Whale defenseman Jordan Brickner had her sixth assist of the season Sunday in Connecticut’s 4-2 loss to Boston.
BOSTON, Mass., Feb. 14 – The team predicted to get to the top of the National Women’s Hockey League in its debut season has finally arrived. After 16 of the league’s 18 games, the Boston Pride are in first place in the NWHL.
The Pride edged the Connecticut Whale Sunday evening, 4-2, at Harvard’s Bright and Landry Center to move into first place with a 12-3-1 record. The Whale, which had led the league from the first week, slips into second place with a 12-4 record.
The two teams conclude their six-game season-long series against each other next Sunday at Chelsea Pier in Stamford at 1:30 p.m. Boston has won four of the five games between the two teams. After starting the season with an 11-1 record, Connecticut has lost three of its last four games – all to Boston.
The Pride have seven players in the U.S. national team – the most of any team in the league. Connecticut has two U.S. national team players.
Jordan Smelker led Boston with two goals and an assist. Smelker gave Boston a 1-0 lead with just 1:23 remaining in the first period off assists from Amanda Pelkey and Jillian Dempsey.
Boston grabbed a quick 2-0 lead, scoring just 35 seconds into the second period as Brianna Decker scored a power play goal off an assist from Alyssa Gagliardi and Gigi Marvin.
The Pride kept the pressure on Connecticut, which didn’t get a shot on Boston goalie Brittany Ott until more than 15 minutes into the second period. The Whale had one shot on goal in the second period. The Pride outshot Connecticut, 32-11 after two periods.
Still, it was just a one-goal game after Connecticut’s Brittany Dougherty scored her first goal of the season, an unassisted goal with 5:04 gone the period to cut the Boston lead to 2-1.
Boston extended its lead to 3-1 with 9:36 gone in the third period on Smelker’s goal off an assist from Hilary Knight.
With less than two minutes remaining, the Whale pulled goalie Nicole Stock and cut the lead to one on a goalie from Kate Buesser with 1:36 remaining. But after Kaleigh Fratkin was called for tripping with 40 seconds remaining, the Pride added an empty net goal to secure the victory.
Connecticut was outshot badly in the game by a 37-12 margin — by far the fewest shots that the Whale has managed in a single game. The previous low was 19 in a 5-2 loss to Boston two weeks ago.
Boston can clinch the overall regular season title and the top seed in the upcoming NWHL playoffs with a win or tie against Connecticut next Sunday. The Whale can clinch the regular season title and No. 1 seed with wins in their final two games.
Boston 4, Connecticut 2
At Boston
Connecticut (12-4) 0 0 2 — 2
Boston (12-3-1) 1 1 2 — 4
First period
Boston 1, Jordan Smelker (Amanda Pelkey, Jillian Dempsey), 18:37; Penalties – Molly Engstrom (Connecticut), holding, 13:28; Gigi Marvin (Boston), body checking), 15:54; Kelli Stack (Connecticut), slashing, 19:40
Second period
Boston 2, Brianna Decker (Alyssa Gagliardi, Gigi Marvin), 0:35 (pp); Penalties – Sam Faber (Connecticut) too many men on ice, 7:03
Third period
Connecticut 1, Britany Dougherty, 5:04; Boston 3, Smelker (Hilary Knight), 9:36; Connecticut 2, Kate Buesser (Jordan Brickner), 18:34; Boston 4, Marvin (Smelker), 19:04 (sh), empty net; Penalties – Kaleigh Fratkin (Connecticut), body checking, 2:30; Fratkin (Connecticut) tripping, 19:20
Shots on goal: Boston 37 (10-19-8), Connecticut 12 (5-1-6)
Goalies: Boston: Brittany Ott (W, 11-1) 12 shots, 10 saves; Connecticut: Nicole Stock (L, 3-2) 36 shots, 33 saves
National Women’s Hockey League
W-L-OL Pts
Boston 12-3-1 25
Connecticut 12-4-0 24
Buffalo 4-8-4 12
New York 4-10-2 10
Sunday, Feb. 14
Boston 4, Connecticut 2
New York 4, Buffalo 3, shootout
Sunday, Feb. 21
Boston at Connecticut, 1:30 p.m.
New York at Buffalo, 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 28
Boston at Buffalo, 3:30 p.m.
New York at Connecticut, 6 p.m.
End regular season
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