Kayle Osborne turned in a 31-save shutout performance to lead the New York Sirens to a 2-0 victory over Toronto on Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Coliseum. The win was the Sirens’ fourth consecutive victory, moving New York into sole possession of second place in the PWHL standings with 18 points.
A foreshadowing of Osborne’s heroics came early in the first period after the goaltender turned away Toronto forward Natalie Spooner on a breakaway. From then on, the 23-year-old Westport, Ont. native was flawless, making three saves in the final 63 seconds of regulation to preserve the victory.
“Coming into the year, (Osborne) wasn’t one of the returning, established starting goalies in the league,” said Sirens coach Greg Fargo. “But in a short amount of time, she’s proven that she’s among the best. Not only is her confidence in herself growing, but the confidence we have in her is reciprocated ten times.”
Indeed Osborne has proven herself more than capable of handling the starter’s role in New York after last two of last year’s mainstays Corinne Schroeder and Abbey Levy moved on to Seattle and Boston respectively.
Sirens first overall pick Kristyna Kaltounkova was the only player on either team to beat a goaltender, deflecting a point shot from defender Jincy Roese after linemate Casey O’Brien led a rush into the Toronto zone in the second period. Eventually, rounding out the scoring with an empty netter, Kaltounkova has scored four goals in two games against the Sceptres, just sixteen days apart.
“She’s got a physical presence out on the ice and I think she’s found ways to put pucks in the back of the net,” Sceptres defender Ella Shelton said of Kaltounkova, who earlier in the day was named to Czechia’s Olympic team that will complete in Milano Cortina next month. “For us, not giving her time and space makes it more difficult on her to get pucks to the net, so I think that’s something that we should do.”
Kaltounkova was awarded a penalty shot just one minute, three seconds after her initial goal when Shelton froze the puck in the crease, only to ring the puck off the goal post beside a relieved Sceptres goalie Elaine Chuli.
Meanwhile, the snake-bitten Sceptres, despite numerous scoring chances from the likes of Spooner, and captain Blayre Turnbull, were denied at every turn despite outshooting their opponents 31-22.
“Just unacceptable at a professional level, to manage the puck the way we did,” Toronto coach Troy Ryan said. “I thought we had some quality opportunities, and then just some of the shot selection and just missing either high or wide, just not things you would expect at this level right now.”
Both teams have at least a week off before their next game; Toronto visiting Boston on January 14, New York hosting Minnesota two days later.
Noteworthy: Kaltonkouva’s penalty shot was the second awarded this season, and sixth overall in PWHL history. None have been successful…New York defender Dayle Ross made her league debut after returning from an ACL injury…The win ended New York’s five-game winning streak in Toronto, dating back to January 1, 2024, the first-ever game played in the PWHL and the last time that Toronto was blanked on home ice. The game-winner and first goal in league history was scored by none other than Ella Shelton, then with New York and acquired by Toronto via a draft day trade last summer…A sellout crowd of 7,924 attended the game in Toronto.
