Tag Archives: #PHNWomensHockey

Frankel posts second straight shut out in 2-0 Fleet win over Goldeneyes

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LOWELL, MA – Aerin Frankel backstopped the Boston Fleet to consecutive shutouts in their 2-0 victory over the Vancouver Goldeneyes Tuesday night at the Tsongas Center. Frankel turned away a season-high 35 shots to increase her single-season shutout record to six and all-time record to eight, also earning her league-leading 15th win in 20 games. Kristen Campbell did everything she could in the Goldeneyes crease, stopping 27 of 28 shots in her fifth straight start.

The only shot to beat Campbell was off the stick off Laura Kluge, her first in the PWHL, with a tip off a rip from Megan Keller, following a pass from first-time point-scorer Mia Biotti at 9:03 of the second period. Susanna Tapani sealed the Fleet’s victory with under a minute remaining in the third period, scoring an empty-netter from center ice off a pass from Haley Winn. With the win, Boston moved into sole possession of first place in the PWHL standings with 45 points, breaking a tie with Minnesota who sits at 42 points with one game in hand and a matchup against Montréal tomorrow night. Vancouver remains seven points back of Toronto, who holds the fourth and final playoff spot.

Both teams will head to Toronto for their next games, with Boston opening a three-game road trip on Friday, while Vancouver will make their second stop of a five-game road swing on Sunday at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

QUOTES

Boston Assistant Coach Jordan LaVallée-Smotherman on the Fleet’s overall game and power play performance: “It was an interesting one. Obviously, happy to come out with a win and they’re not always going to be easy or pretty. Our group seems to find a way to win in close games, step up, and get the three points we need. Right now [on the power play], I think it’s about getting one to go. When it goes on from game to game, it can wear on the group mentally and we can make little adjustments here and there, but it’s about finding that one. We’ve liked our looks, we had a couple we’re really happy with tonight. Sometimes in hockey it’s just about getting that lucky bounce.”

Fleet forward Laura Kluge on scoring her first PWHL goal: “Honestly, I’m super excited about it. I think I was kind of getting closer to actually scoring in the last couple games, so I’m really happy. Glad I finally got that out of the way. I struggled a lot coming back [from the Olympics]. The transition was really hard, but I think I found my [way back to my] game a bit the last couple games and feel like I’m in a pretty good spot now.”

Vancouver Head Coach Brian Idalski on his team’s recent string of close losses: “That’s five in a row that I felt we’re executing, we’re competing, we’re giving ourselves a chance and opportunities to win hockey games. We’re just falling short. I really think some of it now is flipping the switch mentally, expecting good things to happen, expecting somebody to make a play. Once that gets rolling, it kind of feeds itself, and so we’re still struggling to break through in that area where confidence-wise we know we’re going to get it done. We’re not hoping, we’re not guessing, we’re not thinking maybe. We know that we’re going to make the plays necessary. Right now, that’s still the last little thing for me that we have to kind of break through – the mental component as the group – that we know that we’re going to do what we need to do to win a close game like that.”

Goldeneyes captain Ashton Bell on goaltender Kristen Campbell’s 27-save performance: “[Kristen Campbell] has been solid for us the last five games. Tonight she was key in the special teams. When we had some light kills there, she kept us in it, she made some huge saves for us and gave us a chance to win that game. We’re very lucky to have her and she’s a character on and off the ice.”

 

NOTABLES

Boston has 45 points for the first time in team history, surpassing the 44 points they recorded in 30 games during the 2024-25 campaign.

The Fleet have earned 23 of 27 possible points in games played in Massachusetts this season, remaining undefeated in five games at the Tsongas Center (4-1-0-0).

Tonight marked Boston’s sixth shutout of the season and ninth in team history, good for a tie with New York for the most regular-season shutouts all-time.

Vancouver has been shut out in four of their 11 road games this season, most in the PWHL, including twice at Boston.

The Goldeneyes outshot the Fleet for the first time in four games (35-29) after being held to 22.7 shots on goal per game in the season series before tonight, the team’s lowest mark against any PWHL team.

Boston has scored the first goal 17 times in 22 games this season, most in the PWHL, with a record of 10-4-1-2 in those games. Vancouver has surrendered the first goal 17 times in 22 games, most in the PWHL, with a record of 1-1-4-11 in those games.

The Goldeneyes shut down the Fleet power play on all three opportunities tonight and hold the league’s best penalty kill on the road with an 88.9% efficiency.

Fleet defenders have combined for more than 40 points in a season for the first time in team history, reaching 42 tonight, most in the PWHL.

Boston leads Vancouver 8-4 in points through four games of the season series, with each game played in a different venue. They’ll finish the season series in a fifth different venue on Apr. 7 at Edmonton’s Rogers Place.

Aerin Frankel has posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time in her career and is just the third goaltender in PWHL history to achieve the feat. Her 35 saves tonight are the most in any of the league’s 19 shutouts this season and brings her season save total to 500, becoming the second netminder in 2025-26 to reach the milestone. It’s the second time the Olympic gold medalist has recorded a 35-save performance this season, with the last in a shootout win in Seattle on Jan. 18. She’s the first goaltender to win 15 games this season, one shy of tying the single-season record, and has been victorious in nine of her last 10 starts.

Laura Kluge recorded her first PWHL goal in her 34th career game, bringing her season point total to two in 21 games and matching her two points (2A) in 13 games during the 2024-25 season with Toronto. The Fleet forward set a German Olympic tournament record with seven points (3G, 4A) in five games in Milan.

Susanna Tapani’s empty-net goal was her fourth goal in five games and eighth of the season, bringing her to 15 points and three shy of her career-high. Her seven points (4G, 3A) in eight post-Olympic games is tied for the most since the PWHL resumed play.

Megan Keller tallied her 11th assist in 22 games of the 2025-26 campaign, matching her career-high for helpers across 24 games in the inaugural season. The Boston captain’s first point in four games against Vancouver gives her a second assist streak this season, after a three-game stretch in December, and 17 total points to lead all Fleet skaters and all league defenders.

Mia Biotti’s first period assist marked her first career PWHL point, coming in her ninth game. The defender from Cambridge, MA, who finished her collegiate career with 38 points (6G, 32A) in 123 games for Harvard, is the sixth Fleet rookie to record a point this season, tied with New York for most in the PWHL.

Haley Winn reached double digit assists with the primary helper on Tapani’s goal, joining Keller and Kendall Cooper (12A) as the only defenders to hit the milestone this season. The second overall pick has moved into a tie with Cooper for the second-most points among rookies with 13. The former Clarkson Golden Knight owns a point streak for the second time this season with one goal and a pair of assists since Saturday.

Kristen Campbell made a fifth consecutive start for the Goldeneyes to bring her season total to 10 games. This was the third time she has allowed one or fewer goals this season and has only allowed more than two goals in one of her five starts this month. Campbell, who set the league record with 16 wins in the inaugural season, improved her goals-against average to 2.10 and save percentage to .916 with tonight’s performance.

Sophie Jaques led all skaters tonight with seven shots on goal, matching her season-high registered twice already on Jan. 11 against Montréal and Mar. 10 when the Goldeneyes hosted Boston. Her shots on goal total is up to 83, a new career-high and second-most in the PWHL.

Sarah Nurse led all centers tonight with a season-high 16 faceoff wins on 22 attempts for the Goldeneyes.

Alina Müller led all Fleet skaters with four shots on goal and went 13-for-16 on faceoffs, reaching at least 80% efficiency for the third game this season.

Jill Saulnier was scratched from the Fleet lineup for a third consecutive game with a concussion.

Emerance Maschmeyer was left off the Goldeneyes lineup for a fifth straight game and remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

THREE STARS

1. Aerin Frankel (BOS) 35/35 SV
2. Laura Kluge (BOS) GWG
3. Mia Biotti (BOS) 1A

STANDINGS

Boston: 45 PTS (11-5-2-4) – 1st Place
Vancouver: 24 PTS (6-1-4-11) – 7th Place

UPCOMING SCHEDULES

Boston: Friday, Mar. 27 at Toronto at 7 p.m. ET
Vancouver: Sunday, Mar. 29 at Toronto at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT

Frost hit for pair of power play goals in 3-1 win over Goldeneyes

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VANCOUVER– The Minnesota Frost’s special teams shone, scoring two goals with the player advantage to outmatch the Vancouver Goldeneyes in a tightly contested 3-1 game in front of 10,366 on Saturday afternoon at Pacific Coliseum. Maddie Rooney made two highlight-reel third period saves with the Frost shorthanded to disappoint the home crowd on route to turning away 19/20 Goldeneyes chances.

At the other end of the ice, Kristen Campbell did not allow an even-strength goal, stopping 20/22. Natalie Buchbinder drew first on the power play, walking in and firing the puck into the top right corner at 14:02 of the first period. With their third player advantage of the game and just 30 seconds remaining in the second period, Kelly Pannek capitalized with a five-hole goal that deflected off a Vancouver stick. Mannon McMahon brought the home crowd to their feet with her backhand goal on the doorstep, fed from bobblehead game star Jenn Gardiner, 8:49 into the third period. With Campbell pulled with just over three minutes remaining in the game, Britta Curl-Salemme recorded her second point of the afternoon, an empty-netter at 18:14 to bring the Frost out on top.

Minnesota’s fifth straight win raised the bar at the top of the league standings with 42 points, with Boston keeping pace with a win in their game that ended shortly after, and Montréal playing tomorrow just three points behind. They return home for a highly anticipated matchup with the Victoire on Mar. 25. Vancouver wraps up its five-game post Olympics homestand and heads on the road for the next five games, starting in Boston on Tuesday.

 QUOTES 

Frost Head Coach Ken Klee on the team’s position in the standings: “We’re looking to get points, we talk about that all the time. We’re trying not to look exactly where we are in the standings every day, but just more how we’re playing and putting points together. At the end of the day, we know it’s going to be tough. We know we need to get as many as we can in the regular season. The last two [seasons] we’ve got in on the last day, so we know how important every point is, and we just look at it that way.”

Frost alternate captain Kelly Pannek on Minnesota’s special teams: “Those are two power play goals with how you draw them up, but taking advantage of those opportunities, like [Coach Ken Klee] said, this league is so tight, so any time you have that advantage, it’s huge to take advantage of that. And on the flip side, I think as much as anything too, we try to be solid on our penalty kill. Any time you’re winning that special teams battle, you’re giving yourself a chance to win.”

Vancouver Head Coach Brian Idalski on his team’s approach to their remaining games against the top teams in the league: “Everyone in this league is good. Every game is tough and every game’s a playoff game, so I don’t think [where our opposition is in the standings] plays into [our approach] as much as us continuing to be confident, continuing to play the way we’re playing. Opportunities and outcomes take care of themselves when you’re executing and you’re consistently doing the right things.”

Goldeneyes goal-scorer Mannon McMahon on making an impact with Vancouver since being traded: “Getting traded was definitely a shock, but my teammates, the organization, everyone involved has been super helpful. It’s been really fun getting to know this group of players. With the Olympic break, [we’ve had] time to get settled and get some practices in. My new line has been great too. They’re super easy to work with and it’s been fun to find some chemistry with them. We’re getting our opportunities, but pucks are loose in front of the net and at the end of the day we have to get more goals, so we have to find those scenarios.”

NOTABLES 

Minnesota’s five straight wins ties a team record set during the inaugural season (Mar. 3-24, 2024) and is one shy of the league’s longest winning streaks of the season (Boston, Montréal, Ottawa).

The Frost have 11 regulation wins for the first time in team history, surpassing the 10 they recorded last season during a 42-point campaign.

This was Minnesota’s league leading 10th win of the season by multiple goals, but first by a two-goal margin. They have four wins by three-goal spreads, four by four-goal margins, and posted a five-goal victory on Wednesday over Ottawa.

Vancouver finished its season-high five-game post-Olympic homestand with five points (1-0-2-2) and were held to one goal in three of their losses.

Minnesota capitalized twice on three power play opportunities, matching their two goals with the player advantage scored on Mar. 8 in Toronto. That was also the last time the Frost scored on the power play, breaking a 0-for-10 stretch across the three games in between.

Vancouver went 0-for-3 on the power play and rank last with the play advantage at 7.8%.

The Goldeneyes’ third period goal was their 22nd of the season in the final frame, tied for most in the PWHL.

Britta Curl-Salemme and Kelly Pannek moved into a tie with teammate Taylor Heise for the PWHL scoring lead with 22 points, each recording a goal and an assist for their sixth multi-point performances of the season, tied with Heise for the league lead.

Curl-Salemme‘s ninth goal in her 21st game of the season matches the gold medalist’s career high across 28 games in her 2024-25 rookie season. She has points in each of her last five games (2G, 4A) for the second time this season, tied with Pannek for the league’s longest active point streak and one away from the league’s season-high of six, co-held by three of her Frost teammates (Heise, Kendall Cooper, and Mae Batherson).

Pannek moved into sole possession of the league lead in goals scoring her 12th the season, including a league-high five power play tallies. The alternate captain’s breakout offensive campaign has continued post-Olympics with points in five straight games (4G, 3A) including back-to-back two point nights for the second time this season (also Nov. 28-Dec. 2, 2G, 2A). Pannek and Curl-Salemme have only been left off the scoresheet five times in 21 games this season.

Natalie Buchbinder reached the back of the net for the first time in two seasons, her last goal coming almost two years ago on Mar. 24, 2024 against Montréal. It was also the first power play marker of the defender’s PWHL career. Buchbinder now has two points on the season, matching her total from last season.

Mannon McMahon has scored a goal in back-to-back games for the first time in her PWHL career, after breaking a 14-game scoreless drought dating back to Dec. 16 as a member of the Charge. The second year forward had a strong offensive afternoon also setting a career high with four shots on target.

Maddie Rooney recorded her seventh straight win, dating back to Jan. 11, and her third straight win and perfect record against Vancouver. In those seven contests, the goaltender has not allowed more than two goals and has allowed one or fewer in the last three, bringing her season goals-against average to 1.90 for third in the league overall, ahead of teammate Nicole Hensley’s 1.98.

Kristen Campbell did not allow an even strength goal this afternoon in her fourth consecutive start at Pacific Coliseum and the first of those contests without a point, going 1-0-2-1. The veteran netminder is now one start away from tying teammate Emerance Maschmeyer for the third most career games played (53).

Abby Hustler’s primary assist was her eighth of the season bringing the forward to 11 points overall, good for fifth overall in the rookie scoring race, two points behind Cooper’s 1G, 12A. The second-round pick has points in back-to-back games for the third time in her early PWHL career, with all three stretches including a point against Vancouver.

Sidney Morin snapped a nine-game scoreless stretch dating back to when she tallied a trio of assists on Jan. 11 vs. Seattle. The defender now has six assists in 21 games of the campaign, a new career high surpassing the five she tallied across 30 games in 2024-25 for Boston.

Denisa Křížová has points in consecutive games for the first time this season with an assist in each of the last two games. The Czech forward produced in her first game at Pacific Coliseum, after being traded from Vancouver back to her former team on Nov. 19 in exchange for Anna Segedi.

Klára Hymlárová recorded points in back-to-back regular season games for the first time in her PWHL career, notching an assist in each of the last two games. The Czech forward has now tripled her points total (6) from her first to her second PWHL season.

Jenn Gardiner made the scoresheet with a primary assist on her bobblehead night and has points in back-to-back games (2A) for the third time this season. The Surrey, BC native’s 10th point (3G, 7A) makes her the fifth player from the 2024 draft class to reach double-digits in consecutive seasons.

Tereza Vanišová joined McMahon and Gardiner with a point in each of the last two Goldeneyes games, the second time for the Czech forward this season who moves into a tie for second with Gardiner in team scoring. Her eighth assist surpassed the seven she tallied across 30 games last season in Ottawa, two away from her 2024 season high recorded across 23 games between Montréal and Ottawa.

Maschmeyer and Katie Chan remain scratched from the Goldeneyes lineup, both listed as day-to-day with upper-body injuries.

THREE STARS  

1. Natalie Buchbinder (MIN) 1G
2. Kelly Pannek (MIN) GWG, 1A
3. Mannon McMahon (VAN) 1G

STANDINGS 

Minnesota: 42 PTS (11-3-3-4) – 1st Place (Tied)
Vancouver: 24 PTS (6-1-4-10) – 7th Place

UPCOMING SCHEDULES 

Vancouver: Tuesday, Mar. 24 at Boston at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Minnesota: Wednesday, Mar. 25 vs. Montréal at 7 p.m. CT

CLICK HERE FOR STATS

Stacey leads Victoire to win over Torrent

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LAVAL, QC – Laura Stacey contributed on a trio of goals to lead the Montréal Victoire to a 4-1 win over the Seattle Torrent Thursday night before a crowd of 10,033 at Place Bell.

The win moves the Victoire into a three-way tie for first place with Boston and Minnesota in the PWHL standings, each with 39 points in 20 games. After a scoreless first period with chances for both teams, Catherine Dubois got the Victoire on the board with her first goal of the season at 4:17 of the second period when she tapped the puck in off a wraparound attempt from Stacey. Montréal doubled their lead to 2-0 just over nine minutes later on a highlight-reel shorthanded “jailbreak” goal by Stacey, where she battled the puck away from a defender and drove to the right post with a deke and shelfed a wide-angle shot top corner. Alex Carpenter cut the Victoire’s lead in half at 7:56 of the third period with a backdoor shot from a Theresa Schafzahl feed, in the latter’s debut with Seattle. Skylar Irving tipped the puck into the net, deflecting a Kati Tabin one-timer, for her second goal of the season at 9:00 of the final frame. Stacey finished the night off for Montréal at 19:27 with an empty-net goal, also assisted by Tabin. Ann-Renée Desbiens impressed in net with 24 saves for her 12th win, while rookie Hannah Murphy took the loss with 19 stops on 22 shots.

 

Seattle and Montréal return to the ice this weekend as the Torrent head to the Tsongas Center for a final matchup against Boston, and the Victoire look for their third consecutive win of the season series with Ottawa when they travel to Winnipeg for the 12th stop of the PWHL Takeover Tour™.

 

QUOTES

 

Victoire Head Coach Kori Cheverie: “I thought it was a great response from our group. They’re an experienced team. They’ve been through a lot of situations. They have a ton of games under their belt. And as much as we don’t want a game to end like the last one, we thought we were able to pull quite a few positives from the game. And I think we were able to work on some of the pieces that we wanted to touch on a little bit more thoroughly, which was the five-on-six.”

 

Montréal alternate captain Laura Stacey on the team bouncing back from a tough loss: “I think it was in all of our heads. I think we weren’t satisfied. It was a pretty devastating loss for us, but we all said it’s better it happens now than later in the season. We learned from it, and I think that’s exactly what we did. We went back to the drawing board. We had great conversations, we studied up on our video, and we had another opportunity tonight to learn again. And I think we took a step forward. And if we continue taking those steps every single game, whether it’s a little thing, [or] like a five-on-six, which is a big thing, it goes a really long way.”

 

Seattle Head Coach Steve O’Rourke’s overall thoughts on the team’s performance: “I thought that for 60 minutes we competed and I liked the resilience of our group. That third period we came out and got that goal, we talked about taking it in chunks, and we got that one goal and kept pushing and pushing, and the resilience is there. We know we have members of our team that are missing that are key to us, but people just keep pushing and working shift after shift, and we’ve just got to keep pushing into that.”

 

Torrent defender Mariah Keopple on returning to Montréal: “It was great, [I] even [had] some of the fans messaging me before the game that they were going to be here and things like that. I was here for two years, and they really took me in in that inaugural year, so it’s really nice to be back. They kind of took a bet on me, and it was just really nice seeing everyone, seeing the girls in the line after, and it’s always good to be back.”

NOTABLES

Montréal extended their point streak to eight straight games (5-2-1-0) since Jan. 21 to set a new team record and tied Boston (Jan. 7 to Mar. 10) for the longest point streak of the season.

The Victoire became the first team in PWHL history to record 10 regulation victories in each of the league’s three seasons (12 in 2024-25, 10 in 2024).

This is the latest the PWHL standings have ever seen a three-way tie for first place in a season. During the inaugural season, Montréal, Toronto and Minnesota shared first place with 30 points between games played on Mar. 13 and Mar. 16, 2024.

Seattle suffered a seventh consecutive road loss since Jan. 7. In both 2024-25 and the inaugural season, the league record for winless streaks on the road was five.

The Victoire have at least three goals in seven straight games and are one away from matching Toronto (2024-25) for the longest streak in league history.

The Torrent have allowed multiple goals in all but one of its 14 games since a 2-1 home win over Montréal on Dec. 23.

Tonight was just the fifth time this season Montréal has been outshot by their opponent, fewest in the PWHL. Seattle has outshot opponents in nine of their 20 games.

Laura Stacey recorded her first three-point performance of the season and has seven points (3G, 4A) in five games since representing Canada at the Olympics, representing nearly half of her 15 points in 20 games. The Victoire alternate captain has scored both of Montréal’s shorthanded “jailbreak” goals this season and leads the league in the category with two, and her game-high five shots on goal brought her league-high total to 90.

Catherine Dubois recorded her first goal and point of the season in her 14th game, ending a 13-game pointless drought in 2025-26 after a career-high nine points (6G, 3A) in 24 games in 2024-25. The Québec native recorded a season-high 15:40 time on ice today.

Stacey and Abby Roque’s assists on Dubois’ goal marked their 10th of the season, becoming two of seven players in PWHL history to reach double-digit helpers in consecutive seasons.

Roque has five points in her last two games (1G, 4A), representing the second time this season she has consecutive multi-point outings. Her 17 points in 19 games ties her career high as a member of the Sirens last season where she had the exact same stat line in 30 games (6G, 11A).

Skylar Irving notched her second goal in Montréal’s last four games after going the first 13 games of her PWHL career without a marker. The rookie previously scored her first career goal in the Victoire’s 4-1 win in New York on Feb. 26.

Kati Tabin recorded the first multi-assist game of her career and set a new career high for points in a season with nine (2G, 7A) in 20 games. She became the 15th defender in PWHL history to reach at least 15 career assists and has points in consecutive games after scoring on Sunday.

Alex Carpenter scored her team leading eighth goal and has two of her team’s three goals against the Victoire this season, reaching double-digit career points against Montréal in her 11th game (6G, 4A). The Torrent alternate captain won a career-high 23 faceoffs on a season-high 31 attempts.

Theresa Schafzahl recorded an assist in her Torrent debut after being acquired in a trade with the Fleet for Jessie Eldridge on Monday. The third-year forward set a new career-high with her seventh point in 20 games (2G, 5A), surpassing her six points in 20 games during the inaugural season (3G, 3A).

Danielle Serdachny tallied her fourth point in six games since the Olympic break (1G, 3A), half of her total for the season (3G, 5A). The Seattle forward matched her output from her rookie season in Ottawa with her eighth point in 10 fewer games.

Ann-Renée Desbiens recorded her 12th win of the season and her 11th outing allowing one or fewer goals. She remains atop the goaltender leaderboard with a 1.23 goals-against-average and a .951 save percentage.

Hannah Murphy has allowed multiple goals in six of her 10 starts this season, while the 22 shots against tonight were the fewest she’s faced in a game this season. The Torrent rookie has seven-straight losses after starting her season with three consecutive wins.

Montréal rookie defender Nicole Gosling and Seattle veteran forward Julia Gosling, cousins from London, ON, went head-to-head for the second time in their PWHL careers and first time on Canadian ice.

Three of Seattle’s seven defenders returned to Place Bell for the first time as members of the visiting team. Mariah Keopple spent two seasons with the Victoire, while Cayla Barnes and Anna Wilgren spent their rookie seasons in Montréal.

Marie-Philip Poulin was not in the Victoire lineup for the second time this season due to a lower-body injury.

Mikyla Grant-Mentis was left off the Torrent lineup for a second consecutive game with an upper-body injury.

THREE STARS

1. Laura Stacey (MTL) 2G, 1A
2. Catherine Dubois (MTL) 1G
3.  Ann-Renée Desbiens (MTL) 24/25 SV

 

STANDINGS

Montréal: 39 PTS (10-4-1-5) – 3rd Place
Seattle: 19 PTS (5-1-2-12) – 8th Place

 

UPCOMING SCHEDULES

Seattle: Saturday, March 21 at Boston at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT
Montréal: Sunday, March 22 at Ottawa at 7 p.m. ET

 

CLICK HERE FOR STATS 

15 Best Online Pokies Australia: Top Real Money Sites You Can Try in 2026

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Golden Crown is a top pick if you’re chasing bigger jackpots, with a lobby packed full of progressive pokies. During testing, I deposited Bitcoin, and the process was very quick and straightforward.

The welcome package goes up to A$15,000 and includes 350 free spins, and I spent mine on pokies like Blast the Bass and Sky of Olympus, which ran smoothly on my iPhone.

Golden Crown also includes a solid VIP system with better perks over time, but I have not fully exploited it. High-limit tables and larger betting ranges make it even more appealing for high rollers.

Overall, the platform has a polished, premium feel with a large selection of progressive pokies. It’s your go-to if you’re chasing bigger payouts and can absorb losses while doing so.

3. SkyCrown – Best No Deposit OffersPros:

  • 20 free spins on registration
  • A$8,000 total welcome package
  • Over 6,000 total games
  • Wager-free live rakeback

Cons:

  • A somewhat complex bonus structure
  • Just one stablecoin (USDT) accepted

SkyCrown lets you try your luck for free with a genuine no-deposit bonus – something that is still fairly rare for Australian players. I claimed the 20 free spins during signup, and the process was straightforward, with the spins appearing in my account right after registration.

The full welcome package caught my eye, though, going up to A$8,000. During my testing, I spent most of my time on Elvis Frog Trueways, but I tried out Wolf Treasure, Gold Rush with Johnny, and 1001 Spins from Platipus.

SkyCrown’s library includes more than 7,000 games, so it’s easy to jump between different pokies once you start playing. The interface is modern, well categorised, and makes it easy to spot your favourites in a couple of clicks.

Overall, a large slot library and convenient payment options make SkyCrown a strong contender for Aussie pokie fans and a must-try in my book.

4. Wild Tokyo – Fastest Crypto PayoutsPros:

  • 550 free spins in the welcome pack
  • 3,500+ casino games
  • Unique loyalty shop
  • High withdrawal limits

Cons:

  • Fewer crypto banking options
  • Busy interface can be distracting

Wild Tokyo leans heavily into a neon, futuristic theme and includes a few unique features like its loyalty shop, where players can exchange points for bonuses and spins.

I tested the crypto payouts by withdrawing 0.002 BTC, and the transaction reached my wallet in roughly 70 minutes, making it one of the fastest withdrawals I encountered during testing.

The welcome package includes 550 free spins, which gives you a nice incentive to explore the game library before committing more.

During my sessions, I spent most of my time on Gates of Olympus and Big Bass Bonanza. Navigating the lobby to find them took a little longer because the interface can feel cluttered, but I’ve also found more than 250 table games and 800+ live dealers.

Wild Tokyo makes deposits and withdrawals straightforward, offering fast payouts across Neosurf, MiFinity, CashtoCode, NTLR, Skrill, Binance Pay, and LuxonPay.

5. Gambiva – Lowest Wagering RequirementsPros:

  • Up to A$10,000 in a 6-tier welcome bonus
  • 20x wagering requirements
  • Generous weekend reloads
  • Mobile-optimized pokie lobby

Cons:

  • Fewer game providers than others
  • No dedicated mobile app

Gambiva stands out for its six-part welcome package worth up to A$10,000, paired with a relatively low wagering requirement. I deposited A$30 using Neosurf, and the bonus was immediately credited.

Most of my playtime went into pokies like 9 Pots of Gold, Immortal Romance, and Wanted Dead or a Wild. The lobby is clearly designed for mobile use, so switching between games and finding my top picks was quite easy.

While Gambiva doesn’t have a never-ending list of game providers, you will still find an extensive range of pokies and regular weekend reload offers that help stretch your balance.

For Aussie players hunting bonuses, Gambiva feels like a great shot and works best with multiple smaller deposits – even for high rollers.

6. LuckyVibe – Best Mobile InterfacePros:

  • A$5,000 welcome bonus
  • 300 free spins included
  • Fast loading times on mobile
  • 10,000+ pokies in the lobby

Cons:

  • Limited live chat support hours
  • Fewer progressive jackpots

LuckyVibe focuses heavily on mobile play, with a clean interface that works smoothly on smartphones. I tested the site on an iPhone 14, and games loaded quickly without the delays you sometimes see on desktop-first platforms.

The welcome offer goes up to A$5,000 and includes 300 free spins, working with a couple of deposits to give you a good push to explore the pokies library.

During testing, I spent time playing Luck of Panda and Book of All Ways, and these felt really simple and responsive. LuckyVibe also supports convenient e-wallet payments with MiFinity and Neosurf, making deposits and withdrawals straightforward for Australian players.

The only downside is that live chat doesn’t work flawlessly 24/7, but if you mainly play on mobile and want a fast, smooth pokie experience, LuckyVibe is a top option indeed.

7. National Casino – Top VIP Loyalty ProgramPros:

  • 150% welcome pack up to A$1,500
  • 150 spins included
  • Over 4,000 casino games
  • Regular pokies tournaments

Cons:

  • Lower initial match bonus
  • Fewer fiat banking options

National Casino rewards loyal players through a multi-level VIP program and regular promotions, although a welcome pack worth up to A$1,500 gives new players a quick way to test the site.

I spent most of the time testing on Pho Sho, Big Bass Bonanza 1000, and Sugar Rush 1000. It gave the casino much-needed colour, although many bettors will surely enjoy the dark design.

The site also runs regular pokie tournaments, which add a competitive element if you enjoy leaderboard events. If you find yourself looking for more variety, many players now rotate between these tournaments and the best crash gambling sites to experience a different kind of high-stakes social gaming.

Before withdrawing, I had to complete the KYC verification process, which took around 24 hours for full approval. It’s stricter than some casinos, but the extra checks do add an extra layer of security after all.

With frequent weekly reload bonuses, tournaments, and a structured VIP system, National Casino is a good fit if you want to stick with one platform for a long time.

8. VIPLuck – Exclusive High Roller TablesPros:

  • High deposit and withdrawal caps
  • 320% up to A$15,000 welcome package
  • Exclusive ‘Private’ pokie rooms
  • Fast-track AUD withdrawals

Cons:

  • Not friendly for micro-stakes
  • Invite-only for top VIP tiers

VIPLuck is built for higher-stakes players, with larger betting limits on pokies and live dealer games. The casino offers high deposit and withdrawal caps, along with personal account managers for VIP players.

I spent some time on pokies like It’s SharkTime! 2, Lucky Gold Miner, and Cash of Gods, all of which ran smoothly before I tried out some Game Shows in Live Casino.

VIPLuck also offers private pokie rooms with higher loyalty tiers, and the only real drawback is that the larger minimum bets can make it less appealing for casual players.

With thousands of pokies and other high-quality games, though, it’s an awesome pick if you enjoy higher limits and personalized service when you’re ready to make that big deposit.

9. Mafia Casino – Best Themed Pokies Selection

Pros:

  • 250% welcome match and weekly reloads
  • Unique ‘Heist’ themed missions
  • Low minimum withdrawal thresholds
  • 11,000+ pokies you can try

Cons:

  • Mobile site can be a bit laggy
  • Harder to sort through the big lobby

Mafia Casino leans into its underworld theme with mission-style rewards and a lobby built around heist-inspired promotions. New players get a big 250% match with the welcome offer, including 150 free spins, to make it easy to browse a huge game library.

I played 5 Star Coins and Book of Flames here, and the transition from bonus play to real-money spins worked without any issues. As mentioned, the site includes “heist missions,” where completing certain play objectives unlocks additional rewards or spins.

The mobile site can slow down slightly during busy evening hours in Australia, something I attributed to a lobby of over 11,000 pokies and almost 600 live dealers. Mafia Casino still felt like a fun platform for players who love to switch between games – and even game types – with an abundance of choice.

10. Kingdom Casino – Biggest Welcome Package

Pros:

  • 600% match up to A$9,500
  • Ultra-low 10x wagering requirement
  • Low A$20 minimum deposit for casual players
  • 5,500+ casino games in total

Cons:

  • Older website design
  • No table games

Kingdom Casino rounds out the list with one of the largest welcome packages available, offering a 600% match up to A$9,500.

I deposited A$50 to test the offer, and the boosted balance gave me plenty of room to explore the pokies lobby without risking much of my own money.

I loved the 10x wagering requirement, and it felt really quick too, as I played several pokies, including 9 Pots of Gold and Book of Dead. Overall, a very good mix of volatility and bonus features.

The site’s design feels a bit dated compared to newer casinos, but it’s been a smooth experience, and Kingdom Casino makes it well worth it. It’s a practical choice for Australian players, with a lot to explore and neat bonuses to catch the eye.

Highest Paying Online Pokies Australia Can Offer

When you’re ready to jump into the lobby, these are the games you don’t want to miss. We cover some of the fun and high-paying Aussie favourites below:

Blast the Bass

A colourful fishing-themed pokie with hold-and-win mechanics and multiple jackpot levels. During testing, this title stood out for its steady bonus frequency and engaging respin feature that fills the reels with money symbols. The gameplay is fast and mobile-friendly, and the jackpot mechanic adds real tension.

Buffalo Trail

A high-volatility pokie known for stacked symbols and powerful bonus potential. The game’s expanding wilds and free spin rounds can quickly turn a modest spin into a great payout, especially when multiple buffalo symbols line up across the reels.

Elvis Frog in Vegas

One of the unique pokies in the lineup, Elvis Frog Trueways combines quirky visuals with the popular “ways to win” mechanic. Instead of fixed paylines, the game offers thousands of potential winning combinations each spin. During my testing, the coin respin feature and frequent symbol multipliers created some of the most entertaining moments.

Many of the same software providers that dominate the Australian market also supply the best online slots Canada has to offer, ensuring that whether you call them pokies or slots, you’re getting the same elite RTP and bonus features.

What Are Real Money Pokies Australia?

Online pokies are the digital version of the slot machine games on casino floors. They run on Random Number Generators (RNG), which ensure every spin is completely random.

Compared to land-based machines, the best Australian online pokies usually offer better RTPs, often 95% or higher, along with a much wider range of themes, bonus features, and jackpots.

How We Picked the Best Online Pokies Australia

Here’s how we picked among the best sites for online pokies in Australia:

Security & Licensing

We only recommend safe online pokies Australia has, with sites that use strong SSL encryption and hold valid gaming licenses. This helps ensure your personal details, banking information, and deposits remain protected.

We also check that each license is active and that the casino follows basic player protection standards.

Payment Speed

Fast withdrawals are essential, so we focused on casinos that process payouts quickly and support common methods like cryptocurrency and e-wallets. I tested the withdrawal process at each site to check for delays or long pending periods, which are the primary red flags you want to avoid.

Mobile Performance

Most Australian players use their phones to play Australian pokies online, so I also tested every site on iOS and Android devices. We look for fast loading times, smooth gameplay, and simple navigation that works well on smaller screens.

Game Fairness

We also want to check that games run on certified Random Number Generators (RNG). Trusted providers and independent audits help ensure each spin is random and that the pokies work with the RTP percentage advertised.

Why Is Neospin the Best Online Pokies Australia?

Neospin is our top pick for a number of reasons. Here are some of the salient features pulling it to the top of the list in early 2026:

Unbeatable Bonus Value

Neospin offers one of the largest welcome packages available, with a bonus of up to A$11,000 and 300 free spins. This gives new players a sizeable starting balance to explore the casino’s library of over 6,000 games, including a wide range of pokies.

The larger bonus also makes it easier to try higher-volatility titles without burning through your initial deposit too quickly.

Fastest AUD Payouts

Neospin supports several fast banking options, including MiFinity and major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether. Crypto withdrawals are typically processed within 24 hours, and I got mine processed in hours, which is very competitive.

Having multiple payment options also makes it easier for Australian players to deposit and withdraw without relying on traditional bank transfers.

Superior Loyalty Program

Neospin’s loyalty system adds extra value for regular players through daily cashback of up to 20% and ongoing promotions.

The casino runs a tiered VIP program that unlocks additional perks as you play, such as higher withdrawal limits and exclusive offers. For players who regularly spin the reels, these ongoing rewards can extend playtime quite significantly.

Why Use These Online Pokies Sites?

Why do we choose offshore sites in 2026, you ask? Here are some of the main reasons why:

Better Odds than Pubs

Online Australian pokies often offer higher RTP, which generally provides better long-term value than many land-based machines. Over time, this can help stretch your bankroll and give you more spins for your money.

Convenience and Privacy

Online casinos let you play from home or on your phone without visiting a pub or gaming venue. Deposits and withdrawals can be handled through e-wallets or cryptocurrency, making it simple to manage your bankroll.

Massive Game Variety

Unlike physical venues with limited floor space, online casinos can host thousands of pokies in one place, and many of our top picks do. This means you can easily switch between classic slots and modern feature-heavy games, all within the same platform.

Benefits & Drawbacks of the Best Online Pokies in Australia

Playing online pokies in Australia offers significant advantages over traditional land-based venues, providing a more modern and flexible experience. However, there are a few trade-offs to keep in mind.

 

Pros Cons
Significantly higher payout percentages (RTP) Withdrawals are not always instant and can take 24-48 hours to process
Access to massive progressive jackpots that pool from players worldwide The lack of social atmosphere and physical interaction
Generous welcome bonus packages and reload offers
Full mobile compatibility, allowing you to play anywhere
A massive range of betting limits, accommodating both 10c spins and high-stakes play
Playing demo pokies for free
24/7 customer support via chat and email
Access to niche game types like Megaways, Bonus Buys, and Hold & Win

Types of Online Pokies Games Available

As already mentioned, the game types are many, and we highlight some of the most popular ones at Aussie casinos below.

Video Pokies

Video pokies are the most common online slots, usually featuring five reels, modern graphics, and multiple bonus features. Many include free spins, wild symbols, multipliers, and interactive bonus rounds, which add more depth than traditional machines.

Classic Pokies

Classic pokies are simpler three-reel games inspired by traditional pub and club machines. They usually feature familiar symbols like fruits, bars, and sevens, with straightforward gameplay and fewer bonus features.

Progressive Jackpots

Progressive jackpot pokies pool a small portion of every wager into a growing prize fund. The jackpot continues increasing until one player lands the winning combination, sometimes reaching very large payouts.

Megaways

Megaways pokies use a system where the number of symbols on each reel changes every spin. This creates thousands of possible winning combinations, making gameplay more dynamic and often leading to chain reactions – meaning consecutive wins.

Comparison of the Top Online Pokies Sites in Australia

Here’s an overview of our top picks and how they made the list:

 

Site Summary Bonus Code
Neospin The top choice for 2026, offering a massive bonus and the most reliable AUD payouts. NEO1
Golden Crown Best for high rollers chasing massive progressive jackpots and premium VIP perks. CROWN1
SkyCrown A massive library of 7,000+ games and a very attractive no-deposit free spin offer. None Required
Wild Tokyo Futuristic design with a unique loyalty shop and fast cryptocurrency withdrawals. Automatic
Gambiva Stands out for its low 20x wagering requirements on its A$10,000 welcome bonus. WKND70
LuckyVibe The smoothest mobile pokies Australia has. Automatic
National Casino A refined platform with an excellent VIP program and regular pokie tournaments. None Required
VIPLuck Tailored for serious punters who require higher betting limits. Contact Support
Mafia Casino Perfect for casual players who want top value for their money. Signup Offer
Kingdom Casino The highest percentage match bonus available, providing incredible initial value. Automatic

Banking Options at the Top AU Online Pokies Sites

Ready to fund your account? Here’s how you can do it in Australia right now:

PayID

PayID is a common option for Australian players because it allows quick transfers directly from a bank account using an email or phone number instead of full bank details. Deposits are usually processed instantly, making it a convenient way to fund a casino account.

Neosurf

Neosurf is a prepaid voucher that lets you deposit without sharing your bank details. You can buy the vouchers at many retail locations and enter the code at the casino cashier to add funds. It’s a simple way to control spending.

Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin are widely supported by offshore casinos. They allow quick deposits and withdrawals and usually come with lower transaction fees than traditional banking methods.

Bank Transfer

Bank transfers are still used for larger deposits or withdrawals. They are generally slower than other options, often taking several business days to process, but they remain a reliable method for moving larger amounts.

Available Online Pokies Bonuses

Online pokies bonuses are one of the biggest attractions for players joining new casinos. These offers can boost your bankroll, give you free spins on popular games, or even let you try a casino without depositing any money. Below are some of the most common types of pokies bonuses available online, along with their benefits, drawbacks, and examples of where you can find them.

Bonus Type Description Pros Cons Where to Find
Welcome Match A deposit bonus where the casino matches your first deposit by a percentage. Increases your starting balance with bonus money. Usually comes with wagering requirements and a timeframe to complete them. Neospin – 300% up to A$11,000
Free Spins A set number of spins awarded on selected pokies, often included in welcome packages. Lets you try new games and potentially win without using your own balance. Winnings are usually converted into bonus funds and have wagering requirements. Golden Crown – 300 free spins in the welcome package
No Deposit Bonus A small amount of free credit or spins given just for registering an account. Allows you to test the casino and its games without making a deposit. Usually comes with stricter wagering terms and lower maximum withdrawal limits. SkyCrown – 20 free spins on signup

Tips for Playing Online Pokies Australia

Here are some tips and tricks when you start playing online pokies in Australia for the first time:

Check the RTP

Before playing a new pokie, open the Info or Help section to check its Return to Player (RTP). Many online pokies offer RTP rates around 95-96% or higher, which generally gives better long-term value.

While RTP reflects results over many spins rather than short sessions, choosing higher-RTP games can still help stretch your bankroll.

Understand Volatility

Volatility describes how often and how much a pokie pays.

  • High volatility games pay less often but can deliver larger wins.
  • Low volatility pokies pay smaller amounts more frequently.

If you are playing with a smaller bankroll, lower-volatility games usually allow longer sessions.

Set a Loss Limit

Decide on a spending limit before you start playing and treat that amount as entertainment money. If you reach that limit, stop playing and don’t try to win losses back. Many casinos provide responsible gambling tools you can rely on to set deposit or loss limits before you start playing.

Read the Bonus Terms

Before claiming a bonus, check the wagering requirements and restrictions. These rules determine how many times you must play through the bonus before withdrawing winnings.

Some games may also contribute differently toward wagering requirements, so it’s important to understand the terms and avoid surprises when trying to cash out.

FAQs: Online Pokies Australia

We address some of the commonly asked questions about online pokies in Australia, hoping to shed further light on questions you might have as well.

Can I Play Pokies for Free?

Yes. Most online casinos offer demo versions of pokies that let you spin with virtual credits instead of real money. This is a good way to test a game’s features, volatility, and bonus rounds before playing with your own funds.

What Is the Best Payment Method for AU Punters?

Many players prefer methods such as Neosurf vouchers or cryptocurrency, which are widely supported by offshore casinos. These options are simple to use and help keep deposits separate from your regular banking activity.

How Do I Know if a Pokie Site Is Fair?

Look for casinos that display a valid license and independent testing seals from auditors such as iTech Labs, eCOGRA, or GLI. These organizations test the casino’s Random Number Generator (RNG) to confirm that game results are random and not manipulated.

What Does RTP Mean in Pokies?

RTP stands for Return to Player. It represents the theoretical percentage of wagered money that a pokie pays back to players over time. For example, a game with 96% RTP is designed to return $96 for every $100 wagered over the long run.

Choosing the Best Online Pokies Australia Has to Offer in 2026

It’s now easy to find the best online pokies Australia has – with high-quality casinos and gambling sites at your fingertips. Neospin remains our top recommendation for its balance of speed and value, but there are many contenders you can explore as well.

Whether you prefer chasing massive jackpots or enjoying the latest video pokies on your mobile, choose based on those preferences before you claim your bonus. Let’s start spinning those reels!

DISCLAIMER: 18+ only. The information on this site is for entertainment purposes only. Online gambling comes with many risks. Players are advised to gamble responsibly and only use funds they can afford to lose.

Gambling laws and policies vary from one region to another. Some sites mentioned in this review may not be accessible in your area. Always check your local laws to find out whether it’s legal.

If you believe that you are developing a gambling problem or know someone who is, reach out to the following free online gambling resources:  

  • gamblinghelponline.org.au
  • https://gamblershelp.com.au/

 

Three-goal third lifts Goldeneyes over Sirens, 5-2

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VANCOUVER –  Anna Shokhina, Anna Segedi, and Mannon McMahon made their mark on the Vancouver Goldeneyes’ scoresheet for the first time to help overtake the New York Sirens 5-2 in their fourth and final matchup of the regular season in front of 9,226 fans at Pacific Coliseum on Wednesday night. Shokhina and Segedi each recorded their first Goldeneyes goals to quickly put Vancouver ahead by two in the first seven minutes of play; Shokhina’s marker was scored unassisted as she toe-dragged through traffic with just three seconds left in a Goldeneyes power play, while Segedi scored off a behind-the-net pass from Michelle Karvinen.

Sarah Fillier quickly brought New York back within one at 7:15 of the first, tipping a blue line shot from Maja Nylén Persson, but a Sophie Jaques’ slapshot from the point at 16:00 padded the Goldeneyes’ lead and would stand as the game winner. Sirens rookie Anna Bargman was the lone second period scorer with her tip off Nicole Vallario’s point shot at 13:19, and the Goldeneyes closed it out in the third with Tereza Vanišová’s goal at 5:27, bounced in off Kayle Osborne’s blocker, and an empty netter from McMahon with 18 seconds remaining. Osborne made 24 saves on 28 shots, with 12 coming in the first period, while Kristen Campbell turned away 22/24 for her third regulation win at Pacific Coliseum.

Vancouver moves within three points of sixth-place New York in the standings and will look to carry the offensive momentum into the finale of a five-game homestand on Saturday, hosting the Minnesota Frost, one of the league’s co-leaders. New York doesn’t return to action until next week, heading to Chicago for the city’s second Takeover Tour stop of the season on March 25, versus Seattle.

 QUOTES 

Vancouver Head Coach Brian Idalski on taking the win after three close losses: “We’re doing the right things; our details are right. We’re playing the right way, We’re creating opportunities, and said [offence] would come in bunches and that’s how it’s played out. That’s the way the game goes; it’s how you continue to do the right things if you’re not getting the outcome, when things aren’t going your way. That’s a credit to our club, being resilient the last few games. They didn’t get down and stuck to it.”

Goldeneyes captain Ashton Bell on her team’s multiple goal scorers: “It was great to see Anna [Segedi], Shoksy (Anna Shokhina), that line was huge for us off the start, getting us on the board. They make an impact every time they’re on the ice, along with Mannon’s line as well. We’re starting to see chemistry amongst all four lines, and we have a lot of depth. We knew that coming into this season, and now we’re starting to execute and produce more offence, which is great heading forward and something that we’re excited about.”

New York Head Coach Greg Fargo on the team’s response after the first period: “We had a good response in the second period and started to find our game by simplifying. We got pucks behind them and established more of the game we wanted. I liked our response in the second, but we couldn’t come up with what we needed late. In the third, there was a strong push, but we couldn’t get a timely goal.”

Sirens forward Anna Bargman on having an impact on the team’s scoring column these past two games: “I think it’s just a product of everyone around me, trying to stick to my identity and how my identity fits into the team’s identity. So, to get rewarded is great, but I think that just sticking together is going to help the team in the long run, so not trying to focus on one thing or another.”

NOTABLES 

Vancouver has points in three straight games (1-0-2-0) for just the second time in team history following a stretch from Jan. 17-25 (2-0-1-0).

New York has lost a season-high four straight road games dating back to Jan. 25.

The four-game regular-season series ends tied 6-6 in points with the home team winning all four games by multiple goals and the Goldeneyes outscoring the Sirens 10-9.

Vancouver remains undefeated (5-0-0-0) when scoring the game’s first goal.

The Goldeneyes scored three goals in the first period in both home games against the Sirens. They entered the game with a league-low eight goals in the opening frame this season.

Vancouver scored five goals for the second time this season, with the first also occurring at home against Toronto (5-0) on Jan. 22. Their five goals tonight exceed the four scored in their first three home games following the Olympic break.

New York surrendered five goals for the second time this season, previously losing 6-2 to Minnesota on Jan. 25.

The Goldeneyes scored on the power play for just the fourth time this season and first time in 10 games, ending a 0-for-21 drought with the player advantage.

This was just the sixth time in 20 games the Goldeneyes have outshot their opponent and just the second time they have earned a win when leading the game in shots.

Anna Shokhina’s second goal of the season was her first with the Goldeneyes and first career power play marker, snapping an eight-game scoring drought extending to before she was traded from Ottawa to Vancouver on Jan. 18. The first-year Russian forward now has five points on the season.

Anna Segedi recorded her first PWHL point with her first period goal, coming in her 17th game. The rookie was acquired by the Goldeneyes via trade just days before the start of the season after being selected by Minnesota in the third round of the PWHL Draft. The 24-year-old from Commerce Township, Michigan finished her NCAA career with 119 points (54G, 65A) in 164 games for St. Lawrence University.

Sophie Jaques’ has a goal in back-to-back games for the second time this season (also Jan. 3-9). Her sixth goal of the campaign takes over the team lead and brought her into a tie at the top of the PWHL leaderboard with Boston captain Megan Keller for the most among defenders and is now just one goal away from her career high of seven recorded last season with the Frost.

Tereza Vanišová got back on the scoresheet for the first time since competing for Czechia at the 2026 Olympic Winter Game with her second goal of the season. The four-game drought was the longest of her season and came after recording points (1G, 2A) in back-to-back games on Jan. 22 and 25. The forward’s five shots on target were more than any other skater and a personal season-high.

Mannon McMahon’s empty-netter was her first point in seven games as a member of the Goldeneyes, after being acquired in a six-player deal with Ottawa on Jan. 18. The second-year forward had a goal and one assist in 13 games with the Charge to start the season.

Sarah Fillier became the Sirens’ all-time leading scorer with her 44th career point (17G, 27A), surpassing Seattle alternate captain Alex Carpenter’s 19G and 24A across two seasons for New York. The 2025 Rookie of the Year has not gone more than one game without a point since the second month of the season, reaching the back of the net for the third time in three games following a season-high three-point performance (2G, 1A) on Mar. 8 against Ottawa. The alternate captain’s 15 points (4G, 11A) lead all Sirens.

Anna Bargman has goals in back-to-back games for the first time in her career, coming off her first multi-point performance with a goal and an assist against Minnesota. Bargman is the fifth Sirens rookie to surpass five points this season, making New York the only PWHL team with that level of scoring depth from their first years. Her four shots on net were the most among the Sirens.

Kristen Campbell secured her third regulation win of the season – her first since Jan. 22 against Toronto – and has led the Goldeneyes to points in every start she’s made at Pacific Coliseum (3-0-2-0). The veteran netminder recorded her seventh win in 11 career starts against New York to tie her career high of seven wins in 10 starts against Montréal. Campbell has now allowed two or fewer goals in five of her eight starts for a 2.24 GAA, seventh in the league just behind Emerance Maschmeyer’s 2.18 GAA.

Kayle Osborne became the first netminder to start 20 games this season and was between the pipes for all four of New York’s matchups against Vancouver. The Canadian netminder has given up four goals in consecutive games for the first time, also allowing four when New York first visited Pacific Coliseum on Dec. 6.

Claire Thompson extended her team lead in scoring with her eighth assist and 11th point of the campaign, putting the Goldeneyes’ alternate captain in a tie for third in scoring among all PWHL blue liners. With 11 points in 18 games (0.61 points per game), the Canadian Olympian is on pace to surpass her career high of 18 points in 30 games (0.6 points per game) from last season in Minnesota.

Michelle Karvinen recorded her first point since competing in her fifth Olympics for Finland. Of the first-year forward’s four assists this season, half have come against New York.

Sydney Bard matched her rookie season assist total with her second of the campaign. The second-year defender recorded three points (1G, 2A) during the 2024-25 season with Boston.

Abby Boreen’s primary assist on Jaques’ goal snapped a five-game scoreless drought for the third year forward. The former Montréal and Minnesota forward has four goals and two assists on the season to date.

Jenn Gardiner returned to the scoresheet for the first time since representing Canada at her first Olympic Winter Games, snapping a four-game drought. The second year forward scored a goal and an assist when New York last visited Pacific Coliseum on Dec. 6. With her nine points on the season, Gardiner is tied for second on the Goldeneyes in scoring.

Anna Meixner recorded her first point since the PWHL returned to action with the primary assist to her fellow former Charge member McMahon, to pot the empty-netter. Across seven games with the Goldeneyes, the Austrian forward has matched the two points (2G) she scored across 13 games with Ottawa to start the season, and her 2024-25 season total (1G, 1A).

Maja Nylén Persson’s primary assist on Fillier’s goal was her seventh point of the season (1G, 6A), surpassing her career high of six (2G, 4A) from her 2024-25 rookie season. The Swedish defender has four assists in her last six games, the most productive stretch of her career to date.

Nicole Vallario took the ice for her third game of the season and her first game since winning Olympics bronze with Switzerland, recording her first career assist. Both of the rookie’s career points have come against Vancouver, scoring a goal in the Nov. 29 matchup between the two teams. The defender was signed to a 10-day contract today with forward Taylor Girard placed on long-term injured reserve.

Jaime Bourbonnais has four assists across three consecutive games with her second period secondary helper tonight. The defender has reached the scoresheet in three or more consecutive games in each of her three PWHL seasons: 1G, 4A across four games from Mar. 12-22 and 5A across three games from Feb. 4-21, 2024.

Casey O’Brien was scratched from the Sirens lineup for the second straight game with an upper-body injury.

Maschmeyer and Katie Chan were scratched from the Goldeneyes lineup, both listed as day-to-day with upper-body injuries.

THREE STARS  

1. Anna Segedi (VAN) 1G (first career)
2. Anna Shokhina (VAN) 1G
3. Sophie Jaques (VAN) GWG

STANDINGS 

New York: 27 PTS (8-0-3-10) – 6th Place
Vancouver: 24 PTS (6-1-4-9) – 7th Place

UPCOMING SCHEDULES 

Vancouver: Saturday, Mar. 21 vs. Minnesota at 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET
New York: Wednesday, Mar. 25 at Seattle (in Chicago) at 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

CLICK HERE FOR STATS

First period outburst sends Frost past Charge, 5-0

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ST. PAUL, MN – The Minnesota Frost exploded for four goals in the first period and never looked back, skating to a 5-0 victory over the Ottawa Charge on Wednesday night to move into a tie for first place in the PWHL standings.

The first meeting between the teams at Grand Casino Arena since Game 4 of the 2025 PWHL Walter Cup Finals saw 12 different Frost skaters find the scoresheet, led by a two-goal performance from Kelly Pannek, a goal and an assist from Grace Zumwinkle, and a 15-save shutout by Maddie Rooney in her eighth win of the campaign.

Top scorer Taylor Heise, who celebrated her 26th birthday yesterday, continued her hot hand with a goal on the Frost’s first shot on Gwyneth Philips from a wide angle just 27 seconds into action.

The Playoff MVP stopped just five of her eight shots against and was pulled after Zumwinkle and Pannek tallied 11 seconds apart at 14:39 and 14:50 to make it 3-0. The Frost scored on their next shot at 16:15 off the stick of Kaitlyn O’Donohoe, her first in the PWHL, past Kendra Woodland who stepped into the Charge crease for the first time in her PWHL career. The rookie goalkeeper finished her debut with 14 saves on 16 shots in 45:10, with Pannek rounding out the scoring at 15:46 of the middle frame.

The Frost are the first PWHL team to reach 10 regulation wins this season, matching their 2024-25 total, and move up to 39 points alongside Boston. They will take their four-game winning streak on the road to Vancouver on Saturday, while the fifth-place Charge will look to rebound when they take on the Victoire in the DoorDash PWHL Takeover Tour on Sunday at Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre.

QUOTES

Minnesota Head Coach Ken Klee on Maddie Rooney’s first shutout of the season: “She’s been rock solid for us. Like I said early on, even when she wasn’t rewarded and getting wins, she was still playing well. We just weren’t supporting her very well, so I think since maybe our second or third start, we’ve been trying to give her a lot better run support, which I know gives her a lot of confidence in the net knowing she can make saves when she needs to.”

Frost alternate captain Kelly Pannek on 12 players getting points and the importance of overall depth: “I think that’s the way that this team has been built for the last few years and this year’s no different. And it really is fun for everyone when people are involved in it. Any line is trusted to score and expected to score. [Coach Klee] preaches a lot that if you’re playing the right way, it doesn’t matter who you’re playing. I think you’re seeing some good chemistry developing but also knowing some players might be hot one night, but a different night it’s going to be someone else. I think it’s just a lot of people having a lot of fun showing up to the rink, and you’re seeing that on the ice.”

Ottawa Head Coach Carla MacLeod on the early goal cushion taken by the Frost: “I really liked our start. I think they had a couple of fortunate ones early on, which happens. No big deal. I thought our group had the start we wanted after coming off our last game. We had our feet moving a lot better. The puck was moving, so there were a lot of positives there. Sometimes this game is just a goofy game. You can have a good start and suddenly, you look at the scoreboard and you’re like, oh, darn. But in the same breath, obviously Gwyneth (Philips) wants that first goal back. It’s an unfortunate one. She’s an elite goalie, so we were trying to rally for her. She saved us in a lot of games this season. In general, I didn’t think our first period was tilted as much as the scoreboard indicated.”

Charge forward Michela Cava on coming back to Minnesota for the first time after winning the Walter Cup last season: “It’s obviously a little bittersweet feeling, just coming back and getting to see everybody yesterday, and then getting a nice welcome back at the rink, and just getting to see everybody in the stands. It’s a fun rink to play in. I have nothing but good memories here, so can’t say anything bad about that, but it would have been nice to come out with the win today.”

NOTABLES

Minnesota’s four straight wins is a season-high and gives them points in 10 of their last 11 games (6-2-2-1). They have also won four straight games at Grand Casino Arena, a first since March of the inaugural season.

The Frost win the four-game regular-season series over the Charge 7-5 in points, outscoring them 14-9.

The five-goal margin of victory tonight is tied for the largest of the 2025-26 season, matching Vancouver’s 5-0 win over Toronto on Jan. 22.

Minnesota became just the second team in PWHL history to score four goals in the first period following Montréal on Feb. 15, 2025, in a 6-2 win over New York.

The Frost have scored five or more goals in six of their 20 games this season, including four of their eight games at Grand Casino Arena. They entered the game with a league-high goals per game average of 3.11, with the Charge ranked second with an average of 2.55.

The goal at 27 seconds was the second quickest of the PWHL season behind Minnesota captain Kendall Coyne Schofield’s goal 24 seconds after puck drop on Dec. 2 in Ottawa. The Frost tied a PWHL record with two goals in 11 seconds, matching the mark set by the Goldeneyes in the second period of their game on Jan. 22.

Ottawa’s 15 shots on goal were the lowest registered by the team in a game this season, following two previous games with 17 shots on goal, including Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win in Vancouver.

Kelly Pannek became the second player in the PWHL to reach the 20-point plateau and fourth to double digits in goals with her second multi-goal effort of the season in her 20th game (11G, 9A). Eight of her 20 points (3G, 5A) have come in four games against Ottawa, while her overall point streak is up to four games (3G, 2A). The Frost alternate captain is within striking distance of 50 career points, now with 47 (18G, 29A) in 74 games.

Grace Zumwinkle has consecutive multi-point performances for the first time in her PWHL career with her goal and assist following Sunday’s two goal output. She extended her point streak to a season-high of four games (3G, 3A) and is up to 15 points (9G, 6A) in 20 games, tied for ninth overall and four points shy of the 19 that earned her Rookie of the Year honors in the inaugural season.

Taylor Heise has goals in four straight games, tied for the longest goal streak of the 2025-26 season and one shy of the PWHL record of five. The league’s top scorer is now up to 22 points (7G, 15A) in 20 games, tying her career high (8G, 14A) in 29 games last season.

Kaitlyn O’Donohoe scored her first career goal in her 16th career game in two seasons with the Frost. The Myrtle Beach, SC, native began the season on the team’s Reserve Player list and has appeared in seven games since Jan. 11.

Maddie Rooney earned her first shutout of the season in her sixth straight win for the Frost dating back to Jan. 11. She became the sixth goaltender in PWHL history to record 20 career wins, achieving the feat in her 40th career appearance and three days after teammate Nicole Hensley met the mark. Her five career shutouts are tied for second all-time.

Denisa Křížová and Lee Stecklein both picked up assists on the game’s opening goal and have two points in their last four games since the Olympics. The Czech forward is up to four points (1G, 3A) in 20 games while the American defender has five helpers in 18 appearances.

Madison Bizal has assists in consecutive games after being held off the scoresheet in her first nine games with the Frost. The defender’s only other two PWHL points were assists in consecutive games for Montréal in February 2024.

Abby Hustler is the sixth rookie to reach double digits in points this season, notching her seventh assist and 10th point since being selected by the Frost in the second round of the 2025 PWHL Draft.

Claire Butorac has two assists in her last three games after a career-high 13-game pointless drought. She’s one of four Frost skaters thus far who have appeared in 20 games in each of the team’s first three seasons, along with Křížová, Pannek and Zumwinkle.

Mae Batherson climbed into third in scoring among defenders with her ninth assist and 11th point of her sophomore season. This was her first point in five games post-Olympics, snapping a four-game drought that was tied for a season-high along with her first four games of the campaign.

Britta Curl-Salemme became the third Frost and PWHL player to 20 points on the season while extending her point streak to four (1G, 3A). Her 12th helper tonight puts her into a tie for second in the category and doubles her assist total from her 28-game rookie campaign.

Klára Hymlárová became the 12th Frost skater to reach five points this season with a secondary helper on the fifth goal. The Czech forward has two points (1G, 1A) in her last three games.

Ottawa rookies Rory Guilday (Chanhassen) and Peyton Hemp (Andover) played their first pro games in their home state of Minnesota, with the latter leading her team in shots on goal tonight with three.

Gwyneth Philips became just the second goaltender this season to start 19 games but was pulled for just the second time in her PWHL career and first time since her fourth start back on Jan. 29, 2025.

Kendra Woodland played her first game since Feb. 13, 2024, when she starred between the pipes for the University of New Brunswick. The 2023 U SPORTS Player of the Year earned her first professional contract this season as a Charge training camp invite and became the second goaltender in PWHL history with U SPORTS experience to appear in a game following Lindsey Post (University of Alberta) with New York in the league’s inaugural season.

Peyton Anderson missed the first game of her rookie season, serving the one-game suspension assessed for an illegal body check in Sunday’s action.

THREE STARS

1. Kelly Pannek (MIN) 2G
2. Grace Zumwinkle (MIN) 1G, 1A
3. Maddie Rooney (MIN) 15/15 SV

STANDINGS

Minnesota: 39 PTS (10-3-3-4) – 1st Place (Tied)
Ottawa: 28 PTS (5-6-1-9) – 5th Place

UPCOMING SCHEDULES

Minnesota: Saturday, Mar. 21 at Vancouver at 2 p.m. CT / 12 p.m. PT
Ottawa: Sunday, Mar. 22 vs. Montréal (in Winnipeg) at 6 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. ET

CLICK HERE FOR STATS