Trivigno’s signing bringing Beauts closer to completion
More depth down the middle? Yes, please.
After a rough first half of the 2021-22 season, the Beauts are starting to gain some heat heading into the final weeks before playoffs. With their defense improving and giving its goaltenders the support they need, the main focus is building up the front end, and their signing of two-time Worlds gold medalist Dana Trivigno is putting them right on track to achieve that heading to Tampa.
SIGNING NEWS: 2-time @TeamUSA World Championship gold medalist Dana Trivigno (@DANEgles8) has signed with the #Beauts for the remainder of ‘21-‘22 #PHF season🥇Trivigno scored 57G-81A-138P in 148 games for @BC_WHockey.
— Buffalo Beauts (@BuffaloBeauts) March 9, 2022
📝: https://t.co/C4qPQmwUGt#FortBeaut pic.twitter.com/2sXGdHIPaj
General manager Nate Oliver announced the signing Wednesday morning, with Trivigno set to make her debut most likely during Sunday’s game in Connecticut. The Beauts become the third PHF team she’s suited up for, having previously played for the Pride and the Whale.
This gives Buffalo a significant scoring edge, something they are still trying to work on heading into the tail end of March. Trivigno, as Mike Murphy pointed out on Twitter, is emblematic of Beauts’ identity especially through these last seven games — she’s hardworking and versatile, and the center depth alongside both Cassidys (Vinkle and Macpherson) and Kennedy Ganser has just intensified, creating the potential for four scoring lines (or at least a more consistent top six). Moreover, her skills with the puck are droolworthy, as evidenced by this highlight-reel goal from her days at Boston College (blame Youtube for not having more recent clips, okay):
Trivigno’s edge can also bring a much-needed “oomph” to their skater advantage. It’s been no secret that the Beauts’ special teams have struggled most of the season, especially when it comes to puck movement, shots, and net presence. Trivigno can provide all of these, which means we might see a marked improvement in the power play as well as a defensive edge on the penalty kill. Special teams, after all, are important, and will be even more so in a high-stakes playoff series.
Some fans who have watched the Beauts’ progress might wonder how this could potentially negatively impact the lineup, as another forward means mixing and matching until the right balance is struck (something that seemed to impede more than help them in the first half). However, I really think that, like when they signed Claudia Kepler, they could see a positive impact immediately with her kind of skillset. We’ll find out this weekend, as the Beauts take their final road trip before playoffs to finish their series against the Whale. Puck drops are at 3 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in Danbury.
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