PWHL Boston put together a full 60 minutes and got veteran scoring from Susanna Tapani and Hilary Knight, in what coach Courtney Kessel called her club's best team effort so far.
PWHL Boston put together a full 60 minutes and got veteran scoring from Susanna Tapani and Hilary Knight, in what coach Courtney Kessel called her club's best team effort so far.
LOWELL, MA — PWHL Boston won’t have to worry about turbulence on their flight to the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Losers in their last four contests, Wednesday night’s clash with Ottawa was an opportunity for a plummeting Boston team to string together three periods before embarking on a ten-day, three-game road trip.
Head coach Courtney Kessel’s squad has been searching for a complete sixty-minute effort for the entire month of February, and they finally found their game on Wednesday. Susanna Tapani scored her first goal in a Boston uniform as Aerin Frankel made 29 saves to insert Boston into the win column for the first time of the month in a 3-1 triumph at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts.
The win comes just two days removed from their 4-2 loss to Ottawa on Monday evening. Boston was seeking their revenge right from puck drop, playing a fast, physical, and structured game.
“That was by far our best team game we played,” said Kessel. “We played with way more urgency but most importantly, like we played for each other and we stood up for each other out there and I that's what we needed to see.”
Boston didn’t waste any time finding their groove, pelting Emerance Maschmeyer with six straight shots in the first 5:39 to establish momentum early in the opening frame. Boston’s seventh shot found twine as Loren Gabel blistered a wrist shot by Maschmeyer to provide Boston with a 1-0 lead. Alina Müller carried the puck into the Ottawa zone, kicking it out to Gabel, whose shot off the left pipe was no match for Maschmeyer. Gabel—skating alongside Müller and Hilary Knight on Wednesday—was Kessel’s latest edition of line swappings.
“Obviusly a great feeling every time you score, but again, you know linemates helped me out on that one too,” said Gabel.
However, Ottawa struck back; though Boston killed off a pair of penalties in the first period, Ottawa eventually broke through at 16:36 when Kateřina Mrázová tucked her own rebound to knot the equalizer. Mrázová cut to the inside in the slot, beating Jessica Digirolamo and putting a shot on Frankel. She then collected her own rebound, roofing one top shelf.
After sitting on that goal for fifteen minutes during the first intermission, Boston got right back on the scoresheet. Tapani netted her first goal in a Boston uniform since being dealt to the team from Minnesota, deflecting a Megan Keller shot from the point at 0:45.
“(She’s a) 200-foot player that you know she's solid on the draws,” said Kessel of Tapani. “She's great on the on the powerplay, her vision. I can't say enough good things about her. I think she's a tremendous hockey player.”
Amidst a scoreless second period, Frankel protected Boston’s lead. She was perfect throughout another pair of Ottawa power plays, deterring numerous scoring opportunities. Frankel carried her dominance into the third period, stoning Akane Shiga on a breakaway, flashing her right pad just 1:08 into the frame.
“I’m just locking in on that shooter,” said Frankel. “I think at that point, it was a one-goal game. So it was like kind of a big play for us and I think I had faith in my defensemen too, that they were backchecking hard, so I just need to just we're up to the shooter and kind of make her make the first move and be patient react to the play.”
“She's big every night, she's a wall back there,” added Amanda Pelkey. “I think the biggest thing about her is that she's just always competing. She's competing every puck, but with just such poise and confidence, and there's never a doubt, especially on the breakaway.”
After coming up just short on a power play halfway into the third period, Boston potted their insurance tally at 13:49. Knight skated down the left side of the faceoff circle, beating Maschmeyer top shelf over her glove to send the Tsongas Center into a frenzy. The goal was just the captain’s second of the season.
“I think we were all excited that she took that shot,” said Kessel. “I feel like she's been passing the puck a little bit too much. And I think you know, after I reminded her like you're the best goal scorer in the world. Like we believe in you, your teammates believe in you.”
Boston kicks off their road trip against Minnesota on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. puck drop at the Xcel Energy Center. It will mark the first meeting of the two teams since their trade involving Tapani, Abby Cook, and Sophie Jaques earlier this month.