Professional Women's Hockey League Takes Over Seattle

Seattle, WA - The Boston Fleet kicked off the PWHL Takeover Tour with a thrilling 3-2 shootout win over the Montréal Victoire on Sunday at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, before a raucous crowd of 12,608. This attendance marked the highest of the 2024-25 PWHL season and the fifth-largest in league history.

The PWHL Takeover Tour visits nine neutral cities across the U.S. and Canada, showcasing world champions and Olympians while giving fans a glimpse of the excitement and empowerment that comes from women’s sports. For those advocating for a PWHL team in their city, the tour offers a chance to experience the league's talent firsthand.

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Seattle was the ideal launch site for the tour. The city boasts one of the highest fan attendances for women’s sports, with teams like the Seattle Storm and OL Reign securing championships and a large fanbase. Seattle Women's Hockey Club and Women’s Pro Hockey Seattle have also seen growth in youth and girls' hockey participation, and the local community has strongly supported bringing a PWHL team to the city.

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Sunday’s game embodied the spirit of both Seattle and women’s sports. The event began with a ceremonial puck drop by Seattle Kraken Assistant Coach Jessica Campbell, the first woman to coach an NHL team, and team Captains Hilary Knight (Boston Fleet) and Marie-Philip Poulin (Montréal). The three displayed their mutual respect for other laughing and sharing a short embrace.

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Montréal took an early lead with two goals in the first period—one on a power play by Laura Stacey and another at even strength from Abby Boreen. Boreen’s goal marked her third of the season and fifth point in seven games. Kristin O'Neil, who scored the game-winner against Boston on December 30, earned an assist, extending her point streak to two games. Captain Marie-Philip Poulin also had a strong performance, winning 16 of 21 face-offs to lead the league with 84 total face-off victories.

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The Fleet bounced back in the second period, with Hannah Bilka scoring a power play goal. In the third, Bilka assisted Susanna Tapani’s game-tying goal, sending the game into overtime. Bilka's multi-point performance now ties her for second in rookie scoring with six points in eight games.

In the shootout, Bilka and Tapani delivered for Boston, while goaltender Aerin Frankel stopped three of four Montréal attempts. Frankel finished with 23 saves, earning her third win of the season and snapping both Boston’s three-game losing streak and Montréal’s four-game win streak.

Boston’s Captain Hilary Knight led all players with six shots on goal, a season high. Knight’s previous visit to Climate Pledge Arena was in November 2022 during the Team USA vs. Team Canada Rivalry Series, where a record-breaking 14,551 fans attended. That game, in which Knight scored twice and earned the game-winner, also marked the presentation of a gold stick to honor her all-time points record in the IIHF Women’s World Championship.

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Earlier in the week, I had the chance to interview Knight, who reflected on the crowd’s energy in Seattle. "I’ve yet to experience a crowd like the one at Climate Pledge," she said. "It was so special, and while we’re working to build something similar in Boston, Seattle will always hold a special place in my mind."

There's no doubt Seattle fans are ready for a Professional Women's Hockey League team, but several factors come into play beyond just popular interest. Until then, fans hope they won’t have to wait another two years for Climate Pledge Arena to host another major women's hockey event. They’ve already proven that people are eager to watch women's hockey.

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