Sports
Vancouver Goldeneyes Outlast Seattle Torrent in Wild OT Finish to Open a New Era
Vancouver’s new PWHL team couldn’t have asked for a louder welcome. Nearly 15,000 fans packed into the Pacific Coliseum on Friday night for the Goldeneyes’ first-ever game, and they got a thriller out of it: a 4–3 overtime win over the Seattle Torrent that felt like the launch of a fierce west coast rivalry.
It was the debut for both expansion teams, and the energy in the rink felt almost too big to contain. Christine Sinclair handled the ceremonial puck drop, Meghan Agosta delivered the puck, and the crowd was already buzzing by the time the opening faceoff hit the ice.
Seattle struck first. Julia Gosling made history with the Torrent’s inaugural goal late in the opening period, then added a second minutes later. Vancouver replied quickly, with Sarah Nurse scoring the first goal in Goldeneyes history after picking off a turnover and snapping one home. She later said the whole night felt different with the arena, the atmosphere, the fact that this team finally has a place built for them.
Vancouver spent most of the night playing catch-up. They pushed early but couldn’t solve Seattle goalie Corinne Schroeder, who was sharp from the jump. It wasn’t until the third period that things cracked open again, when Gabby Rosenthal tied the game 2–2 less than a minute in. Seattle answered back with a goal from Hannah Bilka, putting the Torrent up again with just over six minutes left.
The Goldeneyes looked calm, though. Abby Boreen said the coaches kept things simple: don’t panic, just keep grinding. And that’s exactly what Claire Thompson did when she jumped up late, buried the tying goal, and sent the game to overtime. Thompson also picked up an assist earlier, giving her a two-point night and a big role in shaping the Goldeneyes’ first chapter.
Overtime didn’t last long. Tereza Vanišová tore up the ice and threaded a pass across the slot to Boreen, who shoveled it in just 1:46 into the extra frame. The building blew up. The Goldeneyes finally had their first win, and they did it without holding a lead during regulation.
Maschmeyer made 24 saves in the win, her first season-opening victory after back-to-back losses with Ottawa. Schroeder stopped 23 at the other end.
There were plenty of other pieces of history sprinkled throughout the night. Jenn Gardiner became the first B.C.-born Goldeneye to record a point. The starting lineup featured three local forwards: Gardiner, Hannah Miller, and Katie Chan. A handful of rookies made their PWHL debuts, including Vancouver’s Michelle Karvinen and Madison Samoskevich, and Seattle’s Jenna Buglioni, who grew up just across the border in Port Moody. Hilary Knight tallied her 20th career assist. Gosling posted her second multi-goal game in the league. And Vancouver became the league’s first team to play its home opener with its own logo painted at center ice.
But the biggest storyline was the scene inside the Coliseum. The Goldeneyes are the first PWHL team to anchor their own arena, and the place looked fully transformed: merch booths overflowing, fresh branding everywhere, and fans wearing blue in every direction. The attendance of 14,958 cracked the top ten in league history.
Head coach Brian Idalski said the atmosphere felt unreal and that the team’s resilience impressed him. There were mistakes, sure, but nothing he seemed too worried about for opening night.
By the time the players left the ice, people were still lingering in the stands. It felt like something had shifted for the sport in the city.
The Goldeneyes head out on the road next, facing Ottawa on Wednesday. Seattle returns home to host Minnesota on Nov. 28.
If Friday was any hint, this new west coast chapter is going to be fun.
Sports
The Harlem Globetrotters Bring Their 100 Year Tour to Vancouver
The Harlem Globetrotters are hitting a huge milestone and Vancouver is on the route. The legendary basketball crew will stop at Pacific Coliseum on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 as part of their 100 Year Tour, a global run marking a full century of jaw-dropping hoops and crowd-first fun.
This tour tips its cap to the past and keeps its foot on the gas. Early icons like Curly Neal, Meadowlark Lemon, Wilt Chamberlain, and Goose Tatum set the tone decades ago. The current roster carries that same spirit with stars like Hammer, Torch, Bulldog, Cheese, Jet, Wham, Thunder, and TNT bringing the noise. Expect monster dunks, slick trick shots, and nonstop interaction from warm-up to the final buzzer.
The Globetrotters will face their longtime rivals, the Washington Generals, in a game that mixes real athletic skill with comedy and chaos. It’s basketball, sure. It’s entertainment first.
To mark the centennial, the team is rolling out fresh touches. That includes limited-edition 100-year jerseys designed by fashion legend Jeff Hamilton, the debut of the Golden Basketball by Spalding®, upgraded Magic Pass pre-game access, and a commemorative souvenir ticket for fans who want proof they were there.
The current squad features elite male and female athletes who hold more than 60 Guinness World Records. Eighteen of those came in the past year alone. That stat says plenty.
The North American leg of the tour runs through spring 2026 before heading overseas. Vancouver gets one night. One chance. History, jokes, dunks, and chaos included.
Event details:
Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Tickets on sale now: https://ticketleader.evenue.net/events/HGT
Bring the kids, bring your inner kid. The Globetrotters still know how to put on a show.
Sports
Chan’s First PWHL Goal Lifts Vancouver Goldeneyes Past Ottawa Charge at the Coliseum
A few months back, Katie Chan was grinding through a season overseas. Last night, she was literally flying through the air at Pacific Coliseum and writing her name into Vancouver hockey history.
The Richmond native scored her first PWHL goal in front of a loud hometown crowd, helping the Vancouver Goldeneyes edge the Ottawa Charge 2–1 on December 16.
Midway through the first period, Hannah Miller ripped a shot from the circle that Ottawa goalie Gwyneth Philips kicked out. The rebound popped loose at the side of the net. Chan reacted fast, batting the puck out of mid-air and in. Game on. Vancouver led 1–0 just under eight minutes in.
The reaction hit her all at once. She later said the moment went blurry as the building erupted. First goal. First shot. At home. Hard to script it better.
Vancouver doubled the lead early in the second period, and once again it came from a local. Surrey’s Jenn Gardiner stripped the puck in the neutral zone, broke in alone, fought off a defender, and snapped a shot off the bar and down. Her second of the season made it 2–0.
Ottawa pushed back hard. Shots piled up and pressure followed, yet Kristen Campbell stood tall. The Goldeneyes goalie stopped 33 shots and locked down her first win in a Vancouver jersey. The biggest save came midway through the third on a short-handed breakaway. Rory Guilday got in clean. Campbell slid across and caught the shot off her shoulder.
Ottawa finally broke through late in the third. Anna Shokhina shoveled home a loose puck from the top of the crease with just under six minutes left. The Charge kept coming, throwing everything they had toward the net. Campbell held firm through the final horn.
The win pushed Vancouver to 3-3 on the season and made league history. The Goldeneyes became the first PWHL team to win their first three home games in an inaugural season.
Ottawa left Vancouver with its third straight loss. Head coach Carla MacLeod said the margin in this league stays thin. This one swung Vancouver’s way.
The Goldeneyes now turn their focus to Saturday, when Montreal visits Pacific Coliseum. Ottawa continues its road swing in Seattle.
For one night, the story stayed simple: a local kid scored, a goalie shut the door, and Vancouver fans went home happy.