Boston visits New York for the first time in a battle between two playoff outsiders
ELMONT, NY (March 25, 2024) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) schedule wraps up before the International Break with a Monday night game between New York and Boston at 7:00 p.m. ET at UBS Arena.
WHERE TO WATCH
Fans in the United States can watch the game live on MSGSNHD/Z1-Z2 channels, on NESN+ or streamed on the NESN 360 app by logging in with their TV provider or purchasing a direct subscription. The game is available on Bally Sports North Extra, Bally Sports Detroit, Bally Sports Detroit Extra, Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports San Diego, Bally Sports South, Bally Sports Southern California, Bally Sports Wisconsin, the Bally Sports app on mobile and tablet devices (including iOS and Android), ballysports.com when authenticated using pay-TV credentials, and on Bally Sports+, the standalone streaming subscription service available from Bally Sports. The game will also be streamed on the league’s YouTube channel and in Canada on CBC Gem. Jamie Hersch will have the play-by-play call alongside analyst David Starman.
TONIGHT AT UBS ARENA
It’s ‘New York Night’ tonight at UBS Arena where PWHL New York will have some special guests in attendance. The team will be highlighting PowerPlay NYC – an organization with the mission to advance the lives of girls through sports, helping them grow physically, emotionally, and academically stronger. PowerPlay’s programming focuses on teaching girls fundamental skills in a variety of sports so they become confident in their athletic abilities and enjoy playing. The team will also be joined by Anthem Buddies from Riverbank Hockey. Also happening at UBS Arena, a special women’s edition of NHL Tonight on NHL Network will broadcast live from the venue before puck drop. Hosts Lauren Gardner and Kathryn Tappen will be joined by PWHL guests from tonight’s competing teams.
SETTING THE STAGE
Two teams on the outside of the playoff picture look to keep pace with the competition and head into the International Break on a high note. Boston (4-4-2-8) is in fifth place with 22 points, five back of Ottawa, and New York (2-4-3-9) is in sixth place with 17 points, five back of Boston. This is the fourth meeting between the two teams and the first game they will play outside of Boston. The teams last met on Mar. 10 at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in a game won by Boston 3-2 in overtime. Boston has collected just two points in the three games that have followed, beating Ottawa 2-1 in a shootout in Detroit on Mar. 16. They most recently lost to Toronto 2-1 last Wednesday. New York has lost seven straight games and have suffered their two biggest defeats of the season since playing Boston. They dropped a 5-1 decision to Minnesota on Mar. 16, and most recently a 3-0 loss to Ottawa last Wednesday at Bridgeport’s Total Mortgage Arena. Their last win was at UBS Arena against Montréal on Feb. 21 in a 2-1 shootout. Both teams are tied for last with a goals-per-game average of 2.0 and have been particularly starved for offense of late. In their last 10 games, Boston has scored three or more goals in regulation just once, and New York twice in their last 10. Boston won its first four road games of the season but have lost their last four and have a league-low 11 points in eight games as the visiting team. New York has managed just three points as the home team in seven games, including two points in three games at UBS Arena. The teams will face each other again in their first game following the break on April 20.
THE SEASON SERIES SO FAR
New York leads Boston in the season series 6-3 in points with each of the first three games played at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. Only the first game on Jan. 20 was settled in regulation with New York prevailing 4-1, powered by a Jade Downie-Landry hat trick. The last two games were overtime decisions including Feb. 17 when Alex Carpenter was the hero in New York’s 2-1 victory, and Mar. 10 when Hannah Brandt scored the winner in Boston’s 3-2 triumph. Brandt scored twice in that game and Jamie Lee Rattray had two assists. Sophie Shirley also tallied for Boston, while New York’s goals were scored by Elizabeth Giguère who netted her first of the season and Jaime Bourbonnais with her third of the campaign. Head-to-head scoring leaders include Downie-Landry with four points, followed by Bourbonnais and Carpenter with three points in three games. In goal, tonight’s starters went head-to-head in game two of the season series with Corinne Schroeder stopping 34 of 35 in the win, and Aerin Frankel stopping 22 of 24 in the loss. Schroeder also won the first game with a 32-save performance for a two-game save percentage of .971. Boston is the only team New York has outscored this season 8-5. New York-Boston is also the only home-away matchup in the PWHL that hasn’t been played.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Today’s game features three of the league’s top scoring defenders, led by New York’s Ella Shelton who ranks first with 13 points, including four goals and nine assists in 18 games. She’s followed by Boston’s Megan Keller (3G 8A) who has 11 points, and New York’s Jaime Bourbonnais (3G 7A) who is tied for third in scoring at the position with 10 points. New York’s Alex Carpenter (8G 10A) is second in overall scoring with 18 points. Her 10 assists are tied for second in the league with Alina Müller (2G 10A) who leads Boston in scoring with 12 points. Carpenter is most dangerous on special teams where she’s produced eight powerplay points plus one shorthanded goal. Her eight points on the advantage are tied with Shelton for the league-lead, followed by teammate Abby Roque with seven. Roque (4G 7A) is tied with Jessie Eldridge (6G 5A) for third in team scoring with 11 points. Jamie Lee Rattray (2G 8A) is third in Boston scoring with 10 points, while two of the team’s trade acquisitions are tied for fourth with eight points each. Lexie Adzija (5G 3A) will play in her second game with the team since joining a week ago at the deadline from Ottawa, and Susanna Tapani (3G 5A) has produced three points in her 11 games with the team since joining from Minnesota in February. Boston defender Sidney Morin is not afraid to shoot the puck and ranks second on the team in the category with 50. She was rewarded last game with her first goal of the season that ended the team’s 12-game scoreless drought on the powerplay.
NEW YORK CONNECTIONS
Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel will play in her first PWHL game in her home state. The 24-year-old hails from nearby Chappaqua, NY. Following the game, her and teammates Megan Keller and Hilary Knight, and New York’s Alex Carpenter, will get set to head to the U.S. Women’s National Team Evaluation Camp, March 27-30 at the Lake Placid Olympic Center, with their sights set on representing their country on home ice at the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Utica, NY, April 3-14. Other New York connections on Boston include defender Jessica Digirolamo who attended Syracuse University, plus Clarkson University alumnae Loren Gabel, Caitrin Lonergan, and Jamie Lee Rattray. On the pro side, Amanda Pelkey played last season with the PHF’s Metropolitan Riveters along with reserve player Kelly Babstock who played three seasons with the team. Kaleigh Fratkin was also a member of the New York Riveters back in 2016-17, and Jess Healey played for the Buffalo Beauts last season.
FROZEN FOUR AND PATTY KAZMAIER
New York’s Paetyn Levis will surely be smiling today after watching her former Ohio State Buckeyes skate to a 1-0 victory over Wisconsin to be crowned 2024 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four champions. Levis was a member of the 2022 National Champions and earned Tournament MVP honors with a goal in both games. She is one of eight former Buckeyes across the PWHL. The winner of the 2024 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, which goes to the top player in NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey, is forward Izzy Daniel from Cornell University Big Red. The last 10 award recipients are currently competing in the PWHL including Boston’s Aerin Frankel (2021, Northeastern), Loren Gabel (2019, Clarkson), and Jamie Lee Rattray (2014, Clarkson), and New York’s Elizabeth Giguère (2020, Clarkson), and Alex Carpenter (2015, Boston College).
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“We liked aspects of our game against Boston last time we played them. Today’s game provides the opportunity to move towards a more consistent 60 minutes of hockey and gain some ground on another team that’s hunting for a playoff spot!” – Howie Draper, New York
“We’re feeling really excited. These are big points so we’re really looking forward to playing our game and hopefully getting a win.” – Taylor Girard, Boston
“We have to starting winning games if we want to make the playoffs. We’re looking to bear down here before the break.” – Courtney Kessel, Boston
QUICK HITS
Boston (-9) is fifth in goal differential and New York (-11) ranks sixth…Boston (2.0) and New York (2.0) are tied for fifth in goals-per-game average…Boston (2.50) allows the third most goals-per-game and New York (2.61) allows the second most on average…Boston has scored the game’s first goal seven times and won six of those games, New York has scored first in six of their games and won four of them…Both teams have scored their most goals in the third period with 14 for New York and 13 for Boston…Both teams have played in 10 one-goal games with Boston winning six and New York winning four…Boston (+12) is fourth in shot differential and New York (-135) ranks sixth…Boston (28.22) is third in shots-per-game average and New York (26.78) ranks sixth…Boston (27.44) allows the third fewest shots-per-game and New York (34.22) allows the most on average…Boston has outshot its opponents in seven games, New York in one game…New York (7.61) is first in penalty minutes per game and Boston (6.00) ranks fifth…New York (12/58) is second in powerplay efficiency at 20.7%…Boston (3/43) ranks sixth on the PP at 7.0%…New York (50/55) is second in penalty kill efficiency at 90.9%…Boston (41/48) ranks third on the PK at 85.4%…Alex Carpenter (NY) is second in league scoring with 18 points…Carpenter and Alina Müller (BOS) are in a five-way tie for second in assists with 10…Ella Shelton (NY) leads all defenders with 13 points…Megan Keller (BOS) is second among defenders with 11 points…Carpenter and Shelton are tied for the league-lead with eight powerplay points…Susanna Tapani (BOS) is second with a plus-11 rating…Jessie Eldridge leads New York with 68 shots on goal…Hilary Knight leads Boston with 56 shots…Abby Roque (145/239) leads New York with a face-off percentage of 60.7%…Carpenter (60.3%) leads the team with 335 draws…Hannah Brandt (152/279) leads Boston in face-offs and with a win-rate of 54.5%…Corinne Schroeder (NY) has won five of her 11 starts with one shutout along with a goals-against-average of 2.25 and save percentage of .935 that ranks second…Aerin Frankel (BOS) has won five of her 12 starts with one shutout and a 2.01 GAA and .929 SV%…Kaleigh Fratkin (BOS) celebrated her 32nd birthday on Sunday…New York is dressing the same forward lines and defensive pairings as in last Wednesday’s game.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
NEW YORK:
Woods | Carpenter | Eldridge
Saulnier | Roque | Levis
Aurard | Downie-Landry | Giguère
Vespa | Labelle | Packer
Norcross
Hobson | Shelton
Zandee-Hart | Bourbonnais
Fällman | Baker
Schroeder | Levy
Scratches: Post, Zafuto
BOSTON:
Adzija |Müller | Shirley
Rattray | Brandt | Knight
Marvin | Tapani | Pelkey
Girard | Kosta | Wenczkowski
Keller | Fratkin
Brown | DiGirolamo
Morin | Healey
Cook
Frankel | Söderberg
Scratches: Gabel, Kronish, Schafzahl
OFFICIALS:
Referees: Sydney Harris (Monument, CO) and Jake Kamrass (Atlanta, GA).
Linespersons: Antoine Bujold-Roux (Ottawa, ON & Albany, NY) and Matt Heinen (Hull, MA).
Follow the league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial plus team accounts @pwhl_newyork and @pwhl_boston.