LOWELL, Mass. — The Boston Fleet fell to the Minnesota Frost of their residence opener on Wednesday evening at Tsongas Middle and dropped to 0-2-0 on the season.
The Fleet struggled to mild the lamp throughout a 2-1 loss in a Walter Cup Finals rematch towards the Frost. Boston captain Hilary Knight tallied her second aim of the season to tie the sport at one, however Minnesota goalie Maddie Rooney turned apart the opposite 19 Fleet photographs she confronted within the contest for her first win of the season.
Knight had performed in six video games within the Fleet’s inaugural season earlier than scoring a aim and one other 5 earlier than recording her second. Whereas she’s off to a quicker begin this season, the veteran ahead would slightly have her workforce win video games.
“It doesn’t matter if we’re not successful video games, proper?” Knight informed reporters. “I believe that it’s vital that we struggle for that extra. Clearly, enjoying a 60-minute sport is extra advantageous for us than not. We’re wanting ahead to our subsequent alternative to play 60 minutes.”
The Fleet have scored only one aim in every of their first two contests of the PWHL’s sophomore season. Head coach Courtney Kessel mentioned the message forward of their subsequent sport is straightforward: “Keep in mind it’s a 60-minute sport.”
Story continues beneath commercial
“I’d simply say doing the small issues,” Kessel mentioned. “We will’t flip pucks over on the blue traces, and I don’t assume it’s an absence of offensive potential. I believe it’s simply the errors that occurred previous to us getting within the O-zone which might be pulling us again proper now. We’re simply going to recollect it’s a 60-minute sport.”
The Fleet dedicated three penalties within the first interval. With the brand new “no escape rule,” Boston was challenged with not having the ability to change out their personnel till after the following faceoff to start the penalty kill. With defender Daniela Pejsova within the field for tripping, the Fleet started their shorthanded shift with three forwards and one defender.
“I believe you’re going to see it throughout the league,” Kessel mentioned. “It’s going to have an effect on (the penalty kill) since you’re going to have gamers that doubtlessly haven’t performed PK their complete lives, and now you’re asking them to play towards a few of the finest gamers on the earth. The league desires extra power-play objectives, and so they’re going to get that because of this new rule.”
Boston was capable of forestall Minnesota from scoring on the person benefit, however Kessel added it’s one thing new the workforce must observe going ahead.
Story continues beneath commercial
“It’s nice to see folks including totally different abilities to their toolbox,” she mentioned. “A few of them in all probability didn’t assume they’d ever see (time on the penalty kill). It was good for us to kill these penalties, regardless that we didn’t have a few of our prime PKers on the market. … Everybody’s going to need to know the PK as a result of it occurs each single sport.”
Listed below are extra notes from Wednesday’s Fleet-Frost sport:
— Aerin Frankel made 26 saves, together with six shorthanded, within the loss for the Fleet. At instances, the Fleet goalie can be peppered with pucks from the Minnesota offense, however she was capable of keep her type and keep sharp.
“Simply taking it one shot at a time I usually my mentality,” Frankel mentioned. “It’s a protracted season, and every evening we’re dealing with actually good competitors, so I attempt to not get too forward of myself and simply take it one shot at a time, one interval at a time, one sport at a time.”
Story continues beneath commercial
— Michela Cava opened the scoring for the Frost within the second interval along with her first aim of the season. Cava had success towards the Fleet final yr, particularly along with her linemates Taylor Heise and Kendall Coyne Schofield.
“The three of us, I really feel like, have actually good chemistry, and all of us child of labor collectively to make our line what it’s,” Cava mentioned. “… It’s been lots of enjoyable t play with them, and I simply assume its going to maintain getting higher.”
— The Fleet will look to get their first win of the season after they host the New York Sirens on Sunday. Puck drop from Tsongas Middle is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, and you’ll watch the sport on NESN.
