Vancouver Erases Two-Goal Deficit In Detroit For Comeback Win

The Vancouver Goldeneyes found themselves down 3-1 in the third period of their PWHL Takeover Tour stop in Detroit to the Boston Fleet. When the final buzzer sounded, however, the Goldeneyes skated away with a 4-3 win.

Boston dominated the opening period of the game, outshooting Vancouver 16-4 and keeping the Goldeneyes pinned in their zone for long stretches. Olivia Mobley and Susanna Tapani had first period goals for Boston, while Hannah Miller scored for Vancouver.

After a scoreless second, Jamie Lee Rattray opened the third period firing home a shot from the high slot only 19 seconds in to extend Boston's lead to 3-1. Vancouver, however, leaned on their veterans and the game turned. Claire Thompson started the comeback followed by a Sophie Jaques laser from the blue line, and capped by Izzy Daniel's second of the season that turned into the game winner. Vancouver started slowly, but their veterans found a way to fight back.

“I think our leadership just took it upon themselves to play the right way and keep going, so all the credit to them," Vancouver head coach Brian Idalski said of his team's comeback. "They just decided that they weren't going to be denied and were going to work hard, and whatever happens, happens. And, fortunately for us, we got a great outcome.”

For Boston it was an opposite story of a team that started well, but couldn't hold on.

“We did a lot of good things in that game in the first and second period," said Boston coach Kris Sparre. "Then you let a team like Vancouver hang around who have high firepower and the ability to score quickly like that — it got away from us at the end.”

While the game itself was what mattered in the standings, the PWHL Takeover Tour has proven itself a special event for the markets the league visits, fans, the league itself, and players who can return to their homes to play in front of family and friends.

While Detroit saw a decrease in attendance from last year, the 9,624 in attendance included the families of several Michigan players in the game including Megan Keller, Mellissa Channell-Watkins, Anna Segedi, and Riley Brengman.

“It’s very surreal to be back home playing in front of a lot of family and friends. I probably had over 60 people here supporting me, so it’s great to be back home," said Brengman, a rookie defender with Boston.

"It's a very surreal moment because this was actually my home rink my sophomore and junior year of high school. We were even in the same locker room that I used when I was in high school, so it's really surreal.”