

Fillier Breaks Through

Late in the frame, Sarah Fillier scored her first goal of the season at 18:13 to double New York’s lead, with rookies Anne Cherkowski—who finished the game with two assists—and Casey O’Brien earning their first career helpers on the play. The 2025 PWHL Rookie of the Year and co-leader in points last season (29) had been held without a point through the team’s first two games, making the breakthrough particularly significant.

Of her now 14 career goals, today’s is her first game-winner and brings her to 30 points in 33 career games, ranking second all-time in points per game (0.91). The goal came after Fillier fired four shots on net in the opening period, demonstrating her aggressive offensive mindset.

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Second Period Surge

Paetyn Levis extended New York’s lead just 55 seconds into the second period, finishing a play set up by Jincy Roese and Allyson Simpson to make it 3-0. The goal marked Levis’ first career multi-point game in her third season with the Sirens and gave New York crucial early momentum in the middle frame.

The Sirens continued to apply pressure, outshooting Vancouver 10-8 in the second period. Midway through the frame, Kristin O’Neill notched her first tally of the season—a shorthanded ‘jailbreak’ goal on a breakaway at 10:19—to push the advantage to 4-0 while the Sirens were killing a Paetyn Levis interference penalty.

O’Neill’s goal was her first with New York after being traded to the Sirens on draft day in the deal that sent Abby Roque to Montréal. It was the PWHL’s first non-empty-net shorthanded goal of the season and her second career ‘jailbreak’ goal, tying the all-time lead. The center won an impressive 12 of 20 faceoffs (60%) and fired three shots on goal in 16:09 of ice time.

“I thought we did a much better job tonight,” said Sirens coach Greg Fargo. “In a lot of areas, but especially around their net. We haven’t been around the net in a long time, but now we know enough that if you want to score, that’s where you’ve got to go. I just think, in other words, those goals were just kind of creating some chaos in or around the blue paint tonight, I thought our players did a really nice job with that.”

Faceoff Battle Ends Even

The game was evenly matched in the faceoff circle, with both teams winning 25 of 50 draws (50%). For New York, Kristin O’Neill led the way with 12 wins in 20 attempts, while Casey O’Brien added 7 wins in 12 draws. Vancouver’s Gabby Rosenthal won 8 of 17 faceoffs, with Anna Segedi contributing 8 wins in 9 attempts.

Physical Play Defines Third Period

The third period saw increased physicality, with Vancouver registering 11 hits compared to New York’s 5. Darcie Lappan led the Goldeneyes with 4 hits in just 8:35 of ice time, while Mellissa Channell-Watkins added 3 hits and played a physical 16:26.

Sophie Jaques cut the lead to 4-1 at 5:23 of the third period, firing a shot from the middle after a faceoff scramble. The goal was Jaques’ first of the season and first point of the 2025-26 campaign. Last season, the PWHL Defender of the Year finalist recorded 22 points (7G, 15A) in 25 games, tied for the league lead among defenders.

“It was off the faceoff—there was a bit of scrum,” said Jaques. “The forwards did a good job to get the puck back, and I just took it to the middle and fired the puck. I think Miller gave a good flash screen on the goalie, so that took away her eyes. At times we were good net front, but I also don’t think we were shooting the puck very much with a purpose. I think that comes with our line changes. We were just kind of trying to get pucks deep and didn’t really make a lot of great plays down low when we did have them beat. We did some of it in the game, but definitely there’s room for improvement.”

Kaltounková Caps Rookie Showcase

First overall pick Kristýna Kaltounková responded at 8:55 of the third period, scoring her first career PWHL goal and point to make it 5-1 and continue the rookie scoring surge. The goal came on a shot from the slot, assisted by Micah Zandee-Hart and Paetyn Levis.

Kaltounková became the fifth New York rookie to hit the scoresheet this season through the team’s first three games. The Czech forward played 15:33, fired three shots on goal, and took two penalty minutes for cross-checking late in the game. Her physical presence was felt throughout, as she also registered one hit.

Vancouver Searching for Identity

Vancouver netminder Kristen Campbell made her first start of the season, stopping 23 of 28 shots in 60 minutes of work. The Goldeneyes dropped their second straight road contest and have now surrendered five goals in back-to-back games—a troubling trend for a squad still searching for its identity.

Vancouver managed just 21 shots on goal compared to New York’s 28, and struggled to generate sustained offensive pressure. The Goldeneyes went 0-for-2 on the power play and were outshot in every period (6-9 in the first, 8-10 in the second, 7-9 in the third).

“We’re still trying to establish identity because we can play a skill game, but we also can get pucks deep and be tough to play against down low, and so what you see is a mish-mash of the two,” said Goldeneyes coach Brian Idalski. “So, our identity is still being formed, but first and foremost we have to start with being more physical, winning one-on-one battles, and just a consistent compete, not the ebb and flow that we’re getting shift to shift.”

Defensive Struggles Continue

Vancouver’s defensive corps struggled to contain New York’s attack. Captain Ashton Bell played a team-high 20:39 but finished minus-1, while Sophie Jaques logged 17:02 and was minus-3 despite her goal. Claire Thompson, who leads the Goldeneyes in scoring this season with 3 points (2G, 1A), took a 2-minute interference penalty in the first period and finished minus-1 in 19:56 of ice time.

The Goldeneyes have now allowed 8 goals in their last two games while scoring just 2, and five of their six goals this season have been scored in the third period or in overtime. Half of their goals have come from defenders, highlighting their struggles to generate consistent forward production.

Osborne Continues Strong Start

Kayle Osborne was solid in net for New York, turning aside 20 of 21 shots to backstop the Sirens to their first regulation victory at Prudential Center since last season’s opener. The netminder faced just 6 shots in the first period, 8 in the second, and 7 in the third, benefiting from strong defensive play in front of her.

Osborne’s two victories in three starts match her win total from her rookie season, when she had a total of ten appearances in 2024-25. Her .952 save percentage on the afternoon was a significant improvement for a Sirens team that had struggled defensively in recent games.

Veterans Contribute Across the Board

Several Sirens veterans also found the score sheet. Jincy Roese recorded her first point as a member of the Sirens after spending her first two PWHL seasons with Ottawa, where she led all Charge defenders in scoring in 2024-25 with 14 points (3G, 11A) in 27 games. Roese played a team-high 21:08 and contributed defensively with smart positioning.

Defenders Micah Zandee-Hart (18:26 TOI), Allyson Simpson (22:08 TOI), and Lauren Bernard (17:23 TOI) each recorded their first points of the season with assists. Captain Zandee-Hart set a career high last year with 10 points (1G, 9A), while Simpson had five points (1G, 4A), both in 30 regular-season games.

Simpson was particularly effective, firing 3 shots on goal and registering 2 hits while playing a plus-2. Maja Nylen Persson anchored the defensive pairings with 20:59 of ice time and a plus-2 rating.

Historic Home Opener

The Sirens have won consecutive home openers, and with today’s win, notched their first regulation victory at Prudential Center since last season’s opener. New York went 1-3-1-8 at the venue during the 2024-25 season, making Saturday’s dominant performance particularly significant for a team looking to establish home-ice advantage.

New York rookies have combined for eight points through the team’s first three games, showcasing the organization’s successful draft and development strategy. The Sirens are now 2-1-0-0 on the season and have bounced back impressively from their shutout loss in Montréal.

Injury Updates

Jaime Bourbonnais missed the first game of her PWHL career for New York and is listed day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Sarah Nurse was scratched from Vancouver’s lineup for the second straight game and is listed day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Nurse, who has 1 goal in 2 games this season, is a significant offensive loss for the Goldeneyes.

Game Summary

• Final Score: New York Sirens 5, Vancouver Goldeneyes 1
• Location: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
• Attendance: 3,517
• Game Start: 12:17 PM EST
• Game End: 2:33 PM EST
• Game Duration: 2:16
• Officials:Referees: Shauna Neary (49), Alexandra Clarke (7)Linespeople: Erika Greenen (88), Erin Zach (60)

Scoring by Period

Shots on Goal by Period

Three Stars

1. Anne Cherkowski (NY) – 2 assists, 4 shots, 2 hits, 17:32 TOI
2. Kayle Osborne (NY) – 20 saves on 21 shots, 60:00 TOI
3. Kristýna Kaltounková (NY) – 1 goal, 3 shots, 15:33 TOI

Goal Scorers

New York: Nicole Vallario (1) at 4:08 1st, Sarah Fillier (1 GW) at 18:13 1st, Paetyn Levis (1) at 0:55 2nd, Kristin O’Neill (1 SH) at 10:19 2nd, Kristýna Kaltounková (1) at 8:55 3rd

Vancouver: Sophie Jaques (1) at 5:23 3rd

Goaltending

New York: Kayle Osborne (W, 20/21 saves, .952 SV%)Vancouver: Kristen Campbell (L, 23/28 saves, .821 SV%)

Team Statistics

• Shots: Vancouver 21, New York 28
• Power Play: Vancouver 0/2 (0%), New York 0/1 (0%)
• Penalty Minutes: Vancouver 2 (1 infraction), New York 4 (2 infractions)
• Faceoffs: Vancouver 25/50 (50%), New York 25/50 (50%)
• Hits: Vancouver 19, New York 19
• Blocked Shots: Vancouver 11, New York 9

Looking Ahead

Vancouver Goldeneyes: Wednesday, Dec. 3 at Boston at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT

New York Sirens: Wednesday, Dec. 3 at Seattle at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT

Highlights and press conferences are available on the New York and Vancouver YouTube channels.