April 21, 2026 • 33 mins
New York Sirens forward Casey O’Brien joins Sarah to discuss her fantastic rookie season in the PWHL, hearing ads for the Sirens everywhere she goes, the team’s last-minute push to make the playoffs, and processing the emotions of just missing the cut for the U.S. Olympic team. Plus, Audi finds a home, all roads lead to Rome, and sphincters pucker for the final playoff push.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to good Game with Sarah Spain, where we were
way too high to notice yesterday was for twenty man.
Just kidding, we were too busy celebrating Alyssenaer's birthday and
observing Lima Bean respect Day. Real thing. It's Tuesday, April
twenty first, and on today's show, New York Sirens forward
Casey O'Brien joins us to talk about her fantastic rookie
(00:21):
season in the PWHL, hearing ads for the Sirens everywhere
she goes, the team's last minute push to make the playoffs,
and processing the emotions of just missing the cut for
the US Olympic team. Plus, Audie finds a home, All
roads lead to Rome and sphincters puck her up for
one final PWHL playoff push. It's all coming up right
(00:41):
after this Welcome back slices. Here's what you need to
know today. Let's start with college hoops. Late Sunday night,
former Iowa State star Audie Crooks announced she's committed to
Oklahoma State ahead of her seniors. Crooks, who was second
in the nation in scoring as a junior, was considered
(01:04):
the top prospect in the transfer portal. Like Iowa States
hoops team Oklahoma State also saw multiple departures via the
transfer portal, nine in total, and most of those players
have already found other homes, so there's still some uncertainty
about who Crooks will be playing alongside, though her commitment
does seem likely to help sell other prospects on the
Cowgirls program. More college hoops, Notre Dame and Villanova have
(01:27):
announced they'll start the twenty twenty six twenty seventh season
with the men's and women's double header in Rome on
November first. The schools, which are both Catholic institutions, both
pointed to their religious values and press releases about the
double header. Per Notre Dame, quote inspired by the recent
election of Pope Leo fourteen, the first American born pope,
student athletes from two of the United States top Catholic
(01:49):
universities will travel to Rome and Vatican City for a
one of a kind international experience to begin their college
soup season, including a planned audience with Pope Leo fourteen
set to take place ahead of the game. End quote.
I'm surprised they still wanted to go, knowing that this
pope is a week on crime.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Man.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
I wish eye rules were audible to the WNBA. The
Atlanta Dreams Breonna Jones is uncertain for the start of
the season after the team announced on Monday that the
center underwent surgery on her right knee. A timeline for
her return was not provided as part of the team's release,
but will keep you updated as we learn more more
WNBA and an update on the Chicago Skies djn A. Carrington,
(02:29):
which is still a weird thing to say the Chicago
Skies DJ Carrington anyway. On Monday, Friend of the Show
Annie Costable, in her first day on the job with
the Athletic Congrats on the new gig. By the way,
Annie reported that Carrington recently had a minor procedure to
remove hardware from her left foot, a quote unquote expected
follow up after she suffered a season ending injury in
twenty twenty five with the Minnesota Links. As of now,
(02:52):
there's no timetable on when Carrington will be back on
the court, but she is expected to join the team
in Chicago soon to the PWHL, where there are two
games tonight, including one with major playoff implications. The Toronto Scepters,
currently fifth in the standings, are hosting the sixth place
New York Sirens. Puck drop for that one is seven
pm Eastern. Now, Toronto and New York are both still
(03:13):
in the mix for the fourth and final playoff spot,
but they're hanging on by a thread. The gist New
York needs a regulation win tonight or they're out. Toronto
situation a little more complicated, but basically they need to
win two because Ottawa, currently two points up on Toronto
and five points up on New York, control their own destiny,
as they say, and they've got a big one against
(03:34):
the Boston Fleet tomorrow. But also, if something is destined,
wouldn't one have no control over that? Anyway, Ottawa controls
its future. Much more on the PWHL playoff push and
New York's mindset entering tonight's game later in the show
with Casey O'Brien more College Sports. Big East commissioner and
friend of the Show, Val Ackerman announced her retirement on
(03:54):
Monday morning, following thirteen years at the Helm. In a statement,
Reverend Brian Shanley, the chair of the Big East Board
of directors, said, quote, when we refounded the Big East
in twenty thirteen as a basketball centric conference, our first
task was to find a commissioner who could provide the
strategic vision needed to position us as a basketball peer
with the power football conferences and compete with the country's best.
(04:16):
We found that visionary leader in Val Ackerman end quote.
Ackerman's final day in the role will be August thirty first,
with a search for her successor beginning immediately. We're wishing
the Basketball Hall of Famer and first ever president of
the WNBA best wishes on her retirement. Here's hoping this
means lots more free time for Val to go to
w games and enjoy the league she helped start as
(04:38):
it celebrates its historic thirtieth season. To the Boston Marathon,
Kenya's Sharon Lochhetti won the women's race on Monday, marking
her second straight victory in the event. Loketty finished the
race in two hours, eighteen minutes and fifty one seconds,
slightly slower than her course record breaking time in twenty
twenty five. Athletes from Kenya made up the top four
of the women's race, while Jess McClain was the top American,
(05:01):
finishing fifth. Meantime, Great Britain's Eden Rainbow Cooper won the
women's wheelchair division marking her second Boston win in three years.
As for friends of the show Klayan Connigan and Josh Bard,
she ran a Boston best three twenty four to twenty
six and had no calf cramps for the first time.
So that's a big win. And in his first time
running Boston, Josh beat his goal with a three twelve
(05:22):
oh nine. His first words via text to me and
Colain were, quote, you like doing this shit? I'm dead
end quote Congrats to everyone who raced yesterday. All right, sliceays,
we're going to take a break when we come back.
It's Casey O'Brien. I caught up with her on Monday
ahead of tonight's Make or Break game against the Toronto Scepters.
(05:43):
Stick Around joining us now. She's a forward for the
PWHL's New York Sirens and played with Team USA in
the last two rivalry series against Canada. Her first college
visit was in sixth grade. She ended up Wisconsin, where
she helped the Badgers to three national championships in twenty one,
twenty three, and twenty five and won the Patty Kasmier
(06:04):
Award is the nation's best player in twenty twenty five.
She finished her career as the Badgers all time leader
in points and assists, and her two hundred and seventy
four points rank eighth in NCAA history and NYC natives.
She started playing hockey as a kid at Chelsea Piers
before family moved to mass and earlier this month, she
got to play in her old backyard in front of
a record crowd at Madison Square Garden. The third overall
(06:24):
pick of the p WHL draft, New York traded up
to get her, and now she's topping a lot of
lists in the Rookie of the Year race. It's Casey O'Brien.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Hi, Casey, Hi, Sarah, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Thanks for coming on, so excited to talk to you.
Congrats on a fantastic first year in the PWHL. How
has the transition felt for you going to the pros?
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Thank you. Yeah, it's definitely a lot different than college.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I mean, obviously, if physicality is a big rule, it's
a lot different.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
But I think you know, with the team that we have,
we're all pretty young.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
There's a lot of rookies, there's a lot of second years,
and so I think you know that youthfulness has been
made the transition from college a lot easier.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Do you like the physicality? Would you prefer looser call
on the game? I do like it.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
I think part of what makes women's hockey so different
from men's hockey.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
You know, it's almost like a different sport.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
I think with men's and they're hitting, they can you know,
kind of hit going opposite directions, which we can't. When
you take that out of the game, I think it
makes it a lot cleaner, allows for a lot more
plays to be made. And so I think that's one
aspect of the game that makes women's hockey so special.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
So a little physical, but you don't want full on
checks correct.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
So then what's felt most easy about the pro game
and maybe what's been hardest to adjust to outside of
the physicality.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
I think, you know, any game is anyone's on any
given night, it's you know, in college, there was a
lot of you kind of knew who was going to win,
or you know, there was less parody, but it's it's
kind of a cool thing where like, no matter what
seed you are, no matter what you're ranked, like anybody
can win. And so I think that makes it really special,
especially now that we're coming down to the wire for playoffs,
(08:00):
we can see how much each point counts, and so like,
you know, whether it was the first game all the
way back in November or it's you know, Tuesday night's game,
Like those points count, which is a pretty cool thing.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
It makes every game feel like a playoff game.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yeah, so you've got to show up every single night.
You never know if the opponent's going to be hot
that night. You can't rely on on previous games. What
about what's been easy for you? What is felt pretty natural?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I think the biggest thing has just been playing my game.
I think it's translated well. I would say, like my
biggest strengths are my speed and my vision, and so
you know, I think, you know, my best games are
when I've been using those to my advantage and really
been leaning into my strengths. I think, you know, regardless
of what league it is, speed is always an asset,
and so the games are i'moving my feet and you know,
(08:45):
my linemates kind of play a similar game to me.
I think that's when I've been most successful, and I
think that's kind of been the easiest part of the transition,
is just leaning into my strengths.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
As of this recording, you're the only rookie in the
top ten and p WHL scoring, You're twenty one points,
currently tied with the likes of season one Rookie of
the Grace some Weichael, Superstar, Minnesota Frost, forward Kendelcoints Schofield.
So be honest. Over the season, have you been kind
of keeping an eye on the point totals, maybe the
play of other rookie players like halu Wyinn who are
competing for Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
I haven't been focused on like the point totals or anything.
I think it's always cool to see other rookies doing well.
It's always a cool thing just to see that transition
and it's going smoothly, and a lot of the rookies,
you know, I grew up playing with her against and
so I always like to see them being successful. But
at the end of the day, the only thing I
am focused on is, you know, our team point totals
and hoping to make it the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Yeah, I mean, the bunching up at the top above
you just a couple of points more than you, so
you could still put in some points closing out the
regular season and finish really high which is so impressive
for your first season. Speaking of just a couple of
games left, just two regular season games for the Sirens,
one final playoff spot is up for grabs, so every
single point is huge. Your team is currently in sixth,
(09:56):
three points behind the Toronto Scepters, five behind the Ottawa Charge.
You've got Toronto tomorrow, so huge point swing there if
you can get the win. What's the team's rallying cry?
How's everyone getting up for this last push?
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Yeah, there's nothing that we really need to do to
get up for it. Like we know this is the
biggest game of the year, and we all want it
so bad. I know, I'm sure Toronto wants it, Ottawa
wants it. But I really believe in the group that
we have in the locker room, and we know we
just need to stick to our identity and we're going
to pull out the win. Like you know, we're down
to Toronto to zero and the last time we played
them and we were able to come back, and so
there's just a lot of belief in this locker room
(10:28):
and I know if we show up tomorrow that we're
gonna be able to pull it out.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Are there nerves? Because yeah, Toronto's a huge one because
you're both battling for that four spot. The final game
of the year is against the Boston Fleet, among the
best in the league. So is there a little edge
to it a little bit more because of the weight
of these games.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Yeah. I think I've heard, like people say a few times,
like this is like our you know, Stanley Cup game seven,
Like we have two of them coming up, and so
I think there are little nerves, But I think it's
a good thing, just knowing that, like we have to
rise to the occasion and again, like we're all more
excited for the opportunity rather than you know, fear of
not living up to it.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Speaking of nerves, I imagine the Madison Square Garden game
was a highlight this year. You got a two one
win over the Stadtle Torrent in front of more than
eighteen thousand people. You grew up in NYC. You know,
you go to concerts there, you go to big time
sporting events. Now you're out on the ice, So what
did it feel like playing in quote unquote the world's
most famous arena and having it sell out?
Speaker 2 (11:23):
That was by far the coolest game I've ever played in,
And like, I still like can't believe that it actually happened,
Like hearing my name in the starting lineup and then
how loud the crowd got, Like I couldn't believe it
because like know, when you're in college, like your fans
kind of know you. They spend you know, four or
five years getting to know you, and so you know,
going to MSGU was kind of like, oh, like do
(11:45):
do our fans like know us? You know, do they
like care that much about women's hockey?
Speaker 3 (11:49):
And so to hear that support that we got and
hear them erupt like it.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
I think I got chilled probably like fifteen times throughout
the entire night.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
It was the coolest thing ever.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Where were the nerves the most? Was it right when
you took the ice? Was hearing the anthem? Was it
going into the shootout? Like where did you really feel like,
oh my god, all these people are watching?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
I think probably like during the anthem, it's like, okay,
like the puck's about to drop, you know, we have
to lock in, like we do, you know, want to
savor every moment of it and kind of take it
all in like, whoa, this is MSG. It's sold out.
But at the end of the day. It was a
hockey game. You know, we needed the points from it,
and so it was you know, kind of balancing the
locking in and the savoring of it all.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Yeah. I love that you grew up in New York
until you were ten. So do you have any memories
from MSG, either as a kid or later in life
going back into the city.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
I think my first ever memory of MSG was probably
in between periods at a Rangers game. My brother and I, like,
we played for the New York City Cyclones, and so
we got to go out in between periods at a
game and you know, do like the mini three and
three or whatever it is. Our team got to go
skate around and play a little five minute game, and
like I remember kind of stepping in onto the ice
(12:57):
and just like looking around and being like this is
my moment, Like I'm going to get.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Noticed, this is going to make or break my career.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
And I'm like six years old, but I just thought
it was the coolest thing. And you know, at the time,
I kind of thought like, Okay, like I'll never get
this experience again because you know, the Rangers play here.
There's no women that play here. And then like you know,
from then on like. I've been at concerts there, I've
been a Rangers games, NIXT games, and so like. MSG
has always been a very special place to me, but
(13:24):
it also wasn't a place that I kind of ever
thought I would be playing, and so getting to experience
that game there was a very full circle moment.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Yeah, wow, that's so cool. I hope someone mashed up
some video of you as a six year old and
then that most recent game. If that hasn't happened yet,
I need to see it. I need to see that.
I still haven't been to MSG. If you can believe it.
I've been working in sports for like twenty something years, Sarah. Still,
I know, I'm a Chicago girly and I've been to
New York, but i've been to like Barclays and all
(13:52):
the other places. So I need to make it. I
need to put it on the list. I was going
to come to that game, but I had to be
at the Final Four for basketball. So if there's another
p WHL game at MSG, best believe I'm going to
be there. I actually did get to see you play, though.
I went to the Sirens Tour game. At the Chicago
Takeover Tour game, the most recent ones, so I got
to witness the sirens cheer in person. I'm gonna need
(14:14):
you to hear your best wie wi we woo. Oh,
just we woo we woo. It's so funny. I need
some work, it does.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
You know.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
I'm usually not the one saying it, so I usually
let let the fans do that.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
But that's one of my favorite things ever.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
It always gives me a chuckle on the bench, especially
when we're at a Takeover Tour.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Game or maybe in No Way game.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
It's always super cool because you know, we don't necessarily
have the home crowd, but it kind of feels like
we do whenever we hear that.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Yeah, can I tell you that. When the names were
announced for the p WHL teams, I thought of sirens,
I think in part because of the teal color, which
I know is very New York. But I thought of
it more like the sirens from like Odysseus, like the
women like calling from the waves. And then I heard
the wee wi wo when I was like, oh, sirens
like the sounds of New York, Like, I'm pretty sure
that's what they are going for, not the Greek sirens.
(15:03):
But it took me a while to get there. I'm
not the brightest ball on the tree. You guys actually
have a lot of cool fan traditions. Your fan supporters
group is really cool. So what are some of your
favorite maybe you know, game traditions or fan activations that
those of us who haven't made it out to one
of your home games might not know about.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
A fan gets to like sound the siren before every game,
which is pretty cool. Like even like my brother has
been like, I.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Want to do that? How do I do that?
Speaker 2 (15:29):
It's also just cool because like our fans are so loyal,
you know, you start to recognize them, you meet them,
and whether it's like meet and greets or just in passing,
and so it's pretty cool when you were skating around
warm ups and we start to see like the same faces,
you know, and we're getting familiar with each other. Just
like it means a lot to know that, like how
deeply our fans care about us because they know, like
(15:50):
regardless of where we're going, we have that support, we
have that belief in us, and so like, yeah, they
do no matter how big, how small the crowd is
at the potential center, like they really make it feel
like home.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
It's awesome.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Yeah, and it's nice, like just a couple of years
into the league to start establishing these repetitive things, these
things that is give me more still the goal.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
Song Empire state of Mind.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Oh okay, we changed it up. And there's a Pizza
Rat connection with the fan supporters group, right, this isn't
there They do something relating to Pizza Rat.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Yeah, they have like they actually have these like jerseys,
like hockey jerseys with like the Pizza At.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Logo on it.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
I think right after the draft when I went to
New York for like the week to do some medias
and press stuff, like there's a meet and greet at
Red's Beer Garden, which is like right next to the
Prudential Center, and some of the fans they brought me
a jersey and so like I still have it in
my apartment and my mom wants it actually.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
But it's so cool, Like it's really cool.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Yeah, it's cool how much they care and I love
how you know they have their own unique things to do.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
The sirens.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Do you now befriend the rats on the street? Do
the sirens of the taxis and ambulances and everyone going
by start to feel like they're just like cheers for
you instead of ambient noise.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
It's so funny.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Actually, anytime I hear siren, you know, the cop car
ambulance is going by, I'm like, oh, that's an ad.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Amazing You've got to figure that out somehow. The PWHL
needs to take care of figuring out how to capitalize
on that native advertising. Yeah, they don't have to pay
for it. You know, your practice facility, your home arena
are in New Jersey. So do most players live out there?
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (17:21):
I think every player lives somewhere in New Jersey. Just
you know, we're spending most of our days at you know,
Cody Arena, and so it's just easier to live out there,
and we get into the city as much as we
possibly can and like off days or maybe like after
a game or something.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
So a couple of roommates for you.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yeah, I have room with Maddie Wheeler and Antrakowski.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
How's that.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
It's been super fun.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
I think, you know Wheels, I was roommates with her
for a few years at Wisconsin, known her forever and
then and I didn't meet until the draft, but you know,
her and Wheels did some hockey kidde things together, and
so we've all kind of are familiar with each other.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
So it was instantly worked coming into this year and kind.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Of an easier transition out of college to not just
be like living in the real world alone trying to
figure everything out. You've got some folks to kind of
figure it out with. I was actually listening to your
great interview with Julia Touscherry on Jocks and Jill's and
I loved hearing about how the Sirens are sort of
set up. In my mind, it sounded a little bit
like a sorority. Like you have a team book club,
(18:19):
you have all the player assignments. You've got, you know,
a social chair. Kaylie Osborne is the social chair, one
of your goalies. You've got a sauna master, a safety committee,
fine masters. You are apparently hr I would like to
hear more about what that role entails for you.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
Yeah. I feel like we are a very fun team,
you know, like in the locker room, we're always very
high energy, you know, like people are laughing, saying out
of pocket things, and so it kind of just became
a joke like since we have so many committees, we
kind of wanted everybody I feel like to have a
role on a committee, no matter how.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Absurd it is.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
And so I think there's just one one day that
I think we were at a takeover tour that you know,
we were just getting out of hand, laughing a lot,
and I was like, all right, we need an HR
because this this is a place of work. We can't
be saying this. And so that's kind of how it
came about. But it's, you know, all good fun. I
don't think I've actually done anything. Just whenever somebody says something, I'm.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Like, HR, no one said to come into your office.
You've just given warnings exactly. I think you know, I've
tried to implement a three strike role. But we are
people who are at strike very fair six or seven
right now.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
So we need to work on actually enforcing all of
your warnings.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Yeah, I'm not doing my job.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
You lost your saunamaster to trade. Has somebody new stepped up?
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Claire to George. She has stepped into the role.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
We've also have Kayla Vespa who has been I think
the head of maybe like five committees, but she keeps
either getting fired or stepping back from roles. And so
she was the prior sauna master, but now it's Claire
and she thinks she's doing a good job.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Good good. I'm surprised the goalie is the social chair.
We often hear about how goalies, more so in soccer
than hockey, are a little bit off, like what's required
to be a goal caie means you're like maybe a
little different than everyone else. So I'm surprised that Kayleie
is the social chair. Tell us about some of the
plans she's made for the team in that capacity.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Yeah, I know what you mean. Goalies definitely usually are
a little bit different.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
I mean you have to be if you like are
willingly choosing to step in front of shots.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
But she's done a great job.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
I think she's you know, she's very social, she's very outgoing,
and so she's like the one who's gonna call a
bar restaurant to set up a reservation. She set up
I think we all went to a bar after MSG
for friends and family, for everyone involved. So she's the
one who's kind of behind the scenes making the plans,
doing the logistics, and making sure that we all find
(20:38):
time to get together and bond off the ice.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
What's the current book in the book club.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
So we just finished The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
and where there's a new one.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
Claire recommended it. I haven't started it yet.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
I forget what it's called, but it's a psychological thriller,
so I'm excited for it.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
So yeah, it feels like this team is sort of
an extension of a college atmosphere, the sorority, where everyon's
got their roles. Most of your teammates were born in
the two thousands or like ninety eight ninety nine, so
lots of folks kind of enjoying this adjustment to life
in the real world. But you've got a couple of vets.
You've got Denisa Shishiva, who was born in ninety four.
You've got Sarah Boujo who's born in ninety six. Is
(21:15):
that age gap something that shows up? And where does
it show up?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
If you came into our locker room and you know,
spend a day with us and then someone said, okay,
like who's the oldest on the team? Like, I don't
it'd be hard, I think to like pick those people out,
just because like everyone's kind of bought into the fun
of the group and you know, always having a good time,
like Denisa is like probably one of the funniest people
I've ever met, and so it's it's pretty cool. But
I think, you know, the age difference comes out in
(21:42):
different ways, and like the older people have been on
national teams, have you know, had more experience in the pros,
and so that shows and their leadership. But also I
think like the rookies, you know, most of us came
from very successful college programs, and so even though there's
a lot of young people on the team, there's not
a lot of immaturity. So I think the group just
(22:02):
meshes really well and that you know that shows in
the locker room.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
I don't know why I'm like already stressing for you
about expansion and losing teammates to new teams. It just
sounds like so fun. It sounds like you've got something
really special. So I'm hoping you get to keep the
core as the league continues to grow. You mentioned pro experience.
Some of the older players, not just on your team
but around the league have played in other professional leagues.
Have you talked to many of them about how the
(22:26):
PWHL feels different?
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
I think especially at like national team camps, like hearing experiences,
you know, from like Kennel Coin and things like that.
Like I spent a lot of time talking to her
just throughout the whole like Olympic Chad experience, and it's
pretty cool to hear like from her, just like she's
kind of been through it all, been through every league,
every version of a pro league, and to get here now.
I know she was a very instrumental part of creating
(22:51):
the p WHL. And I think the biggest thing is, like,
you know, they kind of always say that, you guys
don't know how how good we have it right now
because like you didn't experience what it took to get here,
and so I think, you know, I am. I think
our whole, like generation is just so grateful to be
able to have this league to step into right out
of college because you know, they kind of went through
all the hard work of you know, failed leagues and
(23:13):
just you know, bad schedules and not having everything set
up for them like we do today.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Yeah, Kendall, especially not just playing in them, but being
so vital in the creation of this league and what
it would look like and what the players want and need.
You know, you mentioned the Olympic tryout process. I've heard
you talking about your former Wisconsin teammate Caroline Harvey KK
Harvey and just being so happy for her. She really
starred for Team USA at the Olympics in Milan. You
played with the national team and back to back rivalry
(23:38):
series the last two years, and then the lead up
to the games you were with the team you didn't
make the final roster. How did you handle that disappointment?
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Yeah, obviously it's hard.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Like being on the Olympic team, winning an Olympic gold
is something that I've dreamed about since I can remember
pretty much. It's kind of like, you know, the ultimate
goal for me, Like that's you know, that's the one
thing I really want to accomplish in my hockey career.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
And so so it's really hard.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
That, you know, I kind of feel like I climbed
that mountain with the group and then you know, didn't
get to the top. But I am really happy for
all those women. They deserve it, you know, they worked
so hard to get there. But yeah, I think for me,
like just knowing that, you know, I can't really take
it personally is you know, I know, I'm confident in
(24:21):
myself as a person, as a player, and I know
that that, like me as a person or player, wouldn't
have changed had I made that team or had I not.
Doesn't make me a worse player for not being on.
It doesn't make me a worse person, and it wouldn't
make me a better person or a better player if
I had made it. And so I'm at peace without
myself just because you know, I the whole time, I'm
not really chasing like a title. I'm chasing you know,
(24:43):
the purpose behind it. And so even though you know
I don't get the metal, at the end of the day,
I didn't get the experience, like I did everything that
they did to get there, and so I've just really
had to come to terms with that, and you know, look.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Forward to the next four years and hopefully making the
next one.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Did you get some closure in the world, have some
sort of explanation, something to work on, something to improve
or was it really just this is the number we
can bring and you didn't just quite make it.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Yeah, I didn't get like a specific thing to work on.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
I know, like I did have a conversation with you know,
Coach Robo right before I think it was the last
Rivalry series.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Game, and I know, like it's an impossible decision.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
You know, he's he's got however many it was thirty players,
and he wishes he could take all of them. And
I know there's a lot of experience in that group,
and I just I wasn't someone who'd ever been to
a world I didn't have that experience, and so you know,
hopefully down the road I can crack that roster. But
at the end of the day, you know, I was
on the wrong side of the decision, and I just
(25:43):
kind of have to be at peace with that and
look forward and still looking back.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Well, you're playing incredibly well, which is going to help
you in terms of making the cut next time. And
in the years leading up to twenty thirty, did you
feel like when you were back while they were out
at the Olympics, you allowed yourself to use that time
to prove your game, to focus, to figure out like
what you wanted to do for yourself since you weren't
out there in Italy.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Yeah, I think the biggest thing was, you know, my
mental rather than you know, focusing on something like specific
because you know, it is hard to be home and
be watching those games and kind of thinking like what
if or like I could be there, and so you know,
I think we had three weeks of just practicing with
the Sirens, and you know, some of my best friends
were in those practices, and so I kind of took
(26:29):
those three weeks just to have the most fun with
it as possible instead of kind of sitting there sulking
and so like those skates, like even though you know
it felt like we were kind of waiting just for
our Olympian sate back for the season over zoom, Like,
those were some of the most fun skates.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
I've ever had.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Like we we just made the most out of it.
I had fun, you know, even when we were getting skated,
Like I was just trying to make the most of
it and kind of continue to love the game instead
of like sulking in the fact that I wasn't at
the Olympics.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
Yeah, getting skated. Does that mean someone's beating your ass?
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Yeah, that means it's like, you know, if we lose,
like our coaches love like for the team that loses
a game, like they'll state as punishment and so like even.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
So like win sprints.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
Yes, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Okay, let's go back to Wisconsin Versac before I let
you go because I listed off some of your stats earlier,
but I need them to really stick with folks, because
near the end of your final season, you passed Hillary
Knights points record not too shabby, and then a week
later you passed Mike Eves record. So now Wisconsin's all
time leading scorer, male or female. As you left the program,
what stands out to you about your time in Madison.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Yeah, I think you know, the numbers, they they don't
just speak to like me. They speak to the teams
that I was on. I was so fortunate to be
on five unbelievable teams. They were all unique in their
own way. You know, three came with championships, the other
two could have. And so I think, like it just
speaks to the teams and the players that I was
playing with, Like, you know, that doesn't happen, Like those
(27:51):
types of seasons don't happen without those players. And so
I'm just so incredibly grateful for those five years. And
like the records, like the war whatever, like those are cool,
but like looking back, like that's not what I look
back on when I like think, oh I miss Wisconsin,
you know, it's the people that were there, just the
fun that I had to my teammates, with my coaches,
everything that I learned, and so again like it's it's
(28:13):
all about the people.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
The people make the place.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
Yeah, you know a lot of players are really raking
in the Dwin college now because of NIL and the
PWHL is just in its third season, so not really
the big money salaries yet. Do you sense any tension
as a result or is it hard for some players
to go from that college experience to the pros and
expect it to be leveled up and it isn't necessarily financially.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
I think women's hockey is probably a little bit behind
the ball when it comes to like NIL in college
just because like naturally, you know, I think you see
like football, men's basketball.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Those types of sports that are women's basketball. Yeahah, women's
basketballs for sure getting there.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
I know Mark Johnson at Wisconsin, he's you know, more
of an old school guy. I think he's definitely wanted
to take the approach of like sticking to the you know,
like old ways, like you're going to come to Wisconsin
to you know, play hockey, to get an education, to
grow as a person, Like you're not coming for money.
And so I know, like all the Badgers aren't. They're
expecting the big paychecks, expecting the big deals. I know obviously,
(29:10):
like you know between like Kyk and Leila, the brand deals,
like they're obviously.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
That's what I was gonna say. The Olympians, I feel like,
must I hope they're making some money off all the
big things they're doing.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Yeah, I'm sure with their like sponsorships, but I know
a lot of that, like none of that is coming
from the school. The school is kind of sticking to
its roots, and so I think Wisconsin has done a
great job of kind of grounding the athletes and making
sure that everyone's there to play hockey instead of focusing on,
you know, getting their bag and so they can on
their own in their own ways.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
But I don't think.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
That's been like a huge focus, especially coming to the pros.
Like I don't think anybody's coming into the PWHL with
the intention of getting rich. I think everybody's coming in
because they love hockey. They want to help grow the game,
and they want to get better. And so I think
that's also something that makes the league so special.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
It's not about the money.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
Yeah, And I think the money will come and what
we've seen is like such a incredible gratitude from players,
Like you mentioned earlier, that it exists that you have
a very clear option to play after college, that you
get to continue to play at the highest level with
the most talented people in the world. And the fans
are showing up, the records are getting broken, the traditions
are beginning, and I was talking to some of the
(30:17):
parents of players out in Milan and just about like
the archives that are becoming the norm for the PWHL,
the interviews with players, the stat keeping, so that twenty
years from now you can look back at this league
and say this is where it all began and you're
part of that, which is really, really, really cool. Well,
congrats on all your success. Good luck tomorrow, good luck
(30:38):
with the last couple of games. Maybe we'll see in
the postseason, maybe we'll see accepting Rookie of the Year.
But either way, just been an incredible season. And thanks
for taking the time to talk to us.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Thanks again to Casey for the chat, and don't forget
you can now watch full length good game interviews on
the I Hurt Women's Sports YouTube channel. We got to
take another break when we return Hominem Twins Unite Welcome
back slices. We love that you're listening, but we want
you to get in the game every day too, So
(31:11):
here's our good game play of the day. It's real easy.
Just watch Casey and the New York Sirens take on
the Toronto Scepters tonight at seven pm Eastern, big playoff implications,
and we always love to hear from you, so hit
us up on email good game at wondermedianetwork dot com
or leave us a voicemail at eight seven two two
o four fifty seventy and don't forget to subscribe, rate
(31:33):
and review. It really helps the show and it's easy
watch Jalen and Jalen Brown rating two out of sixteen
players with the same damn name review. As if following
along with WNBA free agency signings isn't hard enough already,
the Seattle Storm made things even more complicated by signing
two players named Jalen Brown to their training camp roster.
(31:58):
Jalen Brown Jae l Yn, a six to one small forward,
played for the cow Bears and graduated in twenty twenty,
then played in a bunch of spots overseas, spent a
season with the Dallas Wings in twenty twenty four and
a month with the Connecticut Sun last season. Meantime, Jalen
Brown j A l yn is a six to one
guard who played college ball at Michigan State this past season,
(32:19):
with previous seasons at ASU and Louisville. Now, the good
news is Jalen Brown j A l yn goes by ice,
so hopefully that'll help in practice. But two, Jalen Brown's
on the same team, what are the odds? And don't
even get me started on Jalen Brown Jay l e
n Boston Celtics Great, or for that matter, Carly Lloyd
(32:43):
who just helped Love Austin to a title. Not Carly
Lloyd who's currently complaining about her ATV delivery on social media.
Oh gosh, And what about Julia Grosso of the Chicago
Color Neutral Stars and Julia Grosso of the USL's Fort
Lauderdale United. I can't keep track of them. Now it's
your turn, y'all, rate and review, Thanks for listening, See
(33:05):
you tomorrow. Good game, Casey, good game. Jalen's Brown, you,
says the person responsible for keeping track of the direct deposits,
for the Jalen's Brown. Good Game with Sarah Spain is
an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue
Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app,
(33:25):
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Production by
Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzi and Bianca Hillier.
Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan
and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Emily Rudder, Lucy Jones,
Britney Martinez and Gianna Palmer. Production assistants from Avery Loftus
and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Welcome to good Game with Sarah Spain, where we were
way too high to notice yesterday was for twenty man.
Just kidding, we were too busy celebrating Alyssenaer's birthday and
observing Lima Bean respect Day. Real thing. It's Tuesday, April
twenty first, and on today's show, New York Sirens forward
Casey O'Brien joins us to talk about her fantastic rookie
(00:21):
season in the PWHL, hearing ads for the Sirens everywhere
she goes, the team's last minute push to make the playoffs,
and processing the emotions of just missing the cut for
the US Olympic team. Plus, Audie finds a home, All
roads lead to Rome and sphincters puck her up for
one final PWHL playoff push. It's all coming up right
(00:41):
after this Welcome back slices. Here's what you need to
know today. Let's start with college hoops. Late Sunday night,
former Iowa State star Audie Crooks announced she's committed to
Oklahoma State ahead of her seniors. Crooks, who was second
in the nation in scoring as a junior, was considered
(01:04):
the top prospect in the transfer portal. Like Iowa States
hoops team Oklahoma State also saw multiple departures via the
transfer portal, nine in total, and most of those players
have already found other homes, so there's still some uncertainty
about who Crooks will be playing alongside, though her commitment
does seem likely to help sell other prospects on the
Cowgirls program. More college hoops, Notre Dame and Villanova have
(01:27):
announced they'll start the twenty twenty six twenty seventh season
with the men's and women's double header in Rome on
November first. The schools, which are both Catholic institutions, both
pointed to their religious values and press releases about the
double header. Per Notre Dame, quote inspired by the recent
election of Pope Leo fourteen, the first American born pope,
student athletes from two of the United States top Catholic
(01:49):
universities will travel to Rome and Vatican City for a
one of a kind international experience to begin their college
soup season, including a planned audience with Pope Leo fourteen
set to take place ahead of the game. End quote.
I'm surprised they still wanted to go, knowing that this
pope is a week on crime.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Man.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
I wish eye rules were audible to the WNBA. The
Atlanta Dreams Breonna Jones is uncertain for the start of
the season after the team announced on Monday that the
center underwent surgery on her right knee. A timeline for
her return was not provided as part of the team's release,
but will keep you updated as we learn more more
WNBA and an update on the Chicago Skies djn A. Carrington,
(02:29):
which is still a weird thing to say the Chicago
Skies DJ Carrington anyway. On Monday, Friend of the Show
Annie Costable, in her first day on the job with
the Athletic Congrats on the new gig. By the way,
Annie reported that Carrington recently had a minor procedure to
remove hardware from her left foot, a quote unquote expected
follow up after she suffered a season ending injury in
twenty twenty five with the Minnesota Links. As of now,
(02:52):
there's no timetable on when Carrington will be back on
the court, but she is expected to join the team
in Chicago soon to the PWHL, where there are two
games tonight, including one with major playoff implications. The Toronto Scepters,
currently fifth in the standings, are hosting the sixth place
New York Sirens. Puck drop for that one is seven
pm Eastern. Now, Toronto and New York are both still
(03:13):
in the mix for the fourth and final playoff spot,
but they're hanging on by a thread. The gist New
York needs a regulation win tonight or they're out. Toronto
situation a little more complicated, but basically they need to
win two because Ottawa, currently two points up on Toronto
and five points up on New York, control their own destiny,
as they say, and they've got a big one against
(03:34):
the Boston Fleet tomorrow. But also, if something is destined,
wouldn't one have no control over that? Anyway, Ottawa controls
its future. Much more on the PWHL playoff push and
New York's mindset entering tonight's game later in the show
with Casey O'Brien more College Sports. Big East commissioner and
friend of the Show, Val Ackerman announced her retirement on
(03:54):
Monday morning, following thirteen years at the Helm. In a statement,
Reverend Brian Shanley, the chair of the Big East Board
of directors, said, quote, when we refounded the Big East
in twenty thirteen as a basketball centric conference, our first
task was to find a commissioner who could provide the
strategic vision needed to position us as a basketball peer
with the power football conferences and compete with the country's best.
(04:16):
We found that visionary leader in Val Ackerman end quote.
Ackerman's final day in the role will be August thirty first,
with a search for her successor beginning immediately. We're wishing
the Basketball Hall of Famer and first ever president of
the WNBA best wishes on her retirement. Here's hoping this
means lots more free time for Val to go to
w games and enjoy the league she helped start as
(04:38):
it celebrates its historic thirtieth season. To the Boston Marathon,
Kenya's Sharon Lochhetti won the women's race on Monday, marking
her second straight victory in the event. Loketty finished the
race in two hours, eighteen minutes and fifty one seconds,
slightly slower than her course record breaking time in twenty
twenty five. Athletes from Kenya made up the top four
of the women's race, while Jess McClain was the top American,
(05:01):
finishing fifth. Meantime, Great Britain's Eden Rainbow Cooper won the
women's wheelchair division marking her second Boston win in three years.
As for friends of the show Klayan Connigan and Josh Bard,
she ran a Boston best three twenty four to twenty
six and had no calf cramps for the first time.
So that's a big win. And in his first time
running Boston, Josh beat his goal with a three twelve
(05:22):
oh nine. His first words via text to me and
Colain were, quote, you like doing this shit? I'm dead
end quote Congrats to everyone who raced yesterday. All right, sliceays,
we're going to take a break when we come back.
It's Casey O'Brien. I caught up with her on Monday
ahead of tonight's Make or Break game against the Toronto Scepters.
(05:43):
Stick Around joining us now. She's a forward for the
PWHL's New York Sirens and played with Team USA in
the last two rivalry series against Canada. Her first college
visit was in sixth grade. She ended up Wisconsin, where
she helped the Badgers to three national championships in twenty one,
twenty three, and twenty five and won the Patty Kasmier
(06:04):
Award is the nation's best player in twenty twenty five.
She finished her career as the Badgers all time leader
in points and assists, and her two hundred and seventy
four points rank eighth in NCAA history and NYC natives.
She started playing hockey as a kid at Chelsea Piers
before family moved to mass and earlier this month, she
got to play in her old backyard in front of
a record crowd at Madison Square Garden. The third overall
(06:24):
pick of the p WHL draft, New York traded up
to get her, and now she's topping a lot of
lists in the Rookie of the Year race. It's Casey O'Brien.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Hi, Casey, Hi, Sarah, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Thanks for coming on, so excited to talk to you.
Congrats on a fantastic first year in the PWHL. How
has the transition felt for you going to the pros?
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Thank you. Yeah, it's definitely a lot different than college.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I mean, obviously, if physicality is a big rule, it's
a lot different.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
But I think you know, with the team that we have,
we're all pretty young.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
There's a lot of rookies, there's a lot of second years,
and so I think you know that youthfulness has been
made the transition from college a lot easier.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Do you like the physicality? Would you prefer looser call
on the game? I do like it.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
I think part of what makes women's hockey so different
from men's hockey.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
You know, it's almost like a different sport.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
I think with men's and they're hitting, they can you know,
kind of hit going opposite directions, which we can't. When
you take that out of the game, I think it
makes it a lot cleaner, allows for a lot more
plays to be made. And so I think that's one
aspect of the game that makes women's hockey so special.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
So a little physical, but you don't want full on
checks correct.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
So then what's felt most easy about the pro game
and maybe what's been hardest to adjust to outside of
the physicality.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
I think, you know, any game is anyone's on any
given night, it's you know, in college, there was a
lot of you kind of knew who was going to win,
or you know, there was less parody, but it's it's
kind of a cool thing where like, no matter what
seed you are, no matter what you're ranked, like anybody
can win. And so I think that makes it really special,
especially now that we're coming down to the wire for playoffs,
(08:00):
we can see how much each point counts, and so like,
you know, whether it was the first game all the
way back in November or it's you know, Tuesday night's game,
Like those points count, which is a pretty cool thing.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
It makes every game feel like a playoff game.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yeah, so you've got to show up every single night.
You never know if the opponent's going to be hot
that night. You can't rely on on previous games. What
about what's been easy for you? What is felt pretty natural?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I think the biggest thing has just been playing my game.
I think it's translated well. I would say, like my
biggest strengths are my speed and my vision, and so
you know, I think, you know, my best games are
when I've been using those to my advantage and really
been leaning into my strengths. I think, you know, regardless
of what league it is, speed is always an asset,
and so the games are i'moving my feet and you know,
(08:45):
my linemates kind of play a similar game to me.
I think that's when I've been most successful, and I
think that's kind of been the easiest part of the transition,
is just leaning into my strengths.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
As of this recording, you're the only rookie in the
top ten and p WHL scoring, You're twenty one points,
currently tied with the likes of season one Rookie of
the Grace some Weichael, Superstar, Minnesota Frost, forward Kendelcoints Schofield.
So be honest. Over the season, have you been kind
of keeping an eye on the point totals, maybe the
play of other rookie players like halu Wyinn who are
competing for Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
I haven't been focused on like the point totals or anything.
I think it's always cool to see other rookies doing well.
It's always a cool thing just to see that transition
and it's going smoothly, and a lot of the rookies,
you know, I grew up playing with her against and
so I always like to see them being successful. But
at the end of the day, the only thing I
am focused on is, you know, our team point totals
and hoping to make it the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Yeah, I mean, the bunching up at the top above
you just a couple of points more than you, so
you could still put in some points closing out the
regular season and finish really high which is so impressive
for your first season. Speaking of just a couple of
games left, just two regular season games for the Sirens,
one final playoff spot is up for grabs, so every
single point is huge. Your team is currently in sixth,
(09:56):
three points behind the Toronto Scepters, five behind the Ottawa Charge.
You've got Toronto tomorrow, so huge point swing there if
you can get the win. What's the team's rallying cry?
How's everyone getting up for this last push?
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Yeah, there's nothing that we really need to do to
get up for it. Like we know this is the
biggest game of the year, and we all want it
so bad. I know, I'm sure Toronto wants it, Ottawa
wants it. But I really believe in the group that
we have in the locker room, and we know we
just need to stick to our identity and we're going
to pull out the win. Like you know, we're down
to Toronto to zero and the last time we played
them and we were able to come back, and so
there's just a lot of belief in this locker room
(10:28):
and I know if we show up tomorrow that we're
gonna be able to pull it out.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Are there nerves? Because yeah, Toronto's a huge one because
you're both battling for that four spot. The final game
of the year is against the Boston Fleet, among the
best in the league. So is there a little edge
to it a little bit more because of the weight
of these games.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Yeah. I think I've heard, like people say a few times,
like this is like our you know, Stanley Cup game seven,
Like we have two of them coming up, and so
I think there are little nerves, But I think it's
a good thing, just knowing that, like we have to
rise to the occasion and again, like we're all more
excited for the opportunity rather than you know, fear of
not living up to it.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Speaking of nerves, I imagine the Madison Square Garden game
was a highlight this year. You got a two one
win over the Stadtle Torrent in front of more than
eighteen thousand people. You grew up in NYC. You know,
you go to concerts there, you go to big time
sporting events. Now you're out on the ice, So what
did it feel like playing in quote unquote the world's
most famous arena and having it sell out?
Speaker 2 (11:23):
That was by far the coolest game I've ever played in,
And like, I still like can't believe that it actually happened,
Like hearing my name in the starting lineup and then
how loud the crowd got, Like I couldn't believe it
because like know, when you're in college, like your fans
kind of know you. They spend you know, four or
five years getting to know you, and so you know,
going to MSGU was kind of like, oh, like do
(11:45):
do our fans like know us? You know, do they
like care that much about women's hockey?
Speaker 3 (11:49):
And so to hear that support that we got and
hear them erupt like it.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
I think I got chilled probably like fifteen times throughout
the entire night.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
It was the coolest thing ever.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Where were the nerves the most? Was it right when
you took the ice? Was hearing the anthem? Was it
going into the shootout? Like where did you really feel like,
oh my god, all these people are watching?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
I think probably like during the anthem, it's like, okay,
like the puck's about to drop, you know, we have
to lock in, like we do, you know, want to
savor every moment of it and kind of take it
all in like, whoa, this is MSG. It's sold out.
But at the end of the day. It was a
hockey game. You know, we needed the points from it,
and so it was you know, kind of balancing the
locking in and the savoring of it all.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Yeah. I love that you grew up in New York
until you were ten. So do you have any memories
from MSG, either as a kid or later in life
going back into the city.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
I think my first ever memory of MSG was probably
in between periods at a Rangers game. My brother and I, like,
we played for the New York City Cyclones, and so
we got to go out in between periods at a
game and you know, do like the mini three and
three or whatever it is. Our team got to go
skate around and play a little five minute game, and
like I remember kind of stepping in onto the ice
(12:57):
and just like looking around and being like this is
my moment, Like I'm going to get.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Noticed, this is going to make or break my career.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
And I'm like six years old, but I just thought
it was the coolest thing. And you know, at the time,
I kind of thought like, Okay, like I'll never get
this experience again because you know, the Rangers play here.
There's no women that play here. And then like you know,
from then on like. I've been at concerts there, I've
been a Rangers games, NIXT games, and so like. MSG
has always been a very special place to me, but
(13:24):
it also wasn't a place that I kind of ever
thought I would be playing, and so getting to experience
that game there was a very full circle moment.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Yeah, wow, that's so cool. I hope someone mashed up
some video of you as a six year old and
then that most recent game. If that hasn't happened yet,
I need to see it. I need to see that.
I still haven't been to MSG. If you can believe it.
I've been working in sports for like twenty something years, Sarah. Still,
I know, I'm a Chicago girly and I've been to
New York, but i've been to like Barclays and all
(13:52):
the other places. So I need to make it. I
need to put it on the list. I was going
to come to that game, but I had to be
at the Final Four for basketball. So if there's another
p WHL game at MSG, best believe I'm going to
be there. I actually did get to see you play, though.
I went to the Sirens Tour game. At the Chicago
Takeover Tour game, the most recent ones, so I got
to witness the sirens cheer in person. I'm gonna need
(14:14):
you to hear your best wie wi we woo. Oh,
just we woo we woo. It's so funny. I need
some work, it does.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
You know.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
I'm usually not the one saying it, so I usually
let let the fans do that.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
But that's one of my favorite things ever.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
It always gives me a chuckle on the bench, especially
when we're at a Takeover Tour.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Game or maybe in No Way game.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
It's always super cool because you know, we don't necessarily
have the home crowd, but it kind of feels like
we do whenever we hear that.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Yeah, can I tell you that. When the names were
announced for the p WHL teams, I thought of sirens,
I think in part because of the teal color, which
I know is very New York. But I thought of
it more like the sirens from like Odysseus, like the
women like calling from the waves. And then I heard
the wee wi wo when I was like, oh, sirens
like the sounds of New York, Like, I'm pretty sure
that's what they are going for, not the Greek sirens.
(15:03):
But it took me a while to get there. I'm
not the brightest ball on the tree. You guys actually
have a lot of cool fan traditions. Your fan supporters
group is really cool. So what are some of your
favorite maybe you know, game traditions or fan activations that
those of us who haven't made it out to one
of your home games might not know about.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
A fan gets to like sound the siren before every game,
which is pretty cool. Like even like my brother has
been like, I.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Want to do that? How do I do that?
Speaker 2 (15:29):
It's also just cool because like our fans are so loyal,
you know, you start to recognize them, you meet them,
and whether it's like meet and greets or just in passing,
and so it's pretty cool when you were skating around
warm ups and we start to see like the same faces,
you know, and we're getting familiar with each other. Just
like it means a lot to know that, like how
deeply our fans care about us because they know, like
(15:50):
regardless of where we're going, we have that support, we
have that belief in us, and so like, yeah, they
do no matter how big, how small the crowd is
at the potential center, like they really make it feel
like home.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
It's awesome.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Yeah, and it's nice, like just a couple of years
into the league to start establishing these repetitive things, these
things that is give me more still the goal.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
Song Empire state of Mind.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Oh okay, we changed it up. And there's a Pizza
Rat connection with the fan supporters group, right, this isn't
there They do something relating to Pizza Rat.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Yeah, they have like they actually have these like jerseys,
like hockey jerseys with like the Pizza At.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Logo on it.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
I think right after the draft when I went to
New York for like the week to do some medias
and press stuff, like there's a meet and greet at
Red's Beer Garden, which is like right next to the
Prudential Center, and some of the fans they brought me
a jersey and so like I still have it in
my apartment and my mom wants it actually.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
But it's so cool, Like it's really cool.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Yeah, it's cool how much they care and I love
how you know they have their own unique things to do.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
The sirens.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Do you now befriend the rats on the street? Do
the sirens of the taxis and ambulances and everyone going
by start to feel like they're just like cheers for
you instead of ambient noise.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
It's so funny.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Actually, anytime I hear siren, you know, the cop car
ambulance is going by, I'm like, oh, that's an ad.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Amazing You've got to figure that out somehow. The PWHL
needs to take care of figuring out how to capitalize
on that native advertising. Yeah, they don't have to pay
for it. You know, your practice facility, your home arena
are in New Jersey. So do most players live out there?
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (17:21):
I think every player lives somewhere in New Jersey. Just
you know, we're spending most of our days at you know,
Cody Arena, and so it's just easier to live out there,
and we get into the city as much as we
possibly can and like off days or maybe like after
a game or something.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
So a couple of roommates for you.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yeah, I have room with Maddie Wheeler and Antrakowski.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
How's that.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
It's been super fun.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
I think, you know Wheels, I was roommates with her
for a few years at Wisconsin, known her forever and
then and I didn't meet until the draft, but you know,
her and Wheels did some hockey kidde things together, and
so we've all kind of are familiar with each other.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
So it was instantly worked coming into this year and kind.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Of an easier transition out of college to not just
be like living in the real world alone trying to
figure everything out. You've got some folks to kind of
figure it out with. I was actually listening to your
great interview with Julia Touscherry on Jocks and Jill's and
I loved hearing about how the Sirens are sort of
set up. In my mind, it sounded a little bit
like a sorority. Like you have a team book club,
(18:19):
you have all the player assignments. You've got, you know,
a social chair. Kaylie Osborne is the social chair, one
of your goalies. You've got a sauna master, a safety committee,
fine masters. You are apparently hr I would like to
hear more about what that role entails for you.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
Yeah. I feel like we are a very fun team,
you know, like in the locker room, we're always very
high energy, you know, like people are laughing, saying out
of pocket things, and so it kind of just became
a joke like since we have so many committees, we
kind of wanted everybody I feel like to have a
role on a committee, no matter how.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Absurd it is.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
And so I think there's just one one day that
I think we were at a takeover tour that you know,
we were just getting out of hand, laughing a lot,
and I was like, all right, we need an HR
because this this is a place of work. We can't
be saying this. And so that's kind of how it
came about. But it's, you know, all good fun. I
don't think I've actually done anything. Just whenever somebody says something, I'm.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Like, HR, no one said to come into your office.
You've just given warnings exactly. I think you know, I've
tried to implement a three strike role. But we are
people who are at strike very fair six or seven
right now.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
So we need to work on actually enforcing all of
your warnings.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Yeah, I'm not doing my job.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
You lost your saunamaster to trade. Has somebody new stepped up?
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Claire to George. She has stepped into the role.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
We've also have Kayla Vespa who has been I think
the head of maybe like five committees, but she keeps
either getting fired or stepping back from roles. And so
she was the prior sauna master, but now it's Claire
and she thinks she's doing a good job.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Good good. I'm surprised the goalie is the social chair.
We often hear about how goalies, more so in soccer
than hockey, are a little bit off, like what's required
to be a goal caie means you're like maybe a
little different than everyone else. So I'm surprised that Kayleie
is the social chair. Tell us about some of the
plans she's made for the team in that capacity.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Yeah, I know what you mean. Goalies definitely usually are
a little bit different.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
I mean you have to be if you like are
willingly choosing to step in front of shots.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
But she's done a great job.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
I think she's you know, she's very social, she's very outgoing,
and so she's like the one who's gonna call a
bar restaurant to set up a reservation. She set up
I think we all went to a bar after MSG
for friends and family, for everyone involved. So she's the
one who's kind of behind the scenes making the plans,
doing the logistics, and making sure that we all find
(20:38):
time to get together and bond off the ice.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
What's the current book in the book club.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
So we just finished The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
and where there's a new one.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
Claire recommended it. I haven't started it yet.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
I forget what it's called, but it's a psychological thriller,
so I'm excited for it.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
So yeah, it feels like this team is sort of
an extension of a college atmosphere, the sorority, where everyon's
got their roles. Most of your teammates were born in
the two thousands or like ninety eight ninety nine, so
lots of folks kind of enjoying this adjustment to life
in the real world. But you've got a couple of vets.
You've got Denisa Shishiva, who was born in ninety four.
You've got Sarah Boujo who's born in ninety six. Is
(21:15):
that age gap something that shows up? And where does
it show up?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
If you came into our locker room and you know,
spend a day with us and then someone said, okay,
like who's the oldest on the team? Like, I don't
it'd be hard, I think to like pick those people out,
just because like everyone's kind of bought into the fun
of the group and you know, always having a good time,
like Denisa is like probably one of the funniest people
I've ever met, and so it's it's pretty cool. But
I think, you know, the age difference comes out in
(21:42):
different ways, and like the older people have been on
national teams, have you know, had more experience in the pros,
and so that shows and their leadership. But also I
think like the rookies, you know, most of us came
from very successful college programs, and so even though there's
a lot of young people on the team, there's not
a lot of immaturity. So I think the group just
(22:02):
meshes really well and that you know that shows in
the locker room.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
I don't know why I'm like already stressing for you
about expansion and losing teammates to new teams. It just
sounds like so fun. It sounds like you've got something
really special. So I'm hoping you get to keep the
core as the league continues to grow. You mentioned pro experience.
Some of the older players, not just on your team
but around the league have played in other professional leagues.
Have you talked to many of them about how the
(22:26):
PWHL feels different?
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
I think especially at like national team camps, like hearing experiences,
you know, from like Kennel Coin and things like that.
Like I spent a lot of time talking to her
just throughout the whole like Olympic Chad experience, and it's
pretty cool to hear like from her, just like she's
kind of been through it all, been through every league,
every version of a pro league, and to get here now.
I know she was a very instrumental part of creating
(22:51):
the p WHL. And I think the biggest thing is, like,
you know, they kind of always say that, you guys
don't know how how good we have it right now
because like you didn't experience what it took to get here,
and so I think, you know, I am. I think
our whole, like generation is just so grateful to be
able to have this league to step into right out
of college because you know, they kind of went through
all the hard work of you know, failed leagues and
(23:13):
just you know, bad schedules and not having everything set
up for them like we do today.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Yeah, Kendall, especially not just playing in them, but being
so vital in the creation of this league and what
it would look like and what the players want and need.
You know, you mentioned the Olympic tryout process. I've heard
you talking about your former Wisconsin teammate Caroline Harvey KK
Harvey and just being so happy for her. She really
starred for Team USA at the Olympics in Milan. You
played with the national team and back to back rivalry
(23:38):
series the last two years, and then the lead up
to the games you were with the team you didn't
make the final roster. How did you handle that disappointment?
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Yeah, obviously it's hard.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Like being on the Olympic team, winning an Olympic gold
is something that I've dreamed about since I can remember
pretty much. It's kind of like, you know, the ultimate
goal for me, Like that's you know, that's the one
thing I really want to accomplish in my hockey career.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
And so so it's really hard.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
That, you know, I kind of feel like I climbed
that mountain with the group and then you know, didn't
get to the top. But I am really happy for
all those women. They deserve it, you know, they worked
so hard to get there. But yeah, I think for me,
like just knowing that, you know, I can't really take
it personally is you know, I know, I'm confident in
(24:21):
myself as a person, as a player, and I know
that that, like me as a person or player, wouldn't
have changed had I made that team or had I not.
Doesn't make me a worse player for not being on.
It doesn't make me a worse person, and it wouldn't
make me a better person or a better player if
I had made it. And so I'm at peace without
myself just because you know, I the whole time, I'm
not really chasing like a title. I'm chasing you know,
(24:43):
the purpose behind it. And so even though you know
I don't get the metal, at the end of the day,
I didn't get the experience, like I did everything that
they did to get there, and so I've just really
had to come to terms with that, and you know, look.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Forward to the next four years and hopefully making the
next one.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Did you get some closure in the world, have some
sort of explanation, something to work on, something to improve
or was it really just this is the number we
can bring and you didn't just quite make it.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Yeah, I didn't get like a specific thing to work on.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
I know, like I did have a conversation with you know,
Coach Robo right before I think it was the last
Rivalry series.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
Game, and I know, like it's an impossible decision.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
You know, he's he's got however many it was thirty players,
and he wishes he could take all of them. And
I know there's a lot of experience in that group,
and I just I wasn't someone who'd ever been to
a world I didn't have that experience, and so you know,
hopefully down the road I can crack that roster. But
at the end of the day, you know, I was
on the wrong side of the decision, and I just
(25:43):
kind of have to be at peace with that and
look forward and still looking back.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Well, you're playing incredibly well, which is going to help
you in terms of making the cut next time. And
in the years leading up to twenty thirty, did you
feel like when you were back while they were out
at the Olympics, you allowed yourself to use that time
to prove your game, to focus, to figure out like
what you wanted to do for yourself since you weren't
out there in Italy.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Yeah, I think the biggest thing was, you know, my
mental rather than you know, focusing on something like specific
because you know, it is hard to be home and
be watching those games and kind of thinking like what
if or like I could be there, and so you know,
I think we had three weeks of just practicing with
the Sirens, and you know, some of my best friends
were in those practices, and so I kind of took
(26:29):
those three weeks just to have the most fun with
it as possible instead of kind of sitting there sulking
and so like those skates, like even though you know
it felt like we were kind of waiting just for
our Olympian sate back for the season over zoom, Like,
those were some of the most fun skates.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
I've ever had.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Like we we just made the most out of it.
I had fun, you know, even when we were getting skated,
Like I was just trying to make the most of
it and kind of continue to love the game instead
of like sulking in the fact that I wasn't at
the Olympics.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
Yeah, getting skated. Does that mean someone's beating your ass?
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Yeah, that means it's like, you know, if we lose,
like our coaches love like for the team that loses
a game, like they'll state as punishment and so like even.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
So like win sprints.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
Yes, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Okay, let's go back to Wisconsin Versac before I let
you go because I listed off some of your stats earlier,
but I need them to really stick with folks, because
near the end of your final season, you passed Hillary
Knights points record not too shabby, and then a week
later you passed Mike Eves record. So now Wisconsin's all
time leading scorer, male or female. As you left the program,
what stands out to you about your time in Madison.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Yeah, I think you know, the numbers, they they don't
just speak to like me. They speak to the teams
that I was on. I was so fortunate to be
on five unbelievable teams. They were all unique in their
own way. You know, three came with championships, the other
two could have. And so I think, like it just
speaks to the teams and the players that I was
playing with, Like, you know, that doesn't happen, Like those
(27:51):
types of seasons don't happen without those players. And so
I'm just so incredibly grateful for those five years. And
like the records, like the war whatever, like those are cool,
but like looking back, like that's not what I look
back on when I like think, oh I miss Wisconsin,
you know, it's the people that were there, just the
fun that I had to my teammates, with my coaches,
everything that I learned, and so again like it's it's
(28:13):
all about the people.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
The people make the place.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
Yeah, you know a lot of players are really raking
in the Dwin college now because of NIL and the
PWHL is just in its third season, so not really
the big money salaries yet. Do you sense any tension
as a result or is it hard for some players
to go from that college experience to the pros and
expect it to be leveled up and it isn't necessarily financially.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
I think women's hockey is probably a little bit behind
the ball when it comes to like NIL in college
just because like naturally, you know, I think you see
like football, men's basketball.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Those types of sports that are women's basketball. Yeahah, women's
basketballs for sure getting there.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
I know Mark Johnson at Wisconsin, he's you know, more
of an old school guy. I think he's definitely wanted
to take the approach of like sticking to the you know,
like old ways, like you're going to come to Wisconsin
to you know, play hockey, to get an education, to
grow as a person, Like you're not coming for money.
And so I know, like all the Badgers aren't. They're
expecting the big paychecks, expecting the big deals. I know obviously,
(29:10):
like you know between like Kyk and Leila, the brand deals,
like they're obviously.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
That's what I was gonna say. The Olympians, I feel like,
must I hope they're making some money off all the
big things they're doing.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
Yeah, I'm sure with their like sponsorships, but I know
a lot of that, like none of that is coming
from the school. The school is kind of sticking to
its roots, and so I think Wisconsin has done a
great job of kind of grounding the athletes and making
sure that everyone's there to play hockey instead of focusing on,
you know, getting their bag and so they can on
their own in their own ways.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
But I don't think.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
That's been like a huge focus, especially coming to the pros.
Like I don't think anybody's coming into the PWHL with
the intention of getting rich. I think everybody's coming in
because they love hockey. They want to help grow the game,
and they want to get better. And so I think
that's also something that makes the league so special.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
It's not about the money.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
Yeah, And I think the money will come and what
we've seen is like such a incredible gratitude from players,
Like you mentioned earlier, that it exists that you have
a very clear option to play after college, that you
get to continue to play at the highest level with
the most talented people in the world. And the fans
are showing up, the records are getting broken, the traditions
are beginning, and I was talking to some of the
(30:17):
parents of players out in Milan and just about like
the archives that are becoming the norm for the PWHL,
the interviews with players, the stat keeping, so that twenty
years from now you can look back at this league
and say this is where it all began and you're
part of that, which is really, really, really cool. Well,
congrats on all your success. Good luck tomorrow, good luck
(30:38):
with the last couple of games. Maybe we'll see in
the postseason, maybe we'll see accepting Rookie of the Year.
But either way, just been an incredible season. And thanks
for taking the time to talk to us.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Thanks again to Casey for the chat, and don't forget
you can now watch full length good game interviews on
the I Hurt Women's Sports YouTube channel. We got to
take another break when we return Hominem Twins Unite Welcome
back slices. We love that you're listening, but we want
you to get in the game every day too, So
(31:11):
here's our good game play of the day. It's real easy.
Just watch Casey and the New York Sirens take on
the Toronto Scepters tonight at seven pm Eastern, big playoff implications,
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(31:33):
and review. It really helps the show and it's easy
watch Jalen and Jalen Brown rating two out of sixteen
players with the same damn name review. As if following
along with WNBA free agency signings isn't hard enough already,
the Seattle Storm made things even more complicated by signing
two players named Jalen Brown to their training camp roster.
(31:58):
Jalen Brown Jae l Yn, a six to one small forward,
played for the cow Bears and graduated in twenty twenty,
then played in a bunch of spots overseas, spent a
season with the Dallas Wings in twenty twenty four and
a month with the Connecticut Sun last season. Meantime, Jalen
Brown j A l yn is a six to one
guard who played college ball at Michigan State this past season,
(32:19):
with previous seasons at ASU and Louisville. Now, the good
news is Jalen Brown j A l yn goes by ice,
so hopefully that'll help in practice. But two, Jalen Brown's
on the same team, what are the odds? And don't
even get me started on Jalen Brown Jay l e
n Boston Celtics Great, or for that matter, Carly Lloyd
(32:43):
who just helped Love Austin to a title. Not Carly
Lloyd who's currently complaining about her ATV delivery on social media.
Oh gosh, And what about Julia Grosso of the Chicago
Color Neutral Stars and Julia Grosso of the USL's Fort
Lauderdale United. I can't keep track of them. Now it's
your turn, y'all, rate and review, Thanks for listening, See
(33:05):
you tomorrow. Good game, Casey, good game. Jalen's Brown, you,
says the person responsible for keeping track of the direct deposits,
for the Jalen's Brown. Good Game with Sarah Spain is
an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue
Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app,
(33:25):
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Production by
Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzi and Bianca Hillier.
Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan
and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Emily Rudder, Lucy Jones,
Britney Martinez and Gianna Palmer. Production assistants from Avery Loftus
and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
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