Five Observations from Sceptres vs. Sirens

A sold-out crowd of 19,102 fans filled the seats at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena on Saturday afternoon, as the Toronto Sceptres hosted the New York Sirens in the second Battle on Bay Street PWHL game. Toronto came out on top, 4-2.

Here are five things I saw of note during Saturday’s game:

1.   This truly is the time for women's hockey.

Sitting up in press row on Saturday afternoon, it was impossible not to take a few moments to myself to reflect. As I shared on X, the last time I was in that arena to cover a women's hockey game was February 12, 2017 for the CWHL All-Star Game. The sport has lived several lifetimes between then and now, and it's hard not to be struck by just how much things have changed.

That CWHL All-Star Game featured 8,122 in attendance, which, at the time, was an incredible number. It still wouldn't be bad by today's standards, but pales in comparison to the 19,000+ who showed up for this year's Battle. The appetite for women's sports has grown exponentially over the years, and it really does feel like pro women's hockey is on an upward trajectory now.

At the same time, I also took a moment to reflect on how many talented women's hockey players didn't make it to this point, where they could play the sport as a full-time career. Less than half of those CWHL All-Stars are still actively playing hockey in North America today. While it's natural that some would choose to retire for myriad reasons, it's still a poignant reminder of how far things have come, and a gentle nudge of progress that's still to be made - i.e., PWHL expansion someday.

Even outside of the actual game, I could feel the hype. As I waited for the GO Train in Oakville, a group of young girls dressed in Oakville Hornets gear were also waiting with their parents, adorned with signs for the game. An older gentleman, separately, waited - while wearing a PWHL jacket. When I stepped into the arena concourse a full 100+ minutes before puck drop, lines were already forming at the entrance.

Pregame, a throng of excited fans huddled around as Tessa Bonhomme and Julia Tocheri hosted a live episode of the Jocks in Jills podcast. There were multiple lines to get into Real Sports to purchase PWHL apparel during the game. On the train ride back afterwards, a group nearby discussed the game for nearly the entire 45-minute trip.

These are all personal anecdotes, but they speak to the bigger picture: there has never been a time for women's hockey like the present.

2.   It's time to talk about Hannah Miller, again.

Sceptres forward Hannah Miller is one of the league's best players this season. There, I said it.

Miller scored twice on Saturday afternoon, and there's no denying her offensive power. She now has six goals on the season and is tied for the league lead with household names like Alex Carpenter and Kendall Coyne Schofield. Miller is projected to surpass all of her totals from last season, when she had 14 points (6-3) in 23 games. When she's on, she's on.

For those who may be less familiar with Miller's game - like I previously was! - she is one of the few players to have international playing experience for multiple countries. She played in the U18 Worlds for Canada in 2013 and 2014, before suiting up for China in the 2022 Olympics and Division 1B worlds in the same year.

Miller was named one of the PWHL's three stars of the week.

3.   Sarah Nurse comes in clutch.

Picture it: it's midway through the third period of Saturday's game, and I'm chatting with Sceptres PR about potential third star choices. Miller is an obvious one, with two goals. Sirens netminder Corinne Schroeder is another easy choice. I posit that the other star should probably be whoever scores the game-winning goal, while noting aloud that Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse has had a really good game.

Not two minutes later, what happens? Nurse scores the game-winning goal. Boom.

It was honestly just a matter of time. She'd had six shots on goal so far in the game (and ended with seven) and played 19:53. She also had a number more shots that didn't hit the net. She was all over the ice, constantly looking to get into a position to contribute, so it was no surprise when she finally did. It also marked her first goal in seven games, and her fourth of the season overall, so it was a much-needed relief.

4.   Corinne Schroeder is a critical piece of the Sirens' lineup.

"For anyone that's been watching, obviously Corinne's been the backbone of our team," said Sirens head coach Greg Fargo after Saturday's game. "I think we rely on her, maybe a little too much at times, but it speaks to the level of confidence and belief that we have in our goaltending."

"When she's in there, I've said it before, she's just such a calming presence and it allows our players just to play," Fargo added. That's when we're playing our best, when we trust each other and I think of Corinne as being part of that trust, up and down our lineup."

Schroeder has appeared in nine games for the Sirens this season, with a 2.00 GAA and league-best .932 save percentage. She also has two shutouts and has six wins.

5.   This game meant a lot.

Despite the loss, Sirens defender Jaime Bourbonnais was clearly thrilled at the opportunity to play at Scotiabank Arena. Bourbonnais, a native of nearby Mississauga, grew up playing hockey in the greater Toronto area, and it was particularly special for her to play on the same ice as the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs. She also got to take part in the ceremonial faceoff before the game.

"Even just looking at the ice, seeing the Leafs logo in the middle, that was pretty cool," she said. "I played for little Jaime out there today. Even though the result wasn't what we wanted, I think it's just a testament to how far we've come in the game and pretty cool playing in front of a crowd of almost 20,000 people."