PWHL Boston’s inaugural season ended on a disappointing word when the franchise got here up brief in its quest for the league’s first championship.
However even with no title to have fun, common supervisor Danielle Marmer was pleased with the group and the way they battled down the stretch to make the playoffs.
“It’s exhausting to place into phrases what this 12 months meant and what the season meant to us,” Marmer mentioned on a video press convention on Tuesday. “I’m blown away by our resiliency as a gaggle and the success that we had down the stretch.”
Boston was 8-10 and out of a playoff place, sitting fifth within the standings heading into the worldwide break on the finish of March. The membership gained 4 of 5 video games remaining within the common season and catapulted to the No. 3 seed.
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“I believe we knew we drafted a gifted staff and we’re excited concerning the group that now we have,” Marmer mentioned. “It didn’t go as deliberate early on, and we hit some adversity alongside the way in which.”
Marmer continued: “The precedence of ours was to construct a tradition of success and to have actually good folks in our locker room. I believe that’s the reason that we had the playoff run that we had. We got here collectively as a gaggle and performed for each other, and to have the success we had down the stretch heading into the playoffs, within the playoffs, and to place the staff able to compete for the Walter Cup on the very finish is all you may ask for.”
PWHL Boston head coach Courtney Kessel echoed Marmer’s feedback concerning the gamers being resilient all through the season.
“We went by way of loads of ups and downs all through the season,” Kessel mentioned through the video press convention on Tuesday. “However, the way in which they stayed the course and caught collectively and only a nice push there on the finish there to get into the playoffs after which make a run for the Cup, simply to return up somewhat bit brief … simply so pleased with this group.”
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Exterior of the Tsongas Heart in Lowell, Massachusetts, PWHL Boston and the opposite 5 franchises had the chance to play on the Bell Centre, Scotiabank Area, Xcel Vitality Heart and Little Caesars Area whereas breaking attendance data for girls’s hockey.
“I can’t even hear myself assume on the bench as a result of the little women within the crowd are singing Taylor Swift,” Kessel mentioned. “I don’t assume we may have ever imagined that. We dreamed it for positive, however to actually do this in our first 12 months I believe was only a super accomplishment to this league and to the expansion of the place our recreation goes. We’re simply estatic for what’s to return and actually wanting ahead to hopefully bringing residence that trophy subsequent 12 months.”
Boston could have the prospect to add to its roster on the 2024 PWHL Draft on June 10 in Saint Paul, Minnesota.