By: Alexis Caines | Follow me on Twitter / X @alexiscaines_
Season three has been memorable for the Professional Women’s Hockey League. This season, they have had games at three of the most iconic hockey venues: Bell Centre, TD Garden, and Madison Square Garden. The game in New York City smashed the previous United States Women’s Hockey attendance record with a crowd of 18,006. TD Garden was not far behind with a crowd of 17,850.
The PWHL also surpassed two million for fan attendance on March 25th. This came right on the heels of the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games, which had 61 PWHL players. 16 took home gold, including Fleet Captain Megan Keller, who scored the golden goal. Aerin Frankel and Haley Winn joined her with golds around their neck. Fleet forward Alina Müller secured Bronze for team Switzerland with an overtime goal as well.
According to the PWHL, during the Olympic window, league-wide impressions increased 88%, along with merchandise sales, which were up by 101%. Ticket sales are on pace for a 70% increase from last season.
The hype has been here all season, especially with the expansion teams of the Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeyes, who landed in two outstanding hockey markets. Despite their struggles in the standings, their fans have shown up on weekdays and weekends, proving their love of the sport.
It serves as an unmistakable mark that the future of women’s hockey is now. It’s happening right in front of our eyes, and it’s here to stay.
The Fleet faced rivals, the Montréal Victoire, on April 11th at TD Garden. The Bruins played earlier that day, dubbing it “Hockey Day in Boston.”
Former Bruins Captain and Hall of Famer, Zdeno Chara, performed the ceremonial puck drop, a complete surprise to the crowd. Bruins legend Patrice Bergeron, as well as Celtics shooting guard Derrick White, were spotted on the jumbotron.
Head Coach Kris Sparre was thrilled for the opportunity that the game at TD Garden gave his team, saying, “The first people I think about [are] the players. It’s a great moment for the city, great moment for our team, great moment for the league, but most importantly for the players.“
Keller played NCAA D1 ice hockey at Boston College for four seasons. She was a standout defender on the team and in the entirety of D1 players. When she joined the Fleet during their inaugural season, she was no stranger to the city. Wearing the “C” at TD Garden was a moment she’ll never forget.
“We’ve all felt it after the Olympics,” she said about the hype around the PWHL. She and her team have continued to inspire the future. “[Future generations] have something to look forward to…They can sell out buildings that the men play in.”
The Fleet were unable to get a win for their faithful home crowd, and fell 1-0 to the Victoire. The game was a tempered showdown that featured two of the greatest goaltenders in the world.
Was it nerves? Keller thinks, “Maybe.” She admitted that it took a bit for the team to get going and settle into their systems.
The Fleet, who have finally been waking up offensively, struggled to get shots on net during the game. Their power play was also unsuccessful in their five opportunities.
While there are areas that need to be cleaned up heading into the playoffs, the night at TD Garden stood for a lot more than some mistakes. The team smashed their previous attendance record by over 10,000 and that is something to be proud of. For the New York Sirens, their MSG crowd of 18,006 was their first-ever sellout in team history.
This third season of the PWHL has proved that the demand for women’s hockey is here. With the success of the Takeover Tour, they are able to rope in new cities and markets, chanting “we want a team” at every single spot.
National Hockey League teams are embracing it too, with players sporting gear from the visiting PWHL teams. There are also seven brother-sister duos between the two leagues this season, many of whom are both headed to their respective playoffs.
The PWHL hasn’t yet shattered the glass ceiling. There are expansion teams lingering on the horizon, as well as new partnerships, new talent, and more fans. Now that there’s tangible proof that the league can sell out venues like TD Garden and Madison Square Garden, one could only wonder what exciting things are in store.
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