Your Boston Fleet welcomed the Minnesota Fleet to the Tsongas Arena today for a Sunday-Funday matinee matchup. For the first time this season, the Fleet ended this one with a win over the Frost 4-2 in regulation. Hey it only took 5 tries to get that purple gorilla off their backs.
In net for the Fleet was Emma Söderberg making her 3rd start of the year. At the other end of the sheet was her former battery-mate at the University of Minn-Duluth, Maddie Rooney. Söderberg opened this one up before making way for Klara Peslarova in relief in the BOS net at the end of the first. Today was Peslarova’s first ice time in the PWHL; not a big deal just 0.00GAA and 1.000%SV with 15 saves in her debut.
Kendall Coyne-Schofield put the Frost on the board midway through the opening frame when she blew past Sidney Bard to tuck home the game’s first goal. Sophie Jaques laid the high lob pass into the Fleet zone and Coyne-Schofield skated right into it, protected the puck with her body on the backhand and beat Söderberg 5-hole. Blazing speed from Coyle-Schofield.
Less than 2 minutes later, the Frost doubled up the score when Brooke McQuigge notched her 5th of the year, soccer style. Kelly Pannek spun the puck into the BOS zone from the left point and the puck caromed off McQuigge’s skate and past Söderberg. Now, the rule calls for a “distinct kicking motion”, it says nothing about a distinct re-direction of the puck. Good goal.
That score held until nearly midway of the 2nd before Jill Saulnier beat Rooney for her first of the year. Susanna Tapani carried the puck down the LW and put it on net as Saulnier drove the slot. Tapani’s shot off Rooney’s far pad bounced into the slot and what’s that saying? Good things happen when you go to the net. Great outlet from Sophie Shirley to initiate this sequence.
In the 3rd, the pace ticked up as this was anyone’s game heading into the final frame, but first we took a trip to the matrix. Tapani dug the puck out of the RW corner and worked it up to Emily Brown at the point. Brown put the puck on net but it never made it through a forest of stick and legs in the high slot. Saulnier was the first on the puck and laid it to Tapani at the top of the blue paint, and this is where Tapani broke out her Neo impression. She dragged the puck on her backhand and then went bar down top shelf. Tie game.
Exclusive video of Tapani training in the off-season:
And then the captain entered the chat. After successive icings by the Frost, the Fleet got to work. Alina Müller broke into the MIN zone on the left side with Hilary Knight trucking down Main Street. Müller held the puck until the defender moved towards her laterally and then dished to Knight for the put away. Pure filth: Over the glove and keep the change.
No video of this goal, so this is my attempt at game film, you’re welcome.
MIN wouldn’t roll over however and it was thanks to Peslarova that the Fleet held the lead into the final minutes. The chippiness picked up as both teams were pushing to get the put away for BOS or to tie it up for MIN. The Frost pulled their goalie with just under 2 mins to play looking for the equalizer. Unfortunately for MIN it was Müller Time.
With less than 10 seconds to play, friend of the podcast Alina Müller put this one away with the ENG. Rooney had to go back into the cage due to a face-off in the MIN zone, but the Frost got her out again with 54.8 to play. The Fleet worked the puck out of their zone but MIN was winding up for one more push. Until they weren’t: Müller swiped the puck clean off the stick from a MIN defender at the red line and then she sent home the dagger.
Again, no video available, so I’ll hook you up.
The Frost head to Montreal for a tilt with the Victoire on Tuesday while the Fleet jet down to NYC to take on the Sirens tomorrow. If you’re a fan of the women’s game (and how could you not be), keep an eye out for a new podcast getting ready to drop called Breaking The Glass. We’re going to cover the women’s game at all levels and it’s not just me. Watch your toes cause I’m about to drop some names: Linda Lundrigan and Kelly Dyer Hayes are joining me on this venture and we promise to: have fun, elevate the game and introduce you to some athletes and people involved in the women’s game. Look for it coming soon!
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