PWHL Boston Defeats PWHL New York 3-2 in OT

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On Sunday afternoon, PWHL Boston (7-6-2-0) returned from a road trip where they finished 1-2. As they began play on Sunday, they sat in fourth place in the league standings, a point ahead of Ottawa for the last playoff spot in the league. PWHL New York (6-8-1-1) needs to start winning as well. They are in last place, only two points behind Boston for that last playoff spot. Both teams were looking to snap losing streaks. For PWHL Boston they are winless in their last two games. For PWHL New York, they are 0-3-0-1 in their last four. The biggest crowd to date in Tsongas Center was on hand to see this one as 4,607 were in attendance.

The starting goalies for Sunday’s game were, Emma Soderberg ((2-2-0, 3.25 GAA, 872%) for PWHL Boston and for PWHL New York Abigail Levy (1-3-1 2.59 GAA, 917%). It would take the home team 4:03 to jump out in front. Hannah Brandt scored her third of the season with Jamie Lee Rattray picking up the lone assist. PWHL Boston had lots of puck possession in the PWHL New York zone. Because of that, they were able to create good scoring chances throughout the period.

PWHL New York goaltender Levy was up to the challenge. Each team had power play opportunities. PWHL Boston made a slight adjustment with theirs as Hillary Knight was on the point. PWHL Boston’s power play has been a sore spot so far this season at 6.06% (2-for-33) overall and 1-for-23 at home. They were already 0-1 in the first period and they would start the second period with 1:09 left on a second one.

The second period started with the counting of the PWHL Boston power play. The power play yielded nothing, and they were now 1-for-24 at home and 2-for-34 on the advantages for the season. Numbers that somehow must get better. PWHL Boston picked up another power play chance at 6:27 of the period as PWHL New York’s Jaime Bourbonnais went off for tripping. The Boston power play put four shots on goal and they were buzzing around the PWHL New York net. They just could not put the puck behind Levy.

PWHL New York tied the game after they had power play chances that went by the board. A great individual effort by Elizabeth Giguere her first of the year, assisted by Alexander Labella and Cholie Aurard at 16:21 to tie the game at 1-1. Giguere took the puck at the left faceoff dot, went in on Soderberg (21 saves on 23 shots), cut across the crease, and scored inside the right goal post.

Soon afterward, PWHL New York took their first lead of the game at 18:28 as Bourbonnais scored her third of the season from Jade Downie-Landry and Alex Carpenter to make it a 2-1 PWHL New York lead. A point-blank shot from the right side by Bourbonnais found its way through a maze of players into the net.

The PWHL Boston top line tied the game at 2-2. Sophia Shirley, with her second of the year at 5:22, brought the crowd out of their seats. Susanna Tapani made the pass to Shirley in the slot and Alina Muller got the assists. PWHL Boston kept the pressure on, Peppering PWHL New York goalie Levy with shots. She was up to the task of keeping her team in the game. As a result, despite being outshot 41-23 for the three periods, the game would need at least overtime to decide it.

In the overtime, PWHL Boston got the game-winner. Hannahs Brandt scored her second of the game assisted by Rattway. The goal came at 1:48 of overtime to give PWHL Boston a 3-2 win. Brandt intercepted a pass just inside the Boston zone. She took off down the ice with Rattray on a 2-on-1 and made a drop pass to Rattray whose shot was stopped by Levy (43 saves on 46 shots). However, she left a rebound that Brandt put into the net for goal #4 on the season.

After the game, PWHL Boston Hannah Brandt said “Our time was looking for the win.” She was pleased with “A pretty good game played overall.” Defensemen Megan Keller called it “nice to win.” What head coach Courtney Kessel was pleased with was her team “staying with this.”

On the other side of things, PWHL New York head coach Howie Draper mentioned: “Not the performance we can be happy with.” Goal scorer Elizabeth Giguere thought PWHL Boston “was really aggressive .”

Next up for PWHL Boston is a road date in Minnesota on Wednesday night.