Sirens top Frost in front of record crowd for women's pro hockey game in U.S.
Published
DETROIT (AP) — Paetyn Levis scored a tiebreaking goal late in the first period and Corinne Schroeder stopped 33 shots, lifting the New York Sirens to a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Frost on Sunday night.
The game drew 14,288 fans, setting an attendance record for a professional women’s hockey game in the United States.
The game was part of the Professional Women’s Hockey League's Takeover Tour.
“It's another extremely, big win for the sport globally,” Frost forward Kendall Coyne Schofield said after the game. “It's important to tip our hockey helmet to Detroit.”
The Professional Women’s Hockey League game broke the mark as part of its Takeover Tour of potential expansion venues at Little Caesars Arena, a year after 13,736 fans watched women on the same sheet of ice at the home of the Detroit Red Wings.
Denver drew 14,018 fans to set the previous U.S. record two months ago in another neutral-site game featuring the Frost and the Montreal Victoire.
The world attendance record for a women's hockey was set nearly a year ago when 21,105 people were in the stands for a PWHL game between Montreal and Toronto in the NHL Canadiens’ arena.
The largest crowd to watch a women's hockey game in the U.S. was set in 2017 when 15,359 attended St. Cloud State's game at Wisconsin. In 2022 in Seattle, 14,551 fans watched the U.S. women's national team beat Canada.
Minnesota's Grace Zumwinkle scored 6:08 into the game and Nicole Hensley made 20 saves.
Jaime Bourbonnais pulled the Sirens into a 1-all tie midway through the first period and Sarah Fillier added an empty-net goal late in the game.
During the first period, the PWHL announced more than 1 million fans have attended games since the league made its debut last season. Players from both teams gave fans in the stands pucks that commemorated the milestone.
The six-team league is averaging more than 7,000 fans a game after drawing 5,500 fans a game during the regular season last year.
St. Louis is hosting the ninth and final stop of the Takeover Tour on March 29 when the Ottawa Charge face the Boston Fleet with a little more than a month left in the regular season.
Takeaways
Sirens: With a two-goal lead after the first period, New York was able to play conservatively to keep the cushion.
Frost: While 34 shots is a high number, Minnesota did not have a lot of quality scoring chances.
Key stat
Schroeder stopped 20 of 21 shots through two periods, setting the Sirens up for the victory.
Up next
New York plays at Toronto on Wednesday night. Minnesota hosts Montreal on March 26.
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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey