LAVAL, Que. — In an exciting matchup on Wednesday evening, top draft pick Sarah Fillier shone for the New York Sirens, scoring her first two goals in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) and assisting on the game-winning goal, leading her team to a decisive 4-1 victory over the Montreal Victoire.
Alongside Fillier’s impressive performance, Alex Carpenter also contributed to the scoreline by netting her third goal of the season, while Jade Downie-Landry capped off the match with an empty-netter. Sirens goalie Corinne Schroeder was instrumental in the win, making 28 saves throughout the game.
Cayla Barnes managed to score her first goal in the PWHL for Montreal, executed with a skillful backhand move. In contrast, Ann-Renée Desbiens stood tall in goal for the Victoire, turning away 32 shots.
The Sirens capitalized on a critical turnover by Montreal’s Anna Kjellbin, with Fillier finding the net 11:32 into the first period. The 24-year-old Fillier, who is an Olympic gold medalist and three-time world champion with the Canadian national team, added her second goal just 18 seconds before the final buzzer. Fillier was selected first overall in the recent draft out of Princeton, marking a significant achievement in her young career.
Takeaways from the game showed the strong partnership between Fillier and Carpenter, who continued to prove effective together. The Sirens played without Ella Shelton, who was a standout defender last season, finishing with 21 points in just 24 games.
For the Victoire, the struggle to generate offensive plays was evident early in the game. After one period, New York had a commanding lead in shots, dominating Montreal 18-4. However, the Victoire made adjustments during the game, outperforming the Sirens in shot attempts in both the second and third periods, tallying 10-8 and 15-10, respectively, following a shuffle in their line combinations orchestrated by coach Kori Cheverie.
A pivotal moment came when Fillier skillfully maneuvered behind the goal before making a no-look pass to Carpenter in the slot. Carpenter then scored, giving the Sirens a 2-1 lead at 9:09 of the third period, which ultimately shifted the momentum in favor of New York.
Statistically, Montreal had previously dominated the series this season, winning four out of five matchups and securing 13 out of 15 available points. Consequently, the Victoire ended the regular season in second place with 41 points, while the Sirens finished last with 26 points.
Looking ahead, the Victoire are set to face off against the Ottawa Charge on Friday night, while the Sirens will conclude their season-opening road trip with a game against the Boston Fleet on Sunday.
