Top 5 PWHL moments of the 2025–26 Season (So Far)

We’re about two months into the PWHL’s third season, and they have continued to build on their success and momentum. As we enter the Olympic break, let’s take a look at some of the best moments of the 2025-26 season so far:

Gwen’s picks:

5. Carabiner Giveaway

Everyone’s heard about bucket hats or bobblehead giveaways at sports games, but few teams have grabbed the art of the giveaway by the reins quite like the Seattle Torrent.

At their Dec. 17 game against the Ottawa Charge, Seattle gave away carabiners to the first 6,000 fans to arrive at Climate Pledge Arena. The PWHL has officially leaned into its large LGBTQ+ fan base, and this giveaway is symbolic of that.

4. Montreal Victoire vs. New York Sirens Brawl

Something that makes hockey unique is the extent to which fists are permitted to fly in the game. Some PWHL fans initially worried that referees would not allow players to engage physically to the same degree as in the men’s game.

In the last two and a half seasons, though, the officials have become increasingly comfortable letting the athletes on the ice determine how far an altercation goes. Most recently, a massive brawl between the Sirens and the Victoire broke out during their Jan. 18 game played in Washington, D.C.

Eight 10-minute misconduct penalties were assessed, and Taylor Girard received a 20-minute penalty for leaving the bench to join the fight. She was later suspended for four games. The more the PWHL leans into the gritty side of hockey, the more NHL fans might be interested in the women’s game.

3. Inaugural Game Between Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent

The two-team expansion to the West Coast was two years in the making after the takeover tour games played in both Seattle and Vancouver that drew record-breaking crowds.

This game, the first of the season for both teams, drew a sellout crowd of 14,958 at the Pacific Coliseum. The Goldeneyes defeated the Torrent 4-3 in overtime, paving the way for a heated geographic rivalry in future seasons.

2. Taylor Girard Natural Hat Trick

One of the complaints that some critics have with women’s sports is that the level of play isn’t high enough. The players in the PWHL have tried their hardest not let this be the case with their league.

Abby Roque paved the way last season with her Michigan goal, and plenty of the players in the NCAA are lighting up the ice. This season, though, Taylor Girard had a phenomenal third-period natural hat trick against the Ottawa Charge that led to a 4-0 victory for the New York Sirens.

1.PWHL Fan Signs

Part of what makes the PWHL so special right now is the fanbase. Many of these fans have waited years for women’s hockey to have a platform, and they have not wasted their opportunity to share their opinions and jokes through handmade signs. From jokes about the fan base or the players to requests for expansion teams, the signs rarely miss and have become a staple of PWHL social media accounts around the league.

Jenny’s picks:

5. Minnesota Frost Raise their Second Walter Cup Championship Banner

On Nov. 21, their opening night, the Minnesota Frost unveiled the league’s first-ever specialty jersey and unveiled their banner to celebrate their second straight Walter Cup Championship. It was the perfect way to kick off the third season of the PWHL, with the back-to-back champs celebrating their success with their hometown fans in the State of Hockey.

4. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai attends Seattle Torrent's Game

During their game against the Boston Fleet, the Seattle Torrent welcomed the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner in history to a crowd of cheering fans. The women’s rights advocate spoke with the team before the game and announced their starting lineup. Although the Torrent lost in the shootout, it was an incredible mutual acknowledgement between the parties.

3. The Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent officially debut

The PWHL’s two expansion teams faced off against one another for their inaugural games on November 21, 2025. It was an exciting game for two markets eager to begin their PWHL franchises, with a sold-out crowd. Abby Borren scored the game winner in overtime to secure the Goldeneyes a 4-3 victory, helping the two new teams immediately solidify their ability to hang with the rest of the league.

2. PWHL sends off 61 players to the 2026 Olympics

Preparing for the Olympic break, all eight PWHL teams were in action Wednesday night. Thirty percent of the league will be attending the Olympics, with 23 players on Team Canada, 16 on Team USA, eight on Team Czechia, four on Team Finland, four on Team Sweden, three on Team Germany, two on Team Switzerland, and one on Team Italy.

1. New US Record for Women's Hockey Attendance

The PWHL continued their highly successful Takeover Tour this season, with a stop in Washington, DC on Jan. 18, 2026. Montreal and New York faced off in the Capital One Arena, the NHL’s Washington Capitals’ home rink, and broke the attendance record for a women’s hockey game in the US with 17,228 fans.

With attendance records being broken with nearly every capacity increase, the Takeover Tour helps reiterate the popularity and success of the league- and women’s professional sports as a whole.

Gwen Evans is a second-year student studying broadcast journalism. To contact her, email gme5218@psu.edu.

Jenny Karamus is a first-year student studying broadcast journalism. To contact her, email jrk6308@psu.edu.