Hockeytown Still Wants a Team
15,983 fans flocked to Little Caesars Arena for the second PWHL Detroit Takeover Tour game of the season, surpassing the previous 9,624 attendance on January 3rd, 2026.
Merch lines wrapped around the building as fans waited for puck drop in Hockeytown. Creating an inclusive environment, Hockeytown welcomed fans of all kinds to the arena. Women, young girls, and members of the LGBTQ community welcome the two visiting teams as they have hopes of a team coming to Detroit.
The crowd was filled with signs demanding a PWHL team come to the city, dubbed Hockeytown, with one even suggesting the name Motown Mavens. Young girls representing their youth hockey teams filled the crowd with signs stating their dreams to one day play in the PWHL.
Between the two teams, five are Michigan-born players, getting their chance to play in front of their hometown fans. The New York Sirens bring home Elle Hartje (Detroit), Taylor Girard(Macomb), and Callie Shanahan (Commerce) to the mitten state. Montreal Victorie welcomes Abby Roque(Sault Ste. Marie) and Shiann Darkangelo (Brighton) to their home state.
When asked about playing in her hometown of Detroit, Hartje said, “…Hockeytown always shows up with the best, record-setting energy. This game means so much to me because when I look in the crowd, there will be so many faces from people in my life and jerseys from teams that shaped me.”
Hartjle played her youth hockey career with Little Caesars and Belle Tire. Two years ago, she was sitting in the crowd at Little Caesars Arena, and now two years later, she’s part of the starting lineup for the Sirens. Little Caesars Arena fans erupted into cheers as her name was announced to the crowd before the start of the game.
New York comes into Hockeytown sitting in sixth place and fighting for a playoff spot. They’re coming off a three-game losing streak, hoping the fiery environment of Detroit will end their losing streak and push them closer to the playoffs as they sit behind the Ottawa Charge with three points between them.
Montreal is looking to set a PWHL record with a win today, making eleven games in a row with a point to surpass Toronto, with whom they are tied for ten straight games with a point. Goaltender Ann-Renne Desbians comes off a shutout on Wednesday against Minnesota, giving them their fifth shutout of the season, just two shy of the league high seven held by Boston.
Halfway through the first period, New York Sirens rookie Casey O’Brien opens the scoring on a rebound shot from defender Jamie Bourbannis for her sixth goal of the season. O’Brien extends her rookie leading points to 16.
Eight minutes into the second period, a tip-in goal from forward Kristin O’Neil looked to give the Sirens a two-goal lead. Upon further review, the goal was overturned on a ruling of high sticking from O’Neil as her stick went above the crossbar.
Two minutes into the final period, a top-shelf goal from forward Cathrine Dubious finally got Montreal on the board with her third goal of the season. Michigan native Roque started the play by pushing the puck into the zone, before Dubious finished it to tie the game at one.
Five minutes later, Dubious did it again, giving Montreal their first lead of the game with a one-timer shot off the backhanded pass from Brighton native Darkangelo and the secondary assist coming from forward Kaitlin Willoughby.
Forty-nine seconds later, the Victorie extended their lead to two with a deflected shot from forward Stacy Frost, with the assist coming from defender Kati Tabin.
Making history with eleven straight games with a point, the Montreal Victorie came out victorious with a final score of 3-1, moving to 12-4-2 and staying in that second-place spot in the PWHL standings.
New York loses their fourth game in a row, falling to 8-4 on the season.
