'The game we were all waiting for': PWHL's opener much bigger than final score

TORONTO — Ella Shelton knew that her stick was on its way to the Hockey Hall of Fame, but none of what the New York defender achieved on the first day of 2024 had quite sunk in, even a couple hours after she’d made history, even after she knew her hockey stick was being enshrined. 

It happened at the 10:43 mark of the first period at Toronto’s Mattamy Athletic Centre, when Shelton fired a shot from just above the faceoff circle, through traffic, toward Toronto’s net. Not until she saw a bunch of her smiling New York teammates skating full-tilt toward her, yelling, arms in the air, did Shelton realize: “Oh my gosh, that actually went in.” 

The 25-year-old from Ingersoll, Ont., had made hockey history. Her goal was the first in Professional Women’s Hockey League history, on a day full of firsts, one that included a historic routing as New York beat Toronto 4-0 to officially kick off the new professional league. 

“A very surreal moment for me,” Shelton said, trying to describe what it was like to score that first-ever PWHL goal, sporting a smile, a team-issued New York sweater, black tights and red Canada flip flops. “I couldn’t tell you if I remember it that well – I blacked out a little bit during it. But very exciting, humbling, historic moment.”

Shelton will have to watch a replay to see her shot get through that crowd, to see how she threw up her arms when she’d realized it had gone in, to see her emphatic double fist-pump. And no doubt she’ll hear all about the goal from her 25-or-so family members, including her grandparents, who were among the sold-out crowd of 2,573 at the league’s first game. 

Shelton’s puck and stick will be in good company in the Hall of Fame, joined by the stick belonging to New York goalie Corinne Schroeder, who was perfect on Tuesday, facing 28 shots, and the three other goal pucks, scored by Alex Carpenter, Jill Saulnier and Kayla Vespa. 

It was Carpenter who authored the filthiest goal in the league’s (short) history. Early in the third, the 29-year-old Team USA star tore down the left wing and wired a wrister, bar down, glove side, to make it 2-0, leaving Toronto goalie Kristen Campbell with no chance. “It’s nothing crazy,” Carpenter said, nonchalantly, about her goal. “Play off the wall, I’m not really sure who made that play, but good chip up the wall and just shoot the puck.”

OK: Just shoot the puck. Spoken like a true superstar. Carpenter also assisted Shelton’s opener and won the opening faceoff in league history.  

When the opener was over, players from both teams met at centre ice for a big group photo to mark Game 1, and some Toronto players even managed to put smiles on their faces, while fans stood and cheered.

“We’re competitors, I mean, I’m not gonna be happy with a 4-0 loss,” said Toronto forward, Emma Maltais. “It’s a special moment, it’s a historic moment, I’m proud to be a part of it, but moving forward we’re gonna look to win as best we can.”

Monday truly wasn’t about the result, though. It was about the on-ice product, the fact that a best-on-best women’s pro league is finally here. And a defining characteristic of this league that fans saw on Day 1 is that it’s not only highly skilled, it’s rough. Chippy. Super physical. That is the PWHL’s way, according to the rulebook released earlier Monday. 

Body checking is allowed when “there is a clear intention of playing the puck or attempting to gain possession of the puck,” according to the rulebook. Cross-checks were doled out to players who got too close to goalies. Gloves thrown up into players’ cages. Many elbows were thrown. 

“I think it’s awesome to be able to have that physicality as long as it’s within the rules, not dangerous, no hits from behind,” Carpenter said. “I thought the refs did a great job. I think everything they called was appropriate, and I love that they let the hits go.”  

The biggest hit of the afternoon came from Maltais, when Toronto was down 4-0 in the third. She took out New York defender Jamie Bourbonnais with a check that registered a loud bang off the boards, and a cheer from the crowd. 

“These referees, they’ve been letting us play physical and that’s a big part of our game,” said Maltais, who stands a hair over five-foot-three. “I think for me, how big I am doesn’t signify how physical I’m gonna be, and I’m gonna try and bring that energy every shift I can…It got the crowd going, and I hope it got my teammates going as well.”

But as physical as it was on Day 1, this game started with a hug. After the legendary Billie Jean King dropped the ceremonial puck, Toronto captain Blayre Turnbull and (currently injured) New York captain Micah Zandee-Hart met for a hearty embrace at centre ice.  

Toronto was also paid a surprise pre-game visit by King. “We had a very loud knock on the door,” forward Sarah Nurse said, and in walked King, the PWHL board member and equality champion, who then listed off the starting lineup, complete with fist pumps. 

Toronto’s whole roster was later announced in the pre-game ceremony, and big cheers came for stars of the team, like “Sa-rah Nuu-uuurse!” and “Natalie Spooooooner!” and captain Blayre Turnbull, who was announced last.  By then the stands were full, though the lineup stretched around the block as fans waited to get in. Many sported PWHL gear, others held signs that said “Dreams come true” and “Thanks for paving the way.” Kids bumped players’ fists as they made their way onto the ice.

Even after New York had put the game away, late in the third period, fans in Toronto jerseys were dancing, waving signs, singing along with in-arena entertainment that was heavy on Taylor Swift tunes. And the lack of on-ice success for Toronto didn’t affect merchandise sales: Lineups for Toronto and PWHL gear rounded corners, and by the second intermission, only a handful of jerseys remained, and XL t-shirts.

It was incredible to see it all pulled together like this, given that the PWHL came together in six months, or maybe even as few as four, if you ask PWHL board member Stan Kasten, who described building a league in that span of time as “marginally insane,” which is probably generous. 

Kasten had tears in his eyes as he described his emotions ahead of Monday afternoon’s game. He brought sunglasses so he could put them on to hide the inevitable tears that would fall. “It’s hard not to be emotional when you know the players as I have come to know them in the last year,” he said. 

Toronto players were disappointed with the result on Monday, but they were still smiling post-game. “I think that was the game we were all waiting for,” Nurse said. “It almost felt like an Olympics.” 

On the ice, as well as off it. “Look at the attention — we’ve never had this attention, and I think that’s the most important part, getting people to see it,” Maltais said to a gaggle of media and cameras in front of her. “Once people see it, they’ll respect our game so much more and once you watch one game you’ll be a fan, I think.”

And now Game 1 of the PWHL is officially in the books. Just don’t ask Shelton how that first goal went in. Carpenter, luckily, has a better memory of it, after threading her the pass. 

“I was looking at her, really just hoping that she would find the lane to get it through,” Carpenter said. “I didn’t really know it went in until I saw all them [her teammates] — I was just trying to be a big body in front. She found that lane perfectly. It was awesome that went in.”

“So,” Shelton said, with a laugh, “2024 started off pretty strong.”