Torrent Staying Focused Ahead of Olympics

Ahead of play against the Toronto Sceptres, the Seattle Torrent will have to balance the remaining three games on the schedule prior the Olympic break.

With the women's hockey tournament scheduled to begin on Feb. 5 for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, the Torrent must first take on the Sceptres on Jan. 20. However, the Torrent saw four players named to the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team — forwards Hilary Night, Alex Carpenter, and Hannah Bilka, and defender Cayla Barnes. Their game against the Sceptres also marks the last home game for Seattle ahead of the Olympic break.

Torrent Head Coach Steve O'Rourke said the upcoming Winter Olympics will be the best they've ever been because of the PWHL, but that it also means as a coach you have to manage players energy levels ahead of the impending break.

"We are going to see an even better Olympics. The players that are going there are way better than they've ever been, because they're getting competitive games," O'Rourke said in the pregame media availability ahead of facing off against Toronto. "[But] It's managing energy ... how do we manage their energy, their focus?"

10 Olympians Scattered Across PWHL's Seattle, Toronto Teams

The PWHL will pause play from Jan. 29 to Feb. 25, and league action will return on Feb. 26, with the Sceptres playing their first game after the Olympic Break on Feb. 27 in Seattle at Climate Pledge Arena (which also hosts the NHL's Seattle Kraken).

Torrent captain Hilary Knight will be suiting up in the Olympics for the U.S. squad for the fifth time — the most ever by an American in hockey for men or women.

In addition, with the Torrent having four members named to Team USA, there will be at least 10 Olympians present when they host the Sceptres.

Are you coming to The Cottage? 🌀

🆚 @PWHL_Toronto
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— Seattle Torrent (@PWHL__Seattle) January 20, 2026

Toronto has six members named to Canada’s Women’s Ice Hockey Team. These include forwards Emma Maltais, Natalie Spooner, Blayre Turnbull, and Daryl Watts, alongside defenders Renata Fast and Ella Shelton as a part of the 23 who earned a spot to represent Canada.

This will mark Spooner's fourth time representing Canada at the Olympic Winter Games. She has won gold with Canada at the 2014 and 2022 Games, and silver at the 2018 tournament.

Toronto Sceptres forward Natalie Spooner — Canada's Natalie Spooner stays focused at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, NY on Thursday, April 4, 2024. | Daniel DeLoach/Utica Observer-Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Team USA will open Olympic competition in Milan Cortina on Thursday, Feb. 5 against Czechia in Group A at 7:40 a.m. PT. Team Canada opens Olympic competition on Thursday, Feb. 5 against Finland in Group A at 3:10 p.m. ET.

The Women's Ice Hockey Tournament is scheduled to conclude on Feb. 19. Following the conclusion of play against Toronto, the Torrent will also see play on Jan. 25 and Jan. 28.

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