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Sirens drop ‘tough one’ to Torrent after late penalty: Key takeaways
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- Sirens drop ‘tough one’ to Torrent after late penalty: Key takeaways
Blake Dahlin
The New York Sirens led for 55 minutes, 21 seconds on Wednesday, when they visited the Seattle Torrent to begin a two-game road trip. But Seattle led when it mattered most, surging for two power-play goals 22 seconds apart late in the third period to defeat New York 2-1.
Former Sirens forward Alex Carpenter scored the equalizer at 18:36 of the third period, and captain Hillary Knight netted the game-winner 22 seconds later, delivering Seattle (1-0-1-1) its first win in franchise history.
New York (2-0-0-2) maintained a 1-0 lead for the majority of the night, but Seattle flipped the tables late in the third period, spurred by a costly penalty.
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Sirens rookie Kristyna Kaltounkova received a five-minute major and game misconduct with 3:59 remaining in regulation for checking Anna Wilgren from behind. The game-turning penalty occurred when the pair raced for a puck in the corner, and New York's No. 1 overall pick directed a firm check to the back of the Torrent defender, sending Wilgren face-first into the end boards.
Seattle mustered just two shots on goal in three power-play opportunities to that point in the game. Once again, the Torrent seemed stifled by the Sirens' stingy penalty kill, unable to get anything past goalie Kayle Osborne for the first 2:35 of the power play.
That is, until Carpenter broke the seal.
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New York turned heads on June 3 , leaving Carpenter, an alternate captain and the franchise's all-time leading scorer (19 goals, 43 points), unprotected ahead of the 2025 PWHL Expansion Draft. Seattle quickly inked the 31-year-old center during an exclusive signing window.
Six months later — to the day — Carpenter kickstarted the Torrent's comeback win over the Sirens, corralling a rebound off a shot from Hannah Bilka and beating Osborne up high for her first goal of the season.
With the major penalty still in effect, Seattle kept its foot on the gas. After a shot from Bilka bounced off Osborne's pads and settled in front of the net on the next shift, Knight whacked away furiously at the puck, eventually sending it past the sprawling goaltender to give the Torrent a 2-1 lead.
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Remaining short-handed, the Sirens had no response. Despite a strong start, the Sirens failed to record a shot in the final 5:02 of the third period, due in large part to the Torrent's extended power play.
Paetyn Levis was the lone goal scorer for New York, firing a quick shot through the five-hole of Torrent goalie Hannah Murphy at 3:15 of the first period after a nifty feed from Jincy Roese. But even with four power-play opportunities, the Sirens couldn't get anything else past the rookie.
"I don't think we generated nearly as many chances as we have been," Sirens coach Greg Fargo said postgame. "I don't think the number was there. I don't think the quality was there tonight. I thought Seattle did a really nice job to kind of keep us to the outside."
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Murphy, who played under Fargo from 2021-24 at Colgate University, deserves some flowers as well, stopping 23 of 24 shots in her PWHL debut.
But despite the limited scoring production, the Sirens were well-positioned to claim their second road victory of 2025-26. Instead, they'll look to bounce back on Saturday in a rematch with the Vancouver Goldeneyes, whom they defeated 5-1 at home last weekend.
"That was a tough one to lose late, but I think we've got to leave it here," asserted Levis. "Once we take the bus to Vancouver tomorrow, I think it's brand new, and we have to get it done. This is a big road trip, so we have to capitalize on the next three points that we have because each one is just as important as the next."
Key takeaways after Sirens blow third-period lead, lose to Torrent
Kristyna Kaltounkova — photo courtesy PWHL
1. Penalty issues persist for Kaltounkova
Fargo maintains that he wants Kaltounkova to embrace her physicality . But she must remain in control, especially with a game on the line as it was in the third period Wednesday. Her penalty was equal parts reckless and costly.
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Kaltounkova leads all PWHL skaters with 19 penalty minutes. She's taken a penalty in three of her first four pro games, each some variation of an illegal body check.
Her direct impact on the loss is undeniable. Beyond Seattle's two-goal power-play flurry, any hope of a last-minute push by New York was neutered by the major penalty. A short-handed Sirens squad couldn't control the puck long enough to pull Osborne from the net and get five skaters on the ice.
Though Kaltounkova's physicality can be a disruptor and a welcome spark, her penalties thus far are unnecessary and, frankly, dangerous. The occasional minor penalty is something the Sirens can live with; majors and game misconducts are a different story.
Few players are more important to New York's success than Kaltounkova. She must be more mindful moving forward.
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2. Sirens still seeking first power-play goal
Sarah Fillier — photo courtesy PWHL
Though Kaltounkova's penalty is the main culprit, New York could have avoided a late collapse with a stronger showing on its own power play. They certainly had their chances.
The Sirens were 0-for-4 on Wednesday, and negated a fifth opportunity when captain Micah Zandee-Hart took a roughing penalty in response to an illegal body check by Bilka at 5:23 of the third period.
Granted, they had some good looks, particularly on the last two power plays. Still, a power play is judged on results, and they've yet to materialize.
New York is 0-for-8 on the power play this season, joining the Toronto Sceptres as the only PWHL teams without at least one PPG. In a one-goal game, those are the missed opportunities that prove costly.
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3. Encouraging 5-on-5 play
Photo courtesy PWHL
On a brighter note, the Sirens turned in another impressive effort at even strength.
Though the offensive pressure wasn't quite to Fargo's liking, New York once again displayed the skeleton of a shutdown defense.
Seattle had just three shots on goal in the first period, and though its offense fared better in the following two periods, New York never cracked at 5-on-5. That's thanks in no small part to another sharp outing from Osborne, but don't discount the work that's being done in front of her.
Fargo noted some defensive breakdowns in last week's 4-0 loss to the Montreal Victoire , notably ceding a goal by Marie Philip-Poulin on an odd-man rush. New York was much tighter defensively in its past two contests, outscoring opponents 6-1 at even strength and minimizing the rush chances allowed.
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5-on-5 play is only one piece of the puzzle for the Sirens, but it's looking like a strong suit for this squad in the early going.
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