Packing 17,000 Fans Into MSG Shows Promise of Women’s Pro Hockey

Elle Hartje grew up watching her dad play pro hockey, but even as she became a standout in the sport she doubted ever following in his footsteps and making a living on the ice.

On Saturday, the 24-year-old forward will suit up as a pro for a sold-out game at Madison Square Garden in front of more than 17,000 fans when her New York Sirens take on the Seattle Torrent. The matchup and the buzz it’s generating shows how far the Professional Women’s Hockey League has come a little more than three years after being co-foundedby billionaire Mark Walter ...