By: Alexis Caines | Follow me on Twitter / X @alexiscaines_
The Boston Fleet blanked the Seattle Torrent 3-0 on Saturday at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts. It was the second-straight sellout with a record-setting crowd of Fleet faithful. Goaltender Aerin Frankel set the PWHL record for most shutouts in a single season with her win. The Fleet hold on to their top spot in the league.
It was Theresa Schafzahl’s return to Boston after being traded for Jessie Eldridge. She didn’t have to wait long to return, as the game came just five days after the trade. Schafzahl received a warm welcome back during the first TV-timeout.
Seattle came out to a quick start, recording three shots in their first shift of the game. They also got a few early power-play looks but were unable to capitalize. The Torrent were without two of their best players, Captain Hilary Knight and Hannah Bilka. Both are former Fleet players lost in the expansion.
The Fleet struck first with a goal from rookie Abby Newhook. Megan Keller collected the puck and skated behind the net before feeding it to Newhook, who was positioned perfectly in front of Torrent goalie Corinne Schroeder. With her sixth of the season, she is now second in goals scored by a rookie.
It remained 1-0 after the middle frame, with Boston leading shots on goal 26-18. Both teams had chances on the power play but were unable to convert. Both Frankel and Schroeder faced high danger chances but stood tall in their nets.
Five minutes into the third period, Susanna Tapani connected with Jamie Lee Rattray and Sophie Shirley for her seventh goal of the season to take the 2-0 lead. Rattray dished the puck to Shirley, who was net-front and able to pass to Tapani for the tap-in.
Shirley slotted back into the Fleet lineup after missing time due to a lower-body injury sustained on January 18th. She played on the fourth line at right wing and recorded one assist and 9:50 time on ice in her return.
After the game, Shirley spoke on what she wanted to bring to the game, saying, “I was trying to get my feet moving as best as I could, and it felt good. I’ve always seen my speed as my superpower and anytime I can use that to my advantage, I try to do that to help out the team. For this being my first game back, that was the one thing I wanted to focus on.“
The Fleet took a convincing 3-0 lead thanks to Haley Winn with about ten minutes to go. The 2025 second overall pick notched her third of the season by firing from the top of the circle. Winn is third in points by a defender this season.
Aerin Frankel earned the shutout with a 21-save performance. It was her fifth shutout of the season and set the PWHL record for most single-season shutouts. Her MVP campaign has been strong so far this season, and the pressure is on with just nine games remaining for the Fleet.
Head Coach Kris Sparre was asked about his decision to play Frankel so often. “She’s obviously a special goaltender and when she’s getting two or three days in between games it’s hard not to play her,” he said. “She wants the net.”
Frankel has played in 19 of 21 games this season. The other two starts belong to Abbey Levy, who is 1-1-0-0 with a .938 SV%. The Fleet have a few shorter windows coming down the stretch but no more back-to-backs remaining.
The three-point win keeps the Fleet tied for first place with the Minnesota Frost. The Montréal Victoire will also look for three points tomorrow night to join in on the first-place fun.
The Fleet will be back in action on Tuesday, hosting the Vancouver Goldeneyes. The teams will meet at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, MA, for a 7pm puck drop.
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