The Vancouver Goldeneyes christened their inaugural Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) season with a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory against the Seattle Torrent on Friday night. A sold-out crowd of 14,958 packed the Pacific Coliseum to witness the historic debut of both expansion teams. While the team celebrated its first franchise win, several players stood out.

Sarah Nurse: The Canadian icon, Sarah Nurse, etched her name in Goldeneyes' history by scoring the team's first-ever goal. At 17:41 in the first period, Nurse's shot found the back of the net, tying the game at 1-1 and igniting the fans. Nurse has a track record for scoring important goals, including in the Olympics and World Championships. According to Sarah Nurse, the atmosphere in the Pacific Coliseum was special. She noted how fans had embraced the Goldeneyes, as she had seen many jerseys and much merchandise in the stands.

Jenn Gardiner: Surrey native Jenn Gardiner displayed remarkable speed and skill throughout the game. Although she was denied a goal, Gardiner contributed a secondary assist on Claire Thompson's game-tying goal. Gardiner's performance suggests she will be a key player for coach Brian Idalski, as evidenced by her significant ice time.

Abby Boreen: Boreen secured the win for Vancouver, scoring the game-winning goal 1 minute and 36 seconds into overtime. Boreen's goal, assisted by Tereza Vanisova, sent the crowd into a frenzy and capped off a resilient performance by the Goldeneyes. She also led the team with seven shots on goal. According to Boreen, the team's coaches told the team between periods not to panic and to keep going out shift by shift. She added that good things happen when the team works hard.

The Goldeneyes demonstrated resilience throughout the game, tying the score each time the Torrent took the lead. Julia Gosling scored twice for Seattle, while Hannah Bilka added another. Claire Thompson's late goal sent the game into overtime, setting the stage for Boreen's heroics. Emerance Maschmeyer recorded 24 saves for the Goldeneyes. Corinne Schroeder stopped 23 shots for the Torrent.

The Goldeneyes will embark on a four-game road trip, beginning against the Ottawa Charge on Wednesday. The Torrent will play their first home game against the Minnesota Frost on November 28.