This N.J. college graduate’s clutch play is the center of the women’s professional hockey renaissance

Sarah Fillier knew she had to activate her clutch gene. The New York Sirens’ playoff hopes looked all but lost as they battled the Minnesota Frost April 1 at Prudential Center in Newark, staring down a two-goal deficit late in the third period. On a four-game losing streak, the young but resoluteteam got a much-needed infusion energy boost from Fillier, a former Princeton University star, whoshot out of the penalty box with urgency, stole an errant pass, and scored a goal on a beautiful double deke. Just 14 seconds later, the Canadian forward scored again to send the game into overtime. With her heroics, the Sirens’ leader set the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s record for the fastest two goals by the same player. “When I was sitting in the box in that Minnesota game, I was a bit frustrated with myself, knowing the stakes of that game and putting it on my team on the penalty kill,” said Fillier, who scored yet again in overtime to give the Sirens a spectacular 4-3 victory. “I just wanted to have a great rest of the third to help us make a push.” Fillier’s never-give-up attitude personifies the growing women’s hockey renaissance happening in New Jersey. The Sirens, who chose the Prudential Center as their home rink and Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange as their practice facility, are gaining a foothold, slowly but surely, in the region’s competitive sports landscape as part of the Professional Women’s Hockey League. Since the league’s formation in 2023 — after the Canadian Women’s Hockey League dissolved — the PWHL has been steadily rising in popularity, with the New Jersey-based franchise as a key driver. The Sirens’ loyal fans, or “Pizza Rats,” as they are known, have been a vital part of that growth. On March 20, the Sirens broke their own home attendance record at Prudential Center with ​​8,264 fans — besting a previous 5,132 mark set in April 2024. The team followed by setting a new single-season record with a four-game home winning streak — three occurring at their Newark rink. “We see how passionate our New Jersey crowd is coming out to the Prudential Center to watch us play,” Fillier said. “Everyone’s tuned into women’s sports right now, and it’s obviously such an honor to be a part of.” By the end of the season, the PWHL said it will surpass the 1 million fans attendance milestone for the first time in its three-year history. Part of the team’s recent success has come on the strength of Fillier, who became a household name in the sport during her college career at Princeton, just an hour drive south. Following her heroics against the Frost, Fillier’s tactical play continued on April 4 in front of a record crowd of 18,006 fans at Madison Square Garden. Down 1-0 to the Seattle Torrent with 3:35 to go in the game, Fillier scored a backdoor goal off a well-timed pass from forward Anne Cherkowski. The Sirens would later win in a thrilling shootout, 2-1. Despite a late-season push that saw the Sirens win four of their last six games, the team just missed grabbing the fourth and final playoff spot, with a record of 10 wins, 2 overtime wins, 3 overtime losses, and 14 losses overall. “I know whenever I’m playing well and feel good is when I’ve been moving my feet and playing with speed. I don’t like my game when I’m not anticipating. I bring my focus back to just moving my feet to get into spaces or move my feet to forecheck to create, you know, something offensively for my linemates.” The PWHL and the Sirens have seized on momentum for women’s hockey created during the recent Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, where the Americans took gold in a tense, 2-1 overtime victory over Canada and Fillier. Fillier, a three-time world champion and 2022 Olympic gold medalist, scored three goals and recorded six points overall — helping pace Canada to the silver medal. She looked to carry that energy back to New Jersey, when she resumed playing for the Sirens and help initiate their playoff push. “As a group, we didn’t really like how we started back after the Olympic break, and we put ourselves in not a great spot to be in,” Fillier said. “Getting drafted to the Sirens last year and not making the playoffs the year prior, we’re all so hungry to break through and get into that final four spot.” A multi-sport athlete growing up in Georgetown, Ontario, Fillier was always drawn to the ice. She began skating at the age of 2 and playing hockey at 4. She initially played on boys’youth hockey teams before transitioning to the Provincial Women’s Hockey League at 15. Playing for the Oakville Junior Hornets, Fillier became a prodigy. In the 2016-17 season alone, she finished the season with 61 points (31 goals, 30 assists) in 46 games, leading her team to both the league and the Provincial Championships. Fillier’s star continued to rise at Princeton, where she built an impressive resume. She was named the 2018-19 National Rookie of the Year after her freshman season and became a co-captain her sophomore year. By the time her Princeton career was over, Fillier was sixth all-time in goals (93), second in assists (101) and fourth in points (194). The Sirens chose Fillier as the No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 PWHL draft, and her Jersey ties grew stronger. “When I got drafted here, it was really special,” Fillier said. “I spent the past six years in Jersey, and honestly, it felt right just knowing how passionate the New Jersey fan base is.” During Fillier’s first full season in the PWHL, she quickly became one of the league’s best players, being named to the all-rookie team, a first-team all-star and a finalist for Forward of the Year. She also shared the 2025 co-points leader title with U.S. star Hilary Knight with 29 points in 30 games. The Sirens have looked to build a young, dynamic team with scoring punch surrounding Fillier. In the 2025 draft, they used the No. 1 pick to add the current 6th-ranked scorer in the PWHL, Kristýna Kaltounková, then traded defender Ella Shelton to Toronto for the No. 3 pick and selected 2025 Patty Kazmaier winner Casey O’Brien. “All of our draft picks have played a lot of minutes and gotten a lot of experience,” Fillier said. “We really lean on everyone’s individual strengths. We just wanted everyone to come into our locker room and feel comfortable with being exactly who they are.” The Sirens have made their investment in Fillier. In July 2025, the star forward signed a two-year extension with the Sirens, making her the highest-paid player in the league, according to The Athletic. Fillier just became the 15th player in PWHL history to hit the 50-point mark in just 56 career games. Fillier recognizes the importance of her moment while also ensuring veterans who came before her have theirs. “When I came out of college and got drafted right away, and this league was here for me,” Fillier said. “I’m grateful for all the players who came before me, like the Marie-Philip Poulins, the Brianne Jenners, and Natalie Marie Spooners, who graduated from college and had nowhere to play. I want to leave a sustainable league for girls to play in for decades to come.”