Although the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are finished, women’s hockey is still gaining traction, particularly the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). Founded in 2023, the league is expected to set a new U.S. attendance record with an upcoming game between the New York Sirens and Seattle Torrent.
The game is set for April 4 and will take place at Madison Square Garden. It is already sold out.
Per ESPN, a spokesperson for the Sirens said that the sell out is ‘riding the wave of the Winter Olympics.’ Team USA team won gold in Milan in a thrilling overtime victory over Canada, boosting interest in women’s hockey substantially.
Although neither the Sirens nor the Torrent are near the top of the PWHL standings, the venue and renewed interest have created an atmosphere that fans want to be a part of.
Sirens general manager Pascal Daoust said that ‘selling out The World’s Most Famous Arena is a defining moment for the New York Sirens and a powerful statement about the growth of our league, the passion of our fans, and our commitment to building something lasting and great, all together.’
Are there any U.S. Olympians on the Sirens or Torrent?
The Torrent, an expansion team new to the PWHL this year, boast four players from the gold medal-winning U.S. women’s Olympic team: Hilary Knight, Hannah Bilka, Alex Carpenter and Cayla Barnes. Unfortunately, Knight, 2026 Olympic hero and Torrent captain, will not be playing in the April 4 game. Knight is recovering from an MCL injury and is out indefinitely.
The Sirens feature three players from the silver medal-winning Canadian Olympic team: Sarah Fillier, Kristin O’Neill, and Kayle Osborne.
What is the record for attendance in the PWHL?
The current attendance record was set on Feb. 27 this year during a game between the Seattle Torrent and Toronto Sceptres, drawing 17,335 fans to Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena. Given how prevalent the U.S. women’s national team is on the Torrent roster, it’s no wonder that they’ve drawn arguably the most interest since the Olympics ended.
Madison Square Garden has a capacity of 18,006 for hockey, breaking the record by nearly seven hundred fans.
Where else are PWHL teams playing in April?
Outside of their home arenas, there is a game between the the Boston Fleet and Montréal Victoire set for April 11 at Boston’s TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics.
That game has also already sold out, per the PWHL. TD Garden’s capacity for hockey is 17,850. The Fleet usually play their home games at the Tsongas Center (capacity 6,500) at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.