
Connecticut goalie Sydney Rossman will be making her first All-Star appearance in February at the NWHL All-Star Game in Minnesota. (Photo courtesy Matt Raney, NWHL)
Four members of the Connecticut Whale have been selected to play in the 2018 National Women’s Hockey League All-Star game on Sunday, February 11, at the TRIA Rink, the state-of-the-art practice facility of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.
Forwards Kelly Babstock and Sam Faber were selected along with defender Amanda Boulier and goalie Sydney Rossman, who grew up in Minnesota. Babstock and Faber will play on Team Leveille while Boulier and Rossman will be on Team Ott.
It is the second straight All-Star appearance for Babstock and the first appearances for Boulier, Rossman and Faber.
Team captains Amanda Leveille and Brittany Ott made their selections Monday night via Twitter. Leville, who won the Isobel Cup last year with Buffalo, played at the University of Minnesota for four years from 2012-16. Ott won the Isobel Cup in 2016 with Boston.
Babstock is second on the Whale in scoring with six points (two goals, four assists) while Faber (three goals, two assists) is tied for the team lead in goals with rookie Emily Fluke (3-5, 8). It will be a homecoming for Rossman (2-7-1, 3.28 GAA), who won three high school state championships in Minnesota. The rookie had a stellar four-year career at Quinnipiac.
The Whale (2-7-1) have lost six straight games. Connecticut dropped a 2-1 decision to Buffalo in a shootout on Saturday. Rossman made 30 saves in net but it wasn’t enough. The Whale return to action on Saturday when they host undefeated Metropolitan Riveters at 7 p.m. at the Terry Connors Rink in Stamford.
Eleven of the 28 All-Stars have connections to Minnesota. Two players from the independent Minnesota Whitecaps will also play in the game.
2018 NWHL All-Star Rosters
Team Leveille
Goalies: Amanda Leveille, Beauts; Katie Fitzgerald, Riveters
Defenders: Lexi Bender, Pride; Jordyn Burns, Beauts; Lisa Chesson, Beauts, Sarah Edney, Beauts; Kelsey Koelzer, Riveters
Forwards: Kelly Babstock, Whale; Sam Faber, Whale; Kristin Lewicki, Beauts; Meagan Mangene, Pride; Rebecca Russo, Riveters; Kate Schipper, Minnesota Whitecaps; Janine Weber, Pride
Team Ott
Goalies: Brittany Ott, Pride; Sydney Rossman, Whale
Defenders: Amanda Boulier, Whale; Courtney Burke, Riveters; Jenny Ryan, Riveters; Alyssa Gagliardi, Pride; Michelle Picard, Riveters
Forwards: Corinne Buie, Beauts; Jillian Dempsey, Pride; Emily Field, Pride; Alexa Gruschow, Riveters; Sadie Lundquist, Minnesota Whitecaps; Hayley Scamurra, Beauts; Jordan Smelker, Pride
Buffalo 2, Connecticut 1, SO
At Buffalo (Sat. January 20)
Connecticut (2-7-1) 0 1 0 0 — 1
Buffalo (6-4) 0 1 0 0 — 2
First period
No scoring; Penalties – Kelly Babstock (CT) interference, 3:37; Maddie Elia (B) tripping, 16:24
Second period
Buffalo 1, Kourney Kunichika (Maddie Ela, Corinne Buie), 12:14; Connecticut 1, Juana Baribeau (Shannon Doyle, Grace Klienbach), 18:03; Penalties: Sam Faber (CT) hooking, 8:09; Connecticut, delay of game, 18:35
Third period
No scoring; Penalties: Rebecca Vint (B) hooking, 3:04; Rachael Ade (CT) hooking, 14:11
Overtime
No scoring; No penalties
Shootout: Buffalo – Maddie Elia (miss), Haley Scamurra (goal), Jess Jones (miss); Connecticut – Jordan Brickner (miss), Megan Huertas (miss), Kelly Babstock (miss)
Shots: Connecticut 32 (10-6-8-8), Buffalo 31 (10-12-8-1)
Saves: Buffalo – Amanda Leveille (W, 6-4) 32 shots, 31 saves; Connecticut – Sydney Rossman (L, 2-7-1), 31 shots, 30 saves
2018 National Women’s Hockey League standings
W-L-T | Pts | GF | GA | |
Metropolitan | 10-0 | 20 | 46 | 14 |
Buffalo | 6-4 | 12 | 29 | 31 |
Boston | 2-6-2 | 6 | 22 | 32 |
Connecticut | 2-7-1 | 5 | 16 | 36 |
Saturday, January 20
Metropolitan 5, Boston 1
Buffalo 2, Connecticut 1, Shootout
Sunday, January 21
Metropolitan 2, Boston 1
Saturday, January 27
Boston at Buffalo, 1:30 p.m.
Metropolitan at Connecticut, 7 p.m.
Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.


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