NWHL Goal of the Week: Putigna poppin’ bottles

Connecticut Whale fans, you might want to look away.

This week’s NWHL Goal of the Week was buried by Boston Pride rookie All-Star Christina Putigna. The Canadian winger more or less committed an act of war against Brooke Wolejko’s water bottle in Boston’s 5-1 victory over the Connecticut Whale in the Isobel Cup Semifinal on Sunday, March 8.

Putigna gave Boston a 3-1 lead when she picked up the puck at her own blue line and went wide down the boards into the Whale’s zone. With Taylor Marchin between her and Wolejko, she took a low percentage shot, through a screen, from outside of the faceoff dot, which she managed to put exactly where it needed to be — past the Whale goaltender’s glove and smacking her water bottle. Rude.

It’s important to remember that before this play, this was still a one-goal game and Wolejko was stopping almost everything. Putigna’s insurance goal was not only gorgeous, it also served as the bellows to Boston’s fire. It shifted the momentum just as much as Jillian Dempsey’s quick answer to Grace Klienbach’s goal in the second period.

Putigna and the Pride will play the Minnesota Whitecaps in the 2020 NWHL Isobel Cup Final on Friday at 7:15 p.m. ET. If the Pride prevail, they will be the first team to win the Isobel Cup twice.

Disclosure: the author of this article is currently employed by the NWHL.