By: Alexis Caines | Follow me on Twitter/X @alexiscaines_
Going, going, gone. It seemed like the one-goal game luck would eventually dry up, and on Sunday night in Ottawa, it finally did.
The Boston Fleet won Game One, but it wasn’t nearly enough, dropping the remaining three to get eliminated by the Ottawa Charge. But they didn’t go without a fight.
Down two goals in the second period, the Fleet had an offensive burst. They took the lead with three goals in 1:33, the fastest three goals scored by a team in both playoff and regular season history for the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
The Charge went on to tie the game, and after that, regulation expired. An extra 20 minutes didn’t cut it either, and the game headed to double overtime with the Fleet’s entire season on the line.
Shortly into 2OT, Michela Cava potted the heroic goal. Cava, a midseason trade acquisition for the Charge, is headed to her third straight Walter Cup Final. She’s already won twice as a member of the Minnesota Frost. She defeated the Charge last season to capture her second ring.
Ottawa’s best player by far was goaltender Gwyneth Philips, who recorded a 0.951 SV% and a 1.62 GAA in the series. The Fleet outshot in all four games, but just could not find a way to solve Philips.
Across from her was Aerin Frankel: the hands-down MVP of the Boston Fleet regular season. But her postseason was disappointing in comparison. In Game Three, Ottawa’s game-winning goal bounced off her pad and in during the dying seconds. She faced fewer shots by a margin close to 50. The team in front of her struggled to score, and in the series, they found that they couldn’t rely on Frankel to keep them alive.
The loss stings, and it should. The Fleet finished the regular season in second, but were tied for points with the first place MontrĆ©al Victoire. Boston’s 16 wins stood as a franchise record, and it came on the heels of a tough offseason. Heading into Season Three, the Fleet had lost Hilary Knight, Hannah Bilka, and bench boss Courtney Kessel. For many, they weren’t expected to get a go in the playoffs, but by January, it seemed almost guaranteed that wouldn’t be the case.
They became the fastest team in history to clinch a playoff berth on March 29th, following their 13th regulation win. They fought till the very final horn to determine who would finish in first. It was the Victoire who came out on top and earned the right to select their playoff opponent. After choosing the Frost, it left the Fleet meeting the Charge. In their regular-season matchup, the Fleet were 1-0-1-2, so it was by no means set to be an “easy” series, and it wasn’t.
The end of the season also marks the conclusion of Hannah Brandt’s hockey career. The Fleet center announced at the beginning of the year that she would be hanging up her skates to continue her schooling to become a Physician Assistant. She did not miss a single game in her three seasons.
There are lots of unknowns in the PWHL this offseason. PWHL Detroit was introduced last week, and the possibility of up to three more expansion teams looms. But the Fleet are solid in their core: Alina MĆ¼ller, Megan Keller, Aerin Frankel, and Head Coach Kris Sparre, who had an outstanding first season.
The rookie class played a huge role in the team’s success. Haley Winn led all skaters in time-on-ice during the regular season. She’s the favorite for Rookie of the Year, and could even get a good look at Defender of the Year Finalist. Forward Abby Newhook wasn’t on the ice for a single 5-on-5 goal in her rookie season. The Fleet scored 28-3, in all situations, with her on the ice. Ella Huber recorded four goals for the Fleet, and three were game-winning.
After the Game Four loss Fleet Head Coach Kris Sparre spoke with the media saying, “We have an incredible group of players who came to work every day and made my job easy. As a first-year head coach, I couldnāt have asked for more. It sucks here tonight, but Iām certainly thankful and proud of our group.“
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