Vancouver Goldeneyes become 1st PWHL team to win inaugural game on home ice

A new chapter in PWHL history began in Vancouver on Nov. 21 — and it could not have opened with more drama.

In their long-awaited league debut, the Vancouver Goldeneyes needed overtime to edge the Seattle Torrent 4-3 at the Pacific Coliseum, sending a sold-out crowd of 14,958 into celebration and marking the largest attendance for any PWHL team in their primary home venue. 

What unfolded felt far bigger than a first game. It felt like a declaration of arrival.

Abby Boreen delivered the decisive moment, scoring just 1:46 into overtime to seal Vancouver’s historic first win. She said the bench never lost its composure, even when the game’s momentum swung wildly.

“The message was: don’t panic, we’re fine,” Boreen said. “Just keep going out there shift by shift. Good things happen when we work hard.”

Seattle struck the league’s first blow of the night. Julia Gosling scored at 14:40 of the opening period, the first goal in Torrent history, and added another only minutes later to stun the stadium. 

The significance of her night wasn’t lost on her.

“I was super pumped to get one in,” Gosling said. “We were working really hard that period and battling our line, and then to get one in and realize it was the first Torrent goal was super special. It’s so fun playing with this group. We had a blast that game even though we got the loss.”

Vancouver answered quickly. With 17:41 on the clock, Sarah Nurse stepped into franchise lore by scoring the first goal in Goldeneyes history. The moment was amplified by what she saw in the stands.

“You know when you walk into the Pacific Coliseum, you’re coming to see the Goldeneyes, and I think that’s something that’s so special,” Nurse said. “To see the amount of jerseys and merch in the stands, I took a second to look around the entire arena and it just seemed like everybody had a piece of Goldeneyes merch.”

The game had the feel of a tug of war, with neither side giving an inch.

In the third period, Vancouver’s Gabby Rosenthal tied the game before Seattle’s Hannah Bilka pushed the Torrent back ahead with just over six minutes left. With time slipping away, Goldeneyes defender Claire Thompson surged into play and buried the tying goal with a little more than two minutes on the clock, earning her second point of the night and pushing the contest to overtime.

Seattle head coach Steve O’Rourke said he saw glimpses of the identity he wants his group to build.

“General Manager Meghan Turner has put together a good-sized team, and we’re going to come out, play physical, and grind some games out,” O’Rourke said. “Overall, we want an identity that’s hard to play against. I thought we established that tonight.”

Goalie Emerance Maschmeyer made 24 saves for Vancouver, securing her first win in a season-opener after losses in the previous two years. Seattle’s Corinne Schroeder stopped 23 shots in what was her first defeat in a season-opening start.

The night carried meaning beyond the scoreboard. Before puck drop, Canadian icons Christine Sinclair and Meghan Agosta took centre ice for a ceremonial moment that underlined the night’s significance. Sinclair, a global soccer legend from Burnaby, dropped the puck after receiving it from Agosta, the four-time Olympic medalist in hockey and current Vancouver police officer.

Vancouver became the first PWHL team to win its inaugural home-opener on home ice — with a lineup showcasing local talent. B.C. hometown heroes Hannah Miller, Jenn Gardiner, and Katie Chan highlighted a starting group that gave the home crowd plenty to cheer for.

Seattle, meanwhile, saw debuts from first-round pick Jenna Buglioni of Port Moody and Seattle native Marah Wagner.

By the end of overtime, fans witnessed historic first goals, record-setting attendance, and a rivalry that already feels like it has teeth.

For a debut year in the making, the Goldeneyes delivered a night Vancouver won’t forget any time soon.