The Boston Fleet couldn’t outlast the Ottawa Charge in a marathon shootout but they did pick up a valuable point.
The Boston Fleet emerged from the holiday break with a hard-fought contest, ultimately dropping their second game of the season. Despite the loss, the team earned a valuable point after participating in the longest PWHL shootout to date.
The Fleet and the Ottawa Charge played a scoreless extra period, followed by a shootout where each team took eight shots. Aerin Frankel stopped five of eight shots for Boston, while Gwyneth Philips made six saves on eight shots to secure Ottawa's 3-2 win.
Key takeaways from this intense matchup are outlined below.
1. Goaltending Battle
This matchup was expected to be a goaltending battle between Aerin Frankel and Gwyneth Philips.
Philips entered with eight starts, a 4-4-0 record, and a 0.930 save percentage. Frankel has started all but one game for the Fleet, recording a 5-1-0-1 record and a .963 save percentage, ranking second among goalies.
Frankel faced 33 shots while Philips saw 36. The Fleet started strong with 15 shots in the first period.
These two accomplished goaltenders share a history as teammates, having represented Team USA and previously anchored the Northeastern Huskies. Following the game, Philips spoke on her approach to playing against Frankel.
“I try to approach every game the same way. It’s fun to play Aerin. It’s fun to play a lot of goalies in this league. It’s an elite group. I knew we were going to face a top-tier goalie. She’s been on this season, so I knew I’d had to bring in my A-Game, as well.”
2. Haley Winn finally gets on the board
Rookie Haley Winn scored her first PWHL goal Saturday. Paired with Captain Megan Keller, she’s a strong presence on defense. Winn had nine shots on goal and entered the game with four assists, ranking second among all rookies in scoring.
3. Boyd’s Triumphant Ottawa Homecoming
Fleet defender Zoe Boyd returned triumphantly to face her former club. During her two seasons in Ottawa, Boyd recorded six assists in 39 appearances, leaving an enduring mark. This season, Boyd has played seven games and has taken two shots on Saturday against Ottawa. Following the game, she spoke about her return to Ottawa.
"It was a special feeling. I love this city and the fans. It's humbling to return, be in this building, and see familiar faces."
4. Shootout history
The shootout spanned eight rounds, the longest in PWHL history, resulting in a win for Ottawa and Philips’ first shootout victory. Frankel, now 4-2 in shootouts, has both losses in Ottawa.
The PWHL allows players to shoot as many times as the team wishes.
Haley Winn and Hannah Brandt scored in the shootout for Boston.
Katerina Mrazova scored on one of her three shootout, while Brianne Jenner scored on two of her three attempts for Ottawa.
5. Rookie Goals
Boston’s rookie class is setting the league standard for scoring.
Abby Newhook leads with three goals, followed by Olivia Mobley and Riley Brengman with two apiece, while Haley Winn and Ella Huber have each found the net once. Fleet rookies have nine goals and 15 points, powering the team's strong start.
The Fleet lead the league in points, and currently have five points over the Toronto Sceptres, who sit in second place. With six wins, one overtime loss, and one regulation loss (19 points), it’s the best start in team history.
The Fleet team currently ranks second for fewest goals against (11), just behind Montreal Victorie (10 goals allowed).
Aerin Frankel paces all goaltenders in wins (5) and leads the league in goals against average with a stellar 0.99.
Boston’s season continues on Saturday, January 3, against the Vancouver Goldeneyes.