Takeaways: Boston's Season Comes to Bitter End in 8-1 Rout by Minnesota

For the first time since 2012, no Boston professional women’s hockey team will battle for a trophy. The Boston Fleet’s season came to a bitter end Saturday afternoon after they were blown out by the Minnesota Frost, 8-1. It was the Fleet’s largest margin of defeat ever, and the first time they surrendered more than five goals in a game.

Goal Rundown

Britta Curl-Salemme ripped one past Aerin Frankel to give Minnesota the lead just 2:25 into the game.

37 seconds later, Lee Stecklein went on a tour of the offensive zone before backhanding a shot past Frankel. 

By the time Boston took a penalty late in the opening frame, they were getting outshot 9-1, with their lone shot coming from center ice. Then, just 14 seconds into the penalty kill, Kendall Coyne Schofield made it 3-0 Minnesota at 16:24. Coyne Schofield’s goal marked the first time the Fleet had surrendered three goals in a first period.

Klára Peslarová took over the crease from Frankel to start the second period. 6:47 later, Sophie Jaques wristed one home to make it 4-0.

The Frost notched another power-play goal at 14:58 when Curl-Salemme potted her second of the game, this time from the doorstep.

With nothing left to lose, the Fleet pulled Peslarová for the first time at 3:15 of the third. She was in and out frequently until Brooke McQuigge potted one into the empty net at 7:19.

During a late Boston power play, they pulled Peslarová again, and Jaques took the opportunity to score an empty-net jailbreak goal at 15:09.

Just 24 seconds later, Jessica Digirolamo broke the goose egg for Boston with her first career PWHL goal, sailing the puck into the top corner past Nicole Hensley.

Finally, on yet another Fleet penalty, Klára Hymlárová scored her first career goal to make it 8-1 with 46 seconds remaining.

In goal, Frankel made seven saves before getting pulled, while Peslarová turned aside 12 to complete the loss. At the other end, Hensley stopped 29 Boston shots to secure Minnesota's playoff bid.

Takeaways

1. An inexcusable opening frame set the tone.

To say the Fleet had the first period of their nightmares would be an understatement. They were trailing 2-0 just over three minutes in, and didn’t land a shot on goal until 11:15, which came from center ice. That shot was their only one until a late power play, where they registered two more. It was simply an inexcusable start from a team with their season on the line, and it put them in a hole they couldn't climb out of. They did play a slightly better second period, but the bar was on the floor. Then, they were informed by team staff in the second intermission that the Ottawa Charge had clinched their spot, and while they still played a smidge better third than they did first, it was clear that morale had hit rock bottom and the season would soon be over. The Fleet were the comeback queens this season, but it's simply too much to expect that you can come back in a must-win game after falling multiple goals behind so early.

2. In the end, Minnesota simply wanted it more.

There isn’t much to say about this game other than that from the time the puck dropped to the time the final horn sounded, the Frost simply wanted this game more. They gave Boston little time and space, while the Fleet gave them far too much. They came in needing more points and it looked like it. That said, for the Fleet to get utterly blown out in a game they also needed a point in was a stunning way for the season to end that will leave a bitter tastes in their mouths all summer.

3. Despite the tough ending, the Fleet are grateful for their time together this season.

This is not the way the Fleet imagined their season ending. However, that doesn’t mean that once they get some distance, they won’t be able to look back and remember the good times they had.

“Obviously this hurt will last a while,” Megan Keller said postgame. “But I think we have a lot of great memories and joy to take away, and once this fades away, we're going to remember all the laughs that we had in the locker room, all the adversity that we overcame as a group. It was a special group to be a part of, so I think just cherishing those moments. We’re not going to play together again as a whole unit, so I think just remembering all the good times that we had.”

Captain Hilary Knight added that while it’s disappointing their legacy will not be celebrated, it was a privilege to be a member of the Fleet this season.

“It's such a privilege to be in that room,” Knight said. “We had people coming from all over trying to accomplish the common goal and to get that buy in from day one is just outstanding. It just speaks to the caliber and the character of people that we have on this roster. And Meg said earlier, it's tough when you don't get to celebrate that legacy. The only legacies that get celebrated are the winning teams, the championship teams. And so to see what some of our players went through this year, the adversity that they overcame, it's sad, it's disappointing that we didn't get a win to continue this story, and carry it forward and celebrate those legacies. [But] it's really just a privilege to be in that room. We’re extremely grateful for the way everybody showed up and the way people carry themselves on a day to day basis.”

Meanwhile, with loads of changes coming between the expansion draft, the entry draft, and free agency, head coach Courtney Kessel reflected on coaching the Fleet the past two seasons.

“It’s always the hardest part [knowing the group will change],” Kessel said. “Sure, we’re here to coach the game and we want to win, but at the end of the day, you’re around 26, 27 individuals that are amazing human beings and that show up and work hard and have a smile. My little son comes into the rink every Wednesday and they’re all like ‘Chris!’ and they’re on the ice skating with him, so the game is just a small part of a family that you create. It’s been a tremendous two years with these players....it’s an honor to be a part of this league, to be a part of this team, and to represent the Fleet.”

The Fleet now enter offseason mode, with their attention turning toward the looming mid-June expansion draft followed by the June 24 entry draft in Ottawa. In a normal year, they would have the second pick as the second team eliminated, but that may change with the incoming expansion teams, particularly since the Fleet banked no draft order points. Regardless, I’ll have plenty of offseason content for you, so be sure to stay tuned in the coming weeks and months.