Cherkowski's First PWHL Goal Lifts Sirens Past Victoire 2-1 Before Record Crowd in D.C.

WASHINGTON — The biggest crowd ever to watch professional women's hockey in the United States got a one-goal game, a rookie's first goal and a fight to finish it. Anne Cherkowski redirected a Paetyn Levis shot for her first career PWHL goal late in the second period, Kayle Osborne made 31 saves, and the New York Sirens held on to beat the Montréal Victoire 2-1 on Sunday at Capital One Arena.

The announced crowd of 17,228 set a U.S. attendance record for a professional women's hockey game, according to Monumental Sports & Entertainment, breaking the mark of 16,014 set on Nov. 28 at the Seattle Torrent's inaugural home game against the Minnesota Frost. It was the PWHL's first game in Washington, a stop on the league's Takeover Tour, and the win lifted the Sirens into second place.

Kaltounková Strikes Early

New York did not make the crowd wait. Montréal was whistled for too many players on the ice, and the Sirens converted on the power play just 84 seconds into the game. Kristýna Kaltounková, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 PWHL Draft, banged in the rebound of a Sarah Fillier shot, with Fillier and Maja Nylén Persson credited with the assists. According to the league, it was Kaltounková's fifth goal in her last five games.

The Victoire pushed back and found the equalizer on a power play of their own. Maggie Flaherty scored with about 30 seconds left in the first period, the first power-play goal of her career, with Kati Tabin and Hayley Scamurra picking up the assists. The teams went to the locker room tied 1-1.

Cherkowski's First

The deciding goal came at 14:47 of the second period. Off a faceoff, Levis flicked a wrist shot toward the net and Cherkowski got a stick on it, redirecting the puck past Ann-Renée Desbiens to give New York a 2-1 lead. Fillier picked up her second assist of the game, her first multi-point game of the season, according to the PWHL. The IX reported that Levis was originally credited with the goal before it was changed to Cherkowski.

From there, the game belonged to Osborne. Montréal outshot New York 32-27, and Laura Stacey led all skaters with five shots on goal, but Osborne stopped 31 of the 32 she faced. The Victoire thought they had tied it on a third-period power play when Osborne gloved a Marie-Philip Poulin shot that Montréal argued had crossed the goal line, but according to The IX, a video review found no definitive proof that the puck went in, and the play stood as no goal. The league noted the Sirens improved to 4-0-0-0 this season when outshot.

Desbiens was solid at the other end with 25 saves, but the loss ended her three-game winning streak. The PWHL noted she still has not allowed more than two goals in any of her 10 starts this season.

A Heated Finish

Montréal had one more chance to push for the tying goal, but the Victoire took a penalty in the final minutes while trailing by one. Head coach Kori Cheverie did not hide her frustration. "We can't win hockey games when that type of stuff happens," she said, according to the league's postgame notes.

The final horn did not end things right away. A line brawl broke out in front of the Sirens' net at the final whistle, and eight players, four from each team, were hit with misconduct penalties. According to The IX, the teams then shook hands and posed for a photo together.

A Crowd to Remember

The players on both benches spent much of the postgame talking about the building. "I don't think I've ever seen that many people at warm-ups with signs along the glass for us," Fillier, a Sirens alternate captain, said, according to the PWHL. Scamurra, the Victoire forward who grew up in the D.C. area, was just as impressed. "The energy that they brought, I mean, that was the loudest they've ever been," she said, according to The IX.

"I knew they would show up, but I think this exceeded everyone's expectations," Scamurra also said, according to the league. The PWHL noted that all nine Takeover Tour games this season have now been decided by one goal.

What It Means

The win moved New York to 7-0-1-5 with 22 points, four behind league-leading Boston and one ahead of third-place Minnesota, according to The Associated Press. The Sirens have won five of their last six and set a team record with points in six straight games. They also took a 2-1 edge in the season series after Montréal won 4-0 on Nov. 25 and New York won 4-3 at home on Jan. 2.

Montréal fell to 5-2-0-5 with 19 points and dropped to fourth place, its three-game winning streak snapped. Levis summed up the Sirens' turnaround simply. "Some of the leaders in the locker room have stepped up," she said, according to the PWHL.

New York returns home to host the Ottawa Charge on Tuesday, while Montréal visits the Minnesota Frost on Wednesday. The Sirens and Victoire meet again on Feb. 26 at Prudential Center after the Olympic break, and after Sunday, that rematch already has a little extra history behind it.

Photo Credit: Robert Raymer/Undrafted