The New York Sirens delivered an impressive team performance in their home opener on Saturday, defeating the expansion Vancouver Goldeneyes by a decisive 5-1 margin at Newark's Prudential Center. Five different players found the back of the net for the home team, showcasing their offensive depth against the struggling Goldeneyes.
Early Dominance Sets the Tone
New York established control from the opening puck drop, with rookie Nicole Vallario opening the scoring just over four minutes into the contest. The Sirens continued their offensive pressure throughout the first period, doubling their lead late when Sarah Fillier finished a precise tic-tac-toe play by tapping the puck into an open net.
The Sirens carried their momentum into the second period, where Paetyn Levis extended the lead to 3-0 less than a minute after intermission. New York's dominance continued midway through the period when Kristin O'Neill capitalized on a shorthanded breakaway opportunity, putting the game firmly out of reach.
Goldeneyes' Brief Response Answered Quickly
Vancouver managed to break through early in the third period when Sophie Jaques scored to put the Goldeneyes on the board. However, any momentum from that goal was short-lived as top overall draft pick Kristyna Kaltounkova responded just 3.5 minutes later with her first goal of the season, restoring New York's four-goal advantage.
Between the pipes, Kayle Osborne turned aside 20 shots to secure the victory for New York. Notably, all six goals scored in the game marked the first of the season for each respective player. Second-round draft pick Anne Cherowski contributed significantly with two assists for the Sirens.
Looking Ahead
The victory improves New York's record to 2-0-0-1 early in the season, while Vancouver falls to 0-1-0-2 after also suffering a 5-1 loss to Ottawa in their previous outing. Both teams return to action on Wednesday, with Vancouver traveling to face Boston while New York heads to Seattle for their next contest.
