Lowell, Mass. — In their first league game back from Women’s Worlds, PWHL Boston beat Toronto, 2-1, at the Tsongas Center on Thursday.
“I thought it was a great game,” said PWHL Boston head coach Courtney Kessel. “I thought our transition was great, our forechecking was great. We scored two crappy goals, but we’ve been waiting for those all year.”
Slow Opening Stanzas
Toronto started the game strong with a two-on-one into the attack zone led by Jesse Compher and Rebecca Leslie. However, Boston netminder and Team USA Women’s Worlds standout, Aerin Frankel was up to the challenge, making a sliding stop to snuff out the early chance.
Toronto took the games first penalty just past the halfway mark of the first period when Allie Munroe was sent off for tripping. Toronto was able to spring an offensive zone counterattack on the penalty kill. Sarah Nurse snagged the puck off of a carrom before sending a cross ice pass to the waiting Natalie Spooner. Spooner ripped a snapshot from the hashes, but was denied by Frankel. The puck was left on the doorstep for the waiting Sarah Nurse, but a sprawling Frankel kept the game scoreless.
While no team had taken an advantage on the scoreboard at the end of the first, Boston had a slight edge in shots on goal, leading 9-7.
PWHL Boston goes on the march
The officials caught Renata Fast for interference early in the second period, but Boston’s unlucky streak on the power play continued. To this point in the year, they have gone a head-scratching 3 of 46 with the manpower advantage.
Boston finally broke the deadlock just past the halfway mark of the second. With Hillary Knight taking away Campbell’s eyes, Emily Brown found the opening in the defenses to fire home her maiden PWHL goal.
WANTED IT. NEEDED IT. GOT IT. pic.twitter.com/OpdSad0Xqp
— PWHL Boston (@PWHL_Boston) April 19, 2024
The hosts added an insurance policy just three minutes later thanks to the combined strength of Susanna Tappani and Jess Healey. Tappani won the offensive zone draw back to Healey who fluttered a wrister towards the net. Tappani was able to get in front of Campbell and tip the puck over her blocker for her fourth goal of the season.
At the second intermission, Boston had sprung out to a 2-0 lead and held a marginal 16-15 advantage in shots on goal.
Heart Attack Hockey
Toronto got one back midway through the third when Renata Fast sneaked the puck between Frankel’s skate the post.
“I just wanted to drive the net,” said Fast postgame. “I saw the post was a little bit shaky on that short side, so I just wanted to put it in her feet. When I came around the net I saw it was over the goal line.”
Boston’s Amanda Pelkey took a late boarding penalty, allowing the visitors the chance to tie the game with under three minutes to play. Toronto piled on the pressure, pulling Campbell in favor of an extra skater, but the scrappy Boston penalty kill unit held firm.
At the sound of the horn, a chaotic scrum ensued between the two lines, but things had already been decided. In a major upset, Boston had knocked off Toronto, 2-1.
Postgame Proceedings
Toronto head coach, Troy Ryan, seemed disappointed with the team’s performance in what could have been a playoff-clinching game.
“It was one of those games where we wanted to get all four lines going. I just don’t think they got it done. We didn’t want to be in a situation where we’re grinding out these last five games. We just weren’t ready to go.”
Following the international break, Boston seemed to have some newfound energy heading into the final five games of the regular season.
“I really think that the break is a mental reset,” said PWHL Boston head coach Courtney Kessel postgame. “We were heading into the break not doing great. I think it’s just refreshing. It’s not over.”
With the fate of the season hanging in the balance, Boston brought a playoff mentality into their first game of the home stretch.
“We’ve said it a lot in our locker room: ‘just take it one game at a time,’” said PWHL Boston defender Emily Brown. “For us, it is playoff time now. I think playing some meaningful games down the stretch can be really useful for our group. If we play games like we did tonight, we’re going to win a lot of games.”
PWHL Boston will go up against New York at the Prudential Center in Newark this Saturday at 3:30 pm. All games can be streamed on the PWHL YouTube channel.
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