Pride Pounce On Riveters, Win 8-1.
The NWHL has been known for competitive, close games. 11 of the first 22 games in the inaugural season have been decided by one goal (including shootout wins). The Boston Pride and New York Riveters had already played a pair of 3-2 games in November. The Pride came in at 7-3, their previous game was a 4-3 overtime loss to the Buffalo Beauts. The Riveters started the night 3-7, losing the night before 4-3 to the first place Connecticut Whale.
This game had a lot of emotion in it from the beginning. Pride Defensemen Alyssa Gagliardi spearheaded the DIFD Youth Mental Health Fundraiser and Awareness Game. Hilary Knight after the game said “We’re thankful for the fans who came out to support this cause and we’re fortunate that we have this platform to help out causes like this.” The team was also clearly emotional about the health of Denna Laing. Fans had a posters of support for Laing throughout the arena and every player on both sides wore a #24 sticker on the left side of their helmets in honor of Laing. After the game, the Pride and Riveters took a picture to support the DIFD project and the Pride took one in support of Laing and her recovery.
The starters for the Riveters were Bray Ketchum, Janine Weber, Brooke Ammerman, Sydney Kidd, Kira Dosdall and Jenny Scrivens in net. The question of the game was if New York was going to be tired out from playing the night before.
The starters for the Pride were Emily Field, Rachel Llanes, Corinne Buie, Marissa Gedman, Alyssa Gagliardi and Brittany Ott defending the goal. The question for Boston was how they would bounce back from the tough loss one week prior.
Game Recap from @MyWSports on Twitter
Hickel gets center pass in front of Scrivens... can't control puck.
Scharfe puts first shot on net, Ott fumbles it, but keeps it out of the goal
Boston penalty on #16 Pelkey, 2 min for body checking
Great defense on the Penalty Kill, Blake Bolden, Meagan Mangene, and Brianna Decker swarming the puck! 1 Rivs shot, 0 by Brittany Ott
Alyssa Gagliardi loses stick, ref gets in the way, she says hello politely... GET OUT MY WAY!
Rebound off first shot of game, is a goal for the Pride!!! Goal scored by Jillian Dempsey, assisted by Amanda Pelkey and Zoe Hickel. Pride 1-0
Teammate love. After scoring her goal, Dempsey tapped on the glass in front of a fan poster made in support of Denna Laing
Riveters chip it into the zone to Fritz-Ward, but Blake Bolden says "Not in my zone..."
End of the first, 1-0 Boston Pride, Riveters leading Shots on Goal 8-4. But Pride controlling the play most of the period
GOOOOAALALLLL #91 Rachel Llanes takes another rebound off of Jenny Scrivens pads and jams it home!!! Assist by Corinne Buie. Pride 2-0
Ott just got help from the post, then went to the ground to make a save, then shut down 2 more rebounds, ALL WHILE STILL ON THE GROUND!
It's a good thing the pride have gotten some great rebounds today... they still only have 6 SOG 25 min in...
Riveters penalty. Pride get their first Power Play
First penalty on Kidd, now Dosdall sent to box, the Pride 5 on 3 power play!!
GOOOAAALALLLL Power Play goal, Brianna Decker blasts one past Scrivens, assist to #21 Hilary Night. Pride 3-0
3 goals on 9 shots... I think the Pride have answered the question... Yes, they are bouncing back from the OT loss last week!
4-0!!!! Corinne Buie drives a point blank shot into the back of the net. Assists by Field and Llanes
Pride penalty on #3 Dempsey. Riveters need to put one in here on the PP...
No goal for the Riveters, Ott just too good
Decker hits the post... OH NO… Knight jams it in... OH YES!!! Pride 5-0
Nana Fujimoto takes over in net for the Riveters
We can answer the Riveters question too. It has nothing to do with being tired...the Pride are around the net for every rebound
End of the 2nd, the Pride up 5-0 and lead shots on goal 22-16
6-0!!! GOAL!!! Amanda Pelkey assisted by Dempsey, Dempsey is all over the score sheet tonight!
WHAT!!! #3 Jillian Dempsey AGAIN!!! I think we found the Riveters Kryptonite and she goes by the name Jillian!!! Pride 7-0
SOMEONE check the NET!!! It looks a little bigger for the Pride today! Jordan Smelker. 8-0 PRIDE!!
Riveters put 1 on the board! Goal by #17 Bray Ketchum. Ott leaves 5 hole open
Ott heads to bench, Fralick the destroyer into the net for the Pride.
Pride win 8-1, SOG: Pride 33, Riveters 17.
Reflection
Hilary Knight after the game said “We’re coming together at the right time and playing our best hockey right now.” She couldn’t have said it better. The Pride are the best team in the NWHL right now and if they continue to play like they did tonight, they’ll be hoisting the Isobel Cup at the end of the year.
These two teams are moving in opposite directions. The Pride went to Connecticut and beat the undefeated Whale at the end of 2015 without 6 national team players. Now that those players are back in the lineup, the Pride are a powerful team. Tonight the Pride passed the puck better than in previous games, they attacked the net and kept punching at rebounds, and they got great goaltending from the best goalie in the league.
The Riveters on the other hand have dropped 3 straight and have holes that might not be able to be fixed this season. It was clear today that the Riveters defense is the weak part of their game. The defense was unable to get to the rebounds first, they were unable to keep the front of the net clear, and they were unable to get the puck out of the defensive zone. The offense also was not up to the task tonight, putting only 17 chances on net and many of them were not high percentage chances.
With the Connecticut Whale also beating the Buffalo Beauts tonight, it sets up a great showdown between the Whale and the Pride in Boston next Sunday at 3 pm. The Beauts looked like they were moving in the right direction last week and even though they lost to the Whale, they will hang tough in every game. They will head to New York to play next Sunday night at 7 pm.
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