By: Alexis Caines | Follow me on Twitter / X @alexiscaines_
The Boston Fleet shut out the visiting Vancouver Goldeneyes 2-0 yesterday, which propelled them into first place alone. The game showcased their depth, with first points and first goals, and backed by none other than Aerin Frankel.
The 35-save shutout was Frankel’s sixth of the season, which broke the league record that she set herself on Saturday night. She now has more shutouts this season than any PWHL goaltender has in their entire career. The “Green Monster” has officially jumped into first for goaltending standings.
Frankel has produced a strong MVP campaign in her 20 starts this season. She has stats and holds records that are etched into franchise history.
The first period expired with the two teams locked at zero. Boston led shots on goal 8-6, and both teams had Grade A chances that could have found the back of the net. In net for Vancouver was Kristen Campbell, who has had most of the starts in the absence of Emerance Maschmeyer.
Fleet forward Laura Kluge found the back of the net near the halfway point of the second period. The goal was a tip-in of Megan Keller’s rocket from the blueline. It was Kluge’s first PWHL goal. “I was kind of getting closer to actually scoring in the last couple games, so I’m really happy. Glad I finally got that out of the way. I struggled a lot coming back [from the Olympics]. The transition was really hard, but I think I found my [way back to my] game a bit the last couple games.“
Mia Biotti recorded her first PWHL point with the secondary assist on Kluge’s goal. The Cambridge, MA native played collegiate hockey at Harvard University. She’s been playing her minutes alongside Keller, who has been a strong role model for Biotti to learn from.
All too familiar for the Fleet, most of the game went by as a one-goal game. It’s in these crucial moments that Frankel rises to the occasion and keeps her team in it. The Goldeneyes recorded 16 shots on goal in the middle frame. They also had two looks at their power-play, both of which were unsuccessful.
Susanna Tapani gave fans a sigh of relief with an empty-netter to take a late 2-0 lead. She has six points in her last six games.
The Fleet have scored 51 goals in 22 games this season, ranking fourth in the league in goals scored. Yet they haven’t fallen out of a playoff spot the entire season and have remained in first for a majority of the season, only dropping a few times.
The power play has also struggled in recent games. Fleet Assistant Coach Jordan LaVallée-Smotherman said, “I think it’s about getting one to go. When it goes on from game to game, it can wear on the group mentally and we can make little adjustments here and there, but it’s about finding that one. We’ve liked our looks, we had a couple we’re really happy with tonight.“
Boston is headed out on a road trip, starting on Friday night against the Toronto Sceptres. They’ll then head West to visit the Minnesota Frost, before landing in Edmonton for the Takeover Tour against the Goldeyes again. Their next home game will be in front of a sold-out crowd at TD Garden, which will smash their previous home attendance record by about 10,000.
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