LOWELL, Mass. — The Boston Fleet won their first game of the season by defeating the New York Sirens 4-2 at Tsongas Center on Sunday.
The Fleet got scoring from the blue line with Sydney Bard potting her career goal on the power play late in the first period, and alternate captain Megan Keller tallied her first and second goals of the season in the third period.
“Honestly, to (score) it at home was pretty special,” Bard told reporters about recording her first goal after the game. “It’s a really special group that we have. Electric building. I just honestly was trying to get it on net.
“We had the man advantage, and I missed the first one, hit (Allyson Simpson), and then thought the second time’s the charm. Just got lucky on that.”
Fleet coach Courtney Kessel was thrilled to see Boston’s fourth-round draft pick light the lamp for the first time.
“She’s just someone that loves the game so much,” Kessel said. “She shows up early, leaves late and she’s willing to get better. So, really happy to see her put one in here pretty early in the season.”
Boston’s penalty kill has been solid all season, allowing just one goal in seven shorthanded situations, but it really needed to step up against New York. The Fleet were penalized six times against the Sirens, including three straight in the final period.
Kessel said the PK was tested too often in the game but thought the players did a good job keeping New York off the board overall, especially given the new “no escape rule” this season.
“It was a little scary at first when the whistle went, but kind of cool at the end of it,” Kessel explained. “(Loren) Gabel and (Sophie) Shirley were stuck on the ice there, and Megan Keller, our top D was in the box, and Gable and Shirley aren’t normally PKers, right? So, you could just kind of see their eyes widen.
“Just really cool to hear the bench after they did a great job, got a whistle coming off, and I think it’s really special when you’re group comes together and cheers for players doing things that they’re not used to doing.”
Here are more notes from Sunday’s Fleet-Sirens game:
— Coming into the game, Boston was the only PWHL team without a win, and New York was the league’s only unbeaten team. The Fleet are 1-2-0 through three games, while the Sirens have a 2-1-0 record.
— Bard played her collegiate hockey at Colgate University. The defender’s milestone marker was opposite her former Raiders coach Greg Fargo, who is the head coach for the Sirens. Bard admitted she hadn’t thought about the connection and praised her former mentor.
“I honestly didn’t think about that,” Bard said. “Credit to Fargo. He is such an amazing coach. I had the privilege to be with him for five years. Him in the building … obviously, you want to step up my game for him. He’s been a huge supporter of me just in my career and even now, just being on opposing teams, he’s been a huge part of my success and my journey.”
— The Fleet’s first goal of the game, scored by Susanna Tapani, produced the first points of the season for all three players involved in the play. Both Theresa Schafzahl and Sidney Morin earned an assist each on the tally.
— The PWHL began its nine-day international break following the Fleet-Sirens game. Boston hosts the Ottawa Charge at Tsongas Center coming out of the break on Dec. 17.
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