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Team USA Defeats Hungary in Men’s Worlds

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Janet
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ZURICH, Switzerland – Tommy Novak (River Falls, Wis./Pittsburgh Penguins) recorded five assists and Matthew Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo./Florida Panthers) had two goals and two assists to help the U.S. Men’s National Team to a 7-3 victory over Hungary here today in its sixth preliminary round tilt of the 2026 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

“I thought we had great focus and a good response today,” said Don Granato, head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. “We did a really good job getting pucks to the net, which was something we talked about going into the game.”

Justin Faulk (South St. Paul, Minn./Detroit Red Wings) opened the scoring at 9:43, firing a one-timer from the point past the outstretched pad of Hungarian netminder Adam Vay. Novak collected an assist on the tally.

Tkachuk doubled the U.S. advantage with a power-play goal at 18:22, corralling a pass from Novak, stepping out from behind the goal line and sending the puck through Vay’s five-hole.

Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass./Washington Capitals) wristed a shot through Vay from the slot after a faceoff win by Novak at 2:09 of the middle stanza to put the U.S. ahead, 3-0.

Faulk scored his second of the contest at 7:52, rifling a wrist shot over Vay’s right shoulder from the top of the slot after passes from Tkachuk and Novak.

Hungary trimmed its deficit to 4-1 at 10:19 as Csanad Erdely capitalized on a cross-crease pass, poking a shot past the blocker of U.S. goaltender Joseph Woll (St. Louis, Mo./Toronto Maple Leafs).

Leonard added his second of the game and Team USA’s third power-play tally at 18:13 when he blasted a one-timer from the left faceoff circle home after feeds from Faulk and Tkachuk to give Team USA a 5-1 advantage.

Erdely scored his second of the game off a deflection to cut the U.S. lead to three at 7:15 of the third. 

Woll came up large with a stellar shorthanded save with 11:01 to play, sliding across his crease to deny a net-front opportunity.

Hungary pulled within two at 14:09, but Tkachuk scored into an empty net at 16:45 to end any hopes of a Hungary comeback. Max Plante (Hermantown, Minn./University of Minnesota Duluth) tallied his first of the tournament at 19:33 to account for the 7-3 final.

Woll had 14 saves in the contest to pick up the win in the U.S. net. 

Team USA is back in action tomorrow (May 26) in its final preliminary round game against Austria. Puck drop is set for 4:20 p.m. (10:20 a.m. ET) and the game will be televised live on NHL Network and will stream live on the NHL YouTube Channel. With a victory in regulation, the U.S. will ensure itself a spot in Thursday’s quarterfinal round of the tournament. 

Duggan Named GM for PWHL Expansion Team in Hamilton

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Janet
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The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) announced the appointment of Meghan Duggan to the position of General Manager for PWHL Hamilton. A skilled executive and one of the most decorated players in U.S. Women’s National Hockey Team history, Duggan joins PWHL Hamilton after five years with the New Jersey Devils, most recently as Director of Player Development, while also holding roles with the PWHL as a Special Consultant to Hockey Operations and member of the league’s Player Safety Committee.

“Meghan has been an effective leader at every stage of her career, and she is a rising star in the front office ranks,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. “Meghan’s long list of on-ice achievements, coupled with her extensive background in development and community-building, make her a seamless fit to guide PWHL Hamilton into its first season.”

Duggan has worked with the PWHL since 2024, including coaching Team Kloss during the league’s 3-on-3 Showcase at NHL All-Star Weekend festivities in Toronto in February 2024. Her involvement with the PWHL was a natural continuation of a journey that began in 2019, when she helped found the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA), the organization whose advocacy gave rise to today’s league. A native of Danvers, MA, Duggan completed her prior PWHL responsibilities while working for the Devils. She began her career in New Jersey in May 2021 as Manager, Player Development before ascending to Director of Player Development in May 2022.

“I’m incredibly honored and energized to join PWHL Hamilton as General Manager,” said Duggan. “This league represents the future of women’s professional sports and the opportunity to help build a team, culture, and identity from the ground up is a privilege. I’ve always believed winning cultures are developed through a commitment to strong relationships, trust, accountability, and consistent daily habits, and these principles will guide everything we do. Hamilton is a passionate sports city with a rich hockey tradition, and my goal is to create an environment where players can thrive and compete for a championship. I’m grateful to the PWHL for their trust in me to lead this expansion team and I’m eager to get to work!” 

Duggan has previously served on the USA Hockey Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Women’s Advisory Committee. She was part of the inaugural group that was named to the NHL’s Player Inclusion Committee and has held various roles with the Women’s Sports Foundation. A longtime mentor and motivational speaker, Duggan has used her platform to focus on gender equality, diversity & inclusion, leadership, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and teamwork.

Across a 14-year career with Team USA, Duggan became one of the most prolific members in the team’s storied history. She won eleven medals at three Winter Olympics (one gold, two silver) and eight IIHF Women’s World Championships (seven gold, one silver). Duggan capped off her National Team career as captain of the gold medal-winning squad at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. At the University of Wisconsin, Duggan led the Badgers to three National Championships and won the 2011 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, later being inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. 

Duggan will be tasked with building a hockey operations staff and leading the roster building process for PWHL Hamilton’s inaugural 2026-27 season, including the 2026 PWHL Draft on June 17 in Detroit. All phases of the comprehensive roster building process will be finalized and announced by the league in the coming weeks.

Ryan Departs Toronto, Named GM/HC for San Jose of the PWHL

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Janet
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The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) announced the appointment of Troy Ryan to the positions of General Manager and Head Coach for PWHL San Jose.

A veteran coach with a long track record rooted in talent evaluation and development, Ryan becomes the first person to hold this dual role in the PWHL. Prior to joining PWHL San Jose, Ryan served as the head coach of the Toronto Sceptres for the team’s first three seasons and was named the PWHL’s inaugural Coach of the Year in 2024. 

“Troy is a consummate professional and culture driver who has excelled in leadership roles both in the PWHL and with Canada’s National Women’s Hockey Team on the international stage,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. “Troy has a keen understanding of what it takes to build and lead a high-performing team, and his diverse set of experiences and competitive spirit make him a strong fit to hold the dual role of General Manager and Coach in San Jose.” 

Ryan departs Toronto having led the Sceptres to the league’s best regular season record in 2024 and the second-best mark in 2024-25, both culminating in playoff berths. He also served nine years with Canada’s National Women’s Hockey Team, including the last six as head coach, guiding Canada to an Olympic gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games and three IIHF Women’s World Championship titles (2021, 2022, and 2024), along with two world championship silver medals.

The Halifax, Nova Scotia, native stepped down following the conclusion of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, where he led Canada to a silver medal. Prior to the PWHL and Canada’s National Women’s Team, Ryan also spent more than 20 years coaching at the university and junior hockey levels, most recently as the head coach of Dalhousie University’s women’s hockey team from 2020-23. Prior to his stint at Dalhousie, Ryan served in a variety of coaching and executive roles, including as head coach, general manager, and president of the Maritime Hockey League’s Campbellton Tigers and Metro Marauders. Ryan is a four-time Hockey Nova Scotia and Maritime Junior A Hockey League coach of the year and was named a Hockey Nova Scotia Lifetime Achievement award winner in 2011. As a player, he skated for the Halifax Mooseheads in the Maritime Junior Hockey League and the University of New Brunswick and Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. 

“I’m honored and incredibly excited to help build this organization in San Jose,” said Ryan. “Expansion creates a rare opportunity to shape everything with intention from the standards and culture to the people and connection to the community. We want to build a team that plays with purpose, represents The Bay Area with pride, and helps to continue to grow women’s hockey on the West Coast. We know there is a lot of work ahead, and that is exactly what makes this opportunity so special.” 

Ryan will be tasked with building a hockey operations staff and leading the roster building process for PWHL San Jose’s inaugural 2026-27 season, including the 2026 PWHL Draft on June 17 in Detroit. All phases of the comprehensive roster building process will be finalized and announced by the league in the coming weeks. 

PWHL Torrent HC Released

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Janet
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 05: of a game between the San Jose Sharks and the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on November 05, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Christopher Mast/NHLI via Getty Images)

Meghan Turner, Seattle Torrent General Manager, today announced the team and Head Coach Steve O’Rourke have parted ways. 

“We are grateful to Steve for his contributions to the Seattle Torrent during our inaugural season. We wish him and his family nothing but the best in the future,” said Turner.  

  The Torrent will begin the search for their next Head Coach immediately.  

Seattle finished its inaugural season in eighth place in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) standings with 31 points and an overall record of 8-1-5-16.

Team USA Falls to Latvia in Men’s Worlds

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Janet
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ZURICH, Switzerland – Despite outshooting Latvia, 47-22, the U.S. Men’s National Team dropped a 4-2 decision in front of 9,184 at Swiss Life Arena in its fifth preliminary round tilt of the 2026 IIHF Men’s World Championship here today. 

Haralds Egle opened the scoring at 8:47 of the first, corralling a pass from Martins Dzierkals in the slot and rifling a wrist shot past the glove of U.S. netminder Devin Cooley (Los Gatos, Calif./Calgary Flames).

Latvia took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission despite being outshot 18-5 through 20 minutes.

Matthew Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo./Florida Panthers) knotted the contest on the power play at 14:48 of the middle stanza, deflecting a shot from Oliver Moore (Mounds View, Minn./Chicago Blackhawks) past Kristers Gudlevskis to tally his first goal of the tournament.

Deniss Smirnovs regained the lead for Latvia at 6:06 of the third frame, tapping in a rebound chance to give his team a 2-1 advantage.

Cooley made a timely save against Rudolfs Balcers with 6:42 left in regulation, shutting the door on a breakaway.

Tkachuk nearly added his second of the contest on a rebound chance with 1:48 to play but was unable to jam the puck past a herd of Latvian defenders with Cooley pulled for an extra attacker.

Sandis Vilmanis scored into an empty net to give Latvia a two-goal advantage with 1:02 remaining.

Mathieu Olivier (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus Blue Jackets) trimmed the deficit to one with 50 seconds left in regulation with Cooley pulled, wristing a shot past the glove of Gudlevskis from the slot after a pass from Tkachuk.

Vilmanis added another empty netter nine seconds later to seal the win for Latvia and account for the 4-2 final. 

Team USA is back in action Monday (May 25) in its sixth preliminary round game against Hungary. Puck drop is set for 4:20 p.m. (10:20 a.m. ET) and the game will be televised live on NHL Network and will stream live on the NHL YouTube Channel.

NOTES: Matthew Tkachuk was named U.S. Player of the Game … Team USA outshot Latvia, 47-22 … The U.S. was 1-4 on the power play while Latvia went 0-3.

USA Men Victorious Over Germany

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Janet
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Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass./Washington Capitals) scored the shootout-winning goal to lift the U.S. Men’s National Team to a 4-3 victory over Germany in preliminary round play at the 2026 IIHF Men’s World Championship at Swiss Life Arena. 

“We stuck with it and got an important win,” said Don Granato, head coach of the 2026 U.S. Men’s National Team. “We’ll continue to work on our game and build as we get set to face Latvia on Saturday.”

Moritz Seider opened the scoring 1:00 into the contest with a shot from the point that found its way through net-front traffic into the back of the net to give Germany a 1-0 lead.

At 14:33, Alex Steeves (Eden Prairie, Minn./Boston Bruins) forced a turnover in the offensive zone with a stick check, deflecting the puck toward Isaac Howard (Hudson, Wis./Bakersfield Condors), who capitalized from the slot to level the score at 1-1. 

The U.S. took a 2-1 lead at 5:06 of the middle stanza when Max Sasson (Birmingham, Mich./Vancouver Canucks) picked up a loose puck in the slot and batted it past Germany netminder Philipp Grubauer. Howard and Ryan Ufko (Smithtown, N.Y./Milwaukee Admirals) registered assists on the play.

At the 9:53 mark of the second, Frederik Tiffels collected a rebound just outside the crease, spun toward the U.S. goal, and found twine with a wrist shot to knot the game up at two goals apiece.

With 7:18 to play in the middle frame, Marc Michaelis regained the lead for Germany after carrying the puck over the blue line and scoring on a wrister from the top of the left circle.

Team USA leveled the score with 5:47 to play in the third period when Declan Carlile (Hartland, Mich./Merrimack College) knocked the puck loose from a scrum at the edge of the crease onto the stick of Tommy Novak (River Falls, Wis./Pittsburgh Penguins), who directed it over the goal line. After no one scored in the five-minute, three-on-three overtime period, the game went to a five-round shootout.

Joshua Samansky scored on the opening attempt of the shootout to put Germany up 1-0 after the first round, followed by a series of denials from U.S. netminder Devin Cooley (Los Gatos, Calif./Calgary Flames) and Grubauer in the second and third rounds. 

In round four, after another stop by Cooley, Matt Coronato (Greenlawn, N.Y./Calgary Flames) leveled the score for Team USA. In round five, Leonard capitalized with a left-to-right shot from the slot that beat Grubauer glove-side to win the shootout.

Cooley stopped 31 of 34 shots to earn the win in the net for Team USA. 

The U.S. will next face Latvia in preliminary round play Saturday (May 23) at 6:20 a.m. ET. The game will be televised live on NHL Network, and will stream live on the NHL YouTube Channel.

NOTES: The U.S. outshot Germany 39-34 … Team USA and Germany were each 0-1 on the power play … Ryan Leonard was named U.S. Player of the Game.

Montreal Victoire Capture PWHL Walter Cup

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Janet
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KANATA, CANADA - MAY 20: Game Four of the PWHL Playoffs Finals between the Victoire de Montréal and the Ottawa Charge at the Canadian Tire Center on May 20, 2026 in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Arianne Bergeron/PWHL)

KANATA, ON (May 20, 2026) – The Montréal Victoire captured their first PWHL Walter Cup with a 4-0 victory over the Ottawa Charge on Wednesday night in front of 12,362 fans at Canadian Tire Centre, powered by a shutout from Ann-Renée Desbiens and a third-period offensive surge in which the team scored three times in the final 10 minutes.

Captain Marie-Philip Poulin was named the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP after finishing the postseason with eight points, tied for the most in a single playoff year in league history. Abby Roque scored twice for the Victoire and finished the playoffs tied with Poulin for the postseason scoring lead. After a scoreless first period, Roque broke the deadlock with her first goal of the night, taking a feed from Poulin off the rush just inside the blue line before throwing the puck toward the net from the boards, where it deflected off a Charge stick to give Montréal a 1-0 lead. Laura Stacey added the secondary assist and finished the postseason with seven points, trailing only Roque and Poulin. With Poulin in the penalty box midway through the third period, Roque struck again with a short-handed ‘jailbreak’ goal, driving across the crease before tucking a backhand past Gwyneth Philips to extend Montréal’s lead to 2-0 with just over 10 minutes remaining. Maggie Flaherty, who became the PWHL’s first three-time Walter Cup Champion, continued the surge for the Victoire, scoring her third goal of the postseason on a point shot that sailed over Philips’ shoulder. Lina Ljungblom added the exclamation point less than two minutes later with an unassisted goal to make it 4-0 with under five minutes remaining in regulation, as Montréal scored its final three goals in a span of 5:14. Desbiens — who joined Montréal as an inaugural signing alongside Poulin and Stacey in 2023 — made 23 saves to secure her second shutout of the postseason. Philips, the 2025 Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP, made 12 saves in the loss.

With the victory, Montréal becomes the first Canadian team to win the Walter Cup.

NYSPHSAA Announces Hall of Fame Inductees

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Janet
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The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) has announced its 2026 Hall of Fame Class which will be inducted on Wednesday, July 29th at The Hyatt Regency in Buffalo, NY.  The NYSPHSAA Hall of Fame, launched in 2002, is sponsored by Zolnier Championship Rings, Crown Awards and Pupil Benefits Plan, Inc. Ticket information and other event details will be released at a later time. 

The Class of 2026 is Julie Stimik Bergman (Contributor, Section IV), Fred Fusaro (Coach, Section XI), Dan Gillespie (Coach, Section 2), Paul McClintock (Official, Section I), Walter Munze (Official, Section III) and Carla Tagliente (Athlete, Section IV). Inductees were chosen using a two-level selection and rating process involving a screening committee and a selection committee.  Nominations were endorsed by each inductee’s member section of the Association—a preliminary requirement in the nomination process—before going on to the NYSPHSAA Screening Committee for consideration, then finally to the Selection Committee. Nominations can be submitted by anyone as long as a section endorsement letter accompanies the submission. The NYSPHSAA Hall of Fame is modeled after the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) program which recognizes individuals in the categories of athlete, coach, official, administrator and related contributor. 

JULIE STIMIK BERGMAN, Contributor (Section IV)               

Julie Stimik Bergman has been a respected administrator in Section IV for over three decades and served NYSPHSAA in numerous capacities including as President from 2020-22. During her time as President, she navigated the association through the COVID pandemic and chaired or was an active member of numerous NYSPHSAA ad hoc and standing committees including Budget & Audit Committee, Compensation, Handbook and the Strategic Planning Committee. Bergman also served as the Section IV female representative on the NYSPHSAA Executive Committee from 2005-2016 and served as the Section IV Midstate Athletic Conference Chair.  She began her career at Delaware Academy and Central School District as a physical education teacher in 1992 before becoming the Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics from 2000-06. Julie transitioned to principal of the elementary school from 2006-10 then the middle and high school from 2010-11. She additionally served as a principal at Walton Central School, Franklin Central School and Hancock Central School, the latter of which she was interim superintendent for a short stint. Prior to becoming an administrator, Julie was a teacher and coached basketball, softball and soccer at the modified, JV and varsity levels from 1992-2006. Just two years ago in 2024, she was honored for her accomplished career with an induction into the Section IV Hall of Fame. A graduate of Binghamton High School, Bergman earned her bachelor’s degree and certificate of advanced study from SUNY Cortland then earned a master’s degree from Texas A&M University. 

FRED FUSARO, Coach (Section XI)                                        

Fred Fusaro is among the winningest high school football coaches in New York State and among the best to have ever coached on Long Island. From 1971-2002 he built one of the greatest programs in state history while coaching varsity football at Sachem High School in Section XI. There, he accumulated a 192-95 career record, won six Suffolk County Championships, 15 league titles and took his teams to 22 consecutive playoff appearances. In addition to having dozens of players go on to play collegiately, he’s had several reach the NFL including Jumbo Elliott, Chris Manno, Brian Bravy and Doug Shanahan. Individually, Fusaro was named Suffolk County Coach of the Year 15 times with the award now named in his honor.  At Sachem, the school named the football field after Fred in 1999 and inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2003, he was inducted into the Suffolk County Hall of Fame and, in 2005, he was inducted into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame. Following his retirement from teaching and head coaching in 2002, Fusaro served as an assistant coach at John Glenn High School until 2024, then in 2025, he came full circle by joining the coaching staff at Huntington High School—his alma mater—as a line coach.  Many credit Fusaro for consistently having a disciplined approach, emphasis on character and shaping young men into leaders for all 31 years of his career.  A graduate of Huntington High School (Section XI), Fusaro earned a bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College where he played four years as nose tackle.  He earned a master’s degree from St. Lawrence University.

DAN GILLESPIE, Coach (Section 2)                                        

Dan Gillespie is the all-time winningest high school boys soccer coach in New York State history having tallied a remarkable 773-203-45 career record all while at Maple Hill High School (Section 2) from 1974 through the 2025 season. He has guided his teams to three NYSPHSAA State Championships, 24 Section Championships and 27 league championships. In addition, he led his teams to two undefeated seasons and went 48 consecutive games without a loss between 2000-01. Gillespie was inducted into the New York State Soccer Hall of Fame in 2009 and is a two-time United Soccer New York State Coach of the Year recipient. His coaching success isn’t just in soccer. Gillespie coached varsity boys basketball at Maple Hill from 1995-2008 going 174-101 overall and winning two league championships. He’s has also been the boys varsity outdoor track head coach since 1978 where he’s led the school to 12 sectional championships and nine league titles. Dan has been known for preaching character, hard work and teamwork to all his teams and has seen hundreds of his athletes continue on to college programs, national programs and elite travel programs.  A graduate of Cobleskill High School (Section 2), he earned an associate’s degree from SUNY Cobleskill, where he is a member of the Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a cross country, basketball and outdoor track athlete, as well as a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from University at Albany.

PAUL MCCLINTOCK, Official (Section I)                                                        

Paul McClintock is one of the most respected swimming and diving officials in New York State with a long, decorated career that began in 1984. For 25 consecutive years, he held the head diving referee position at the NYSPHSAA Boys State Championships then served as head swim referee of that event for five years, all while he was the head referee for 40 postseason Section I Boys and Girls Championship meets that led up to states. McClintock has been the official rules interpreter for Section I since 1997, and he’s been in the same capacity with NYSPHSAA since 2018.  Spanning over three decades, he was also a level 1A official along with the meet referee, starter, and strokes/turns official at over 30 meets per season during the regular season and in totality, has officiated nearly 2,000 scholastic swimming and diving meets. From 1991-97, Paul served as President of the Westchester County Swim Officials Association and was President of the New York State Certified Swim Officials Association in 2022-23.  From 1996-2007, McClintock was the Commissioner of the Westchester Fairfield Swim League which began naming its highest award, given to the top high school male and female swimmer, after McClintock in 2007.  That same year, he was awarded the prestigious USA Swimming Conoco Phillips Award for Outstanding Service and, a year later, was inducted into the Westchester Sports Hall of Fame. Paul’s valuable experience has also been utilized at the next level as a certified official at NCAA meets for over 30 years and as Meet Referee of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships for 14 years. A graduate of Archbishop Stepinac High School, McClintock earned a bachelor’s degree at Villanova and a master’s degree from Long Island University.

WALTER MUNZE, Official (Section III)          

Walter Munze is one of the most respected and longest tenured lacrosse officials in New York State having officiated and served numerous officiating organizations since 1977, including 50 years in varsity lacrosse and 20 years in varsity soccer. He’s been selected to officiate in 12 NYSPHSAA Boys Lacrosse State Tournaments, numerous sectional postseason tournaments, and has been the official NYSPHSAA Boys Lacrosse Rules Interpreter for the past 30 years. Munze has also served on the NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules Committee and on the USA Lacrosse Rules Committee, following a long term as the President of the Central New York Officials Association and New York State Lacrosse Officials Association. Just three years ago, Walter was instrumental in making New York the first state in the country to bring the shot clock to high school lacrosse as a two-year experiment. Beyond his contributions as an official, he is responsible for initiating the lacrosse programs at CBA Syracuse and East Syracuse Minoa High School in Section III. In 1968, he started one of the first ever lacrosse camps in the United States called the All American Lacrosse Camp.  At the next level, he officiated in six NCAA Division 1 Lacrosse Championships and currently serves as the Regional Assignor for the Big 10, Big East and MAAC Conferences.  Walt has been recognized on several occasions including being awarded the Section III Golden Whistle Award, the Section III Service Award and being inducted into the Upstate New York Lacrosse Hall of Fame. A graduate of Rye High School (Section I), Munze earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from SUNY Cortland.

CARLA TAGLIENTE, Athlete (Section IV)                                           

Carla Tagliente is one of the best field hockey players to ever play in New York State and one of the most successful athletes in Marathon High School (Section IV) history. In field hockey, she is 4th all-time in goals scored in a career (159) and 8th all-time in goals scored in a season (51) while leading Marathon to three NYSPHSAA State Championships from 1994-96. She played five years on the varsity team from 1992-96 setting school records that still exist today including most career points and goals in addition to most assists in a season. In basketball, Carla is the second all-time leading scorer at Marathon with 1,692 career points and led her teams to five Section Championship appearances and a Sectional title. In track, she was a First Team Section All-Star and currently holds the Marathon High School record in the triple jump. As a senior in high school, Tagliente was touted as the top field hockey recruit in the state before committing to the University of Maryland. While at Maryland she played for the US National Team and following college, she pursued a coaching career that took her to Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan and Northwestern, where she was an assistant under NYSPHSAA Hall of Famer Tracy Fuchs. She returned to UMass for a head coaching job for five years before landing at Princeton in 2016, leading her teams to two NCAA National Championship games and earning numerous conference and region coach of the year honors. A graduate of Marathon High School, Tagliente earned her bachelor’s degree from Maryland and her master’s degree from Michigan.

USA Drops Decision to Finland in IIHF Men’s World

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New York State Matt Coronato Named Player of the Game

The U.S. Men’s National Team dropped a 6-2 decision to Finland here today in its third preliminary round game of the 2026 IIHF Men’s World Championship before 9,206 at Swiss Life Arena.

“We’re obviously disappointed, but we’ve got a competitive group and we’ll take some lessons from this game as we move forward,” said Don Granato, head coach of the 2026 U.S. Men’s National Team.

Finland took a 1-0 lead 6:06 into the contest when Lenni Hameenaho forced a turnover in the neutral zone, carried the puck in across the blue line and scored on a shot from the top of the left circle.

At the 7:44 mark of the first, Oliver Moore (Mounds View, Minn./Chicago Blackhawks) gathered the puck from behind the U.S. net, carried it past several Finland defenders into the offensive zone, and sent a cross-ice pass to Matt Coronato (Greenlawn, N.Y./Calgary Flames) at the left circle, who fired a one-timer home to level the score.  

Just over a minute later, Patrik Puistola received a pass at the point and capitalized with a quick shot from the top of the circles to give Finland a 2-1 lead at 8:45 of the first.

With 5:50 to play in the opening stanza, Aatu Raty carried the puck into the U.S. zone and buried a wrister five-hole from the top of the circles to make it a 3-1 game.

Early in the middle frame, Hameenaho capitalized on a one-timer from the right circle while on the power play to give Finland a 4-1 lead 1:26 into the period.

Just 31 seconds later, Saku Maenalanen deflected a pass over U.S. netminder Joseph Woll‘s (St. Louis, Mo./Toronto Maple Leafs) glove from the top of the crease to add to the Finland advantage.

Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass./Washington Capitals) made it a 5-2 game at the 3:21 mark of the third when he capitalized on a rebound chance from the slot off a shot from Ryan Ufko (Smithtown, N.Y./Milwaukee Admirals) on a five-on-three power play.

Anton Lundell registered a power play goal off a rebound with 13:27 remaining in the contest to give Finland a 6-2 lead in what proved to be the final tally of the contest.

Woll had five saves in the first 21:57 of action, while Devin Cooley (Los Gatos, Calif./Calgary Flames) made 17 saves in the remaining 38:03.

Team USA is back in action Wednesday (May 20) in its fourth preliminary round game against Germany. Puck drop is set for 2:20 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised live on NHL Network.  

NOTES: The U.S. outshot Finland, 32-28 … Team USA was 1-3 on the power play, while Finalnd was 2-5 … Matt Coronato was named U.S. Player of the Game. 

PWHL Heads to Game 4 of Finals

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Janet
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The Montreal Victoire lead the Professional Womens Hockey League Walter Cup Finals 2 games to 1 over the Ottawa Charge.

Game 4 will be played tonight (Wednesday, May20) at 7 p.m. at the Canadian Tire Center in Ottawa.

Both Games 1 and 2 went into overtime, with Montreal coming out victorious. Game 3 was won by Ottawa 2-1 in regulation. Rebecca Leslie with the game-winner.

It’s a goal competition in that both goalies will be appearing in their 15th playoff game and each have made 185 saves. In net for Montreal is Ann-Renee Desbiens and for Ottawa Gwyneth Phillips.

Buffalo’s Hayley Scumurra scored the first goal for Montreal in Game 3.

The Walter Cup was created in partnership with global luxury jeweler, Tiffany & Co. The Walter Cup is named in recognition of the historic commitment made by the Walter family – Mark and Kimbra Walter and their daughter, Samantha, that provided the financial support that launched the PWHL. Its permanent home is at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto where it is showcased within the ‘Women’s Hockey – Celebrating Excellence’ display along with artifacts from the league’s first three seasons. Weighing 35 pounds and 24 inches tall, it features a removable base for the engraved name of each year’s winning team.

San Jose Added to PWHL

By
Janet
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0

NEW YORK AND TORONTO — The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today announced expansion to San Jose, California, rounding out the league’s four-team expansion class set to debut for the 2026-27 season. PWHL San Jose will play its home games at SAP Center and train at Sharks Ice at San Jose, following an expansion bid led by Sharks Sports & Entertainment and the City of San Jose.

San Jose and the Bay Area represent a compelling next step for the future of the PWHL, featuring a unique combination of established professional and youth hockey culture, record-setting support for women’s sports, continued opportunity for league geographic diversity, and a strong corporate base.

While Northern California is a new market for pro women’s hockey, the San Jose Sharks have helped build a strong local hockey community in the Bay Area, which boasts one of the largest ice facilities in the Western United States, while California ranks sixth in the country in girls’ hockey participation behind five colder-climate regions. Off the ice, after welcoming the NWSL’s Bay FC and the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries in 2024 and 2025 respectively, fans have propelled both teams to league attendance records. San Jose’s location places four PWHL teams in the Pacific Time Zone, expanding the league’s footprint and offering more balance for scheduling and travel.

Today’s announcement also unveils PWHL San Jose’s official team colors: a bright, bold palette of orange, blue, and white, inspired by the San Jose flag and reflecting the Bay Area’s optimistic energy. Orange is also a nod to the Sharks and the region’s historic orange groves, while blue evokes the beauty of California’s ocean coastline and sky. PWHL San Jose merchandise is available to U.S. fans now at thePWHL.com/shop, opens in a new tab.

San Jose follows Detroit, Hamilton, and Las Vegas as the PWHL’s 2026-27 expansion markets, joining the league’s eight current markets — Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver. Details about a forthcoming expansion roster building process, and how expansion teams will be integrated into the 2026 PWHL Draft, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Fans can place a time-stamped deposit here, opens in a new tab to secure priority access to season tickets for PWHL San Jose’s historic inaugural season, once ticket packages are released. To learn more and stay up to date, visit PWHLSanJose.com, subscribe to PWHL San Jose’s newsletter here, opens in a new tab, and follow the team on Facebook PWHL San Jose, opens in a new tab, Instagram @PWHL_SanJose, opens in a new tab, X @PWHL_SanJose, opens in a new tab, TikTok @PWHL_SanJose, opens in a new tab, YouTube PWHL San Jose, opens in a new tab, Threads @PWHL_SanJose, opens in a new tab, Bluesky @PWHL-SanJose, opens in a new tab, and LinkedIn PWHL San Jose, opens in a new tab.

Porter Named USA Men’s National Team HC

By
Janet
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0

USA Hockey announced today that Kevin Porter (Northville, Mich.) has been
hired as a head coach for its National Team Development Program.


Porter is a former captain of the NTDP who played 12 seasons of professional hockey, including 249
games in the NHL. He just finished his second season as an assistant coach at the NTDP.
“Kevin is a leader by nature and brings a passion to help young players grow on and off the ice,” said
Scott Monaghan, assistant executive director of USA Hockey for the NTDP and USA Hockey Arena.
“He is a terrific communicator and teacher and we’re excited to have him as a head coach within our
program.”

This past August, Porter served as head coach of the U.S. entry in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he led
Team USA to its first title since 2004 and only second ever.
Prior to coming to the NTDP as a coach, Porter served four seasons as an assistant coach for WilkesBarre/Scranton in the American Hockey League where he helped lead the Penguins to a pair of Calder Cup playoff appearances.

As a player, Porter is one of a select few who have earned both the Hobey Baker Memorial Award,
where he did so as captain while playing at the University of Michigan in 2007-08, and the Stanley Cup,
which he earned with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016.

A four-year captain in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, Porter also served as captain of Team
USA for the 2006 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and helped the U.S. to a silver medal at the
2004 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship.

PWHL Expands to Hamilton and Las Vegas

By
Janet
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0

The PWHL’s expansion to Hamilton and Las Vegas recognizes two distinct markets and opportunities for the league. Hamilton boasts one of the largest and most concentrated areas in the world for girls’ hockey participation, with a community that has rallied for a professional hockey team of their own for generations, while Las Vegas is North America’s entertainment mecca and home to a community that has proudly adopted and embraced hockey and women’s sports. 

The two new teams follow Detroit as part of the PWHL’s 2026 expansion class, joining the league’s eight current markets — Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver. Details about further expansion, a forthcoming expansion roster building process, and how expansion teams will be integrated into the 2026 PWHL Draft will be announced in the coming weeks.

PWHL Hamilton

Fan fervour for professional women’s hockey in Hamilton was on full display when 16,012 fans came out for the PWHL’s visit for the 2026 Takeover Tour™ stop at TD Coliseum on January 3 — the third-largest Takeover Tour crowd of the season and one of the top 20 attendances in league history. Of Hamilton Takeover Tour ticket buyers, more than 70% were purchasing their first PWHL game ticket, underscoring the league’s opportunity to reach a distinct audience, even with the presence of Ontario’s two other PWHL teams. 

The Greater Hamilton Area ranks among the largest cities in Canada and is within commuting distance from other highly populated areas such as the Waterloo Region, St. Catharines-Niagara, and London. The Greater Golden Horseshoe features one of the strongest regions in the world for girls and women’s hockey participation and development, exemplified by more than 15% of PWHL players hailing from the area. PWHL Hamilton’s expansion effort is supported in partnership with Oak View Group, operator of TD Coliseum, and the City of Hamilton.

As part of the announcement, the league also revealed Hamilton’s official team colors: gold, maroon, and cream. Gold is a hat tip to the uniforms worn by the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the former NHL Hamilton Tigers, while maroon pays homage to Steeltown by representing the color of aged steel. The permanent brand identity, including the team’s name and logo, will be announced at a later date. PWHL Hamilton merchandise is available to Canadian fans now at thePWHL.com/shop.

Fans can place a time-stamped deposit here to secure priority access to season tickets for PWHL Hamilton’s historic inaugural season, once ticket packages are released. To learn more and stay up to date, visit HamiltonPWHL.com, subscribe to PWHL Hamilton’s newsletter here, and follow the team on Facebook PWHL Hamilton, Instagram @PWHL_Hamilton, X @PWHL_Hamilton, TikTok @PWHL_Hamilton, YouTube PWHL Hamilton, Threads @PWHL_Hamilton, Bluesky @PWHL-Hamilton, and LinkedIn PWHL Hamilton.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas is one of the fastest-growing sports and entertainment destinations in North America and has proven its appetite to embrace both hockey and women’s sports at the highest level. The PWHL’s arrival in Las Vegas comes with support from the Vegas Golden Knights, whose established hockey infrastructure will help anchor the league’s newest market. Since the Golden Knights’ inaugural NHL season in 2017, youth hockey participation in Nevada has surged, particularly among girls and women with a 600% increase. Las Vegas has also established itself as one of the strongest fan bases for women’s sports, highlighted by the success of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces and continued investment in major sporting events across the market.

The PWHL’s expansion to Las Vegas also increases the league’s geographic diversity as its first team in the American Southwest, introducing professional women’s hockey to a new region of fans. Combined with the city’s accessibility, hospitality infrastructure, and world-class facilities, Las Vegas is a strong long-term fit for the PWHL. PWHL Las Vegas will train at America First Center in Henderson, Nevada. In addition to the Golden Knights, expansion efforts were also supported by MGM Resorts International, joint venture owner of T-Mobile Arena.

The announcement also unveils PWHL Las Vegas’ official team colors, inspired by the natural tones of Southern Nevada: green and gold. While Las Vegas is known for The Strip, the area is beloved by the community for its natural surroundings. Green and golden yellow represent the beauty of the desert and mountains that encircle Las Vegas, while gold is a nod to the glamour of what makes Vegas, Vegas, and, of course, the Golden Knights. PWHL Las Vegas merchandise is available to U.S. fans now at thePWHL.com/shop.

Fans can place a time-stamped deposit here to secure priority access to season tickets for PWHL Las Vegas’ historic inaugural season, once ticket packages are released. To learn more and stay up to date, visit LasVegasPWHL.com, subscribe to PWHL Las Vegas’ newsletter here, and follow the team on Facebook PWHL Las Vegas, Instagram @PWHL_LasVegas, X @PWHL_LasVegas, TikTok @PWHL_LasVegas, YouTube PWHL Las Vegas, Threads @PWHL_LasVegas, Bluesky @PWHL-LasVegas, and LinkedIn PWHL Las Vegas.

Rheaume Named GM of PWHL Expansion Team in Detroit

By
Janet
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0

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today announced the appointment of Manon Rhéaume as General Manager of PWHL Detroit. A trailblazer and one of the most influential figures in women’s hockey history, Rhéaume joins the team following four seasons with the Los Angeles Kings in Hockey Operations and an impactful 11-year tenure with the Little Caesars AAA (LCAAA) Hockey Club. 

“Manon is a pioneer whose impact on the game extends far beyond the ice,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. “She brings an unmatched hockey resume, a championship mindset, and a lifelong commitment to growing the women’s game. Her experience at every level of hockey, combined with her leadership and vision, makes her the perfect person to lead PWHL Detroit into its inaugural season.”

As the long-standing LCAAA Girls’ Division Director, Rhéaume has leveraged her hockey experience to provide unparalleled mentorship, development, and leadership for Detroit’s next generation of elite athletes. Rhéaume continues to be a powerful advocate for community engagement, growing the game, and creating vital accessibility and opportunities for young girls in the sport. 

Rhéaume made history as the first woman to sign a professional hockey contract and to play in an NHL game that redefined opportunities for generations of players to follow. Internationally, she represented Canada at the highest level, winning two gold medals at the IIHF Women’s World Championship and a silver medal at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. She’s already been a part of PWHL history, performing the ceremonial puck drop at the first-ever PWHL game at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2024.

“I’m incredibly honored and excited to join the PWHL and help build something special in Detroit,” said Rhéaume. “This city has such a deep hockey tradition, and the passion for hockey here is truly special. The growth of women’s hockey has been incredible to watch, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help shape the future of the sport alongside the PWHL. I can’t wait to get started and build a team that Detroit fans will be proud of.”

Rhéaume will lead PWHL Detroit into its inaugural 2026–27 season by assembling a hockey operations staff and with a roster building process highlighted by the 2026 PWHL Draft, to be hosted at Detroit’s Fox Theatre on June 17. All phases of the comprehensive roster building process will be finalized and announced by the league in the coming weeks.

PWHL Detroit was formally introduced on May 6 at Little Caesars Arena, with additional PWHL expansion to Las Vegas and Hamilton, Ontario, announced on May 13 to bring the league’s current total to 11 teams. The third PWHL Walter Cup Finals are currently underway between the Montréal Victoire and Ottawa Charge.

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