Beauts Punch Their Ticket to the First Ever Isobel Cup Finals

Buffalo Beauts are heading to Isobel Cup Finals (Erica Ayala/MyWSports)

Yesterday in game 3 of the Isobel Cup Semifinals, third place Buffalo knocked out the Connecticut Whale on the second seed’s home ice. The Beauts capitalized on their win Saturday night, as well as the return of Assistant Captain Meghan Duggan, overpowering the Whale and earning a 4-3 win in the third and deciding game of the series

There were additions to the roster for both teams, bringing rested legs to the game. Like Duggan and Kelley Steadman the night before, Alyssa Wohfeiler also returned from coaching responsibilities to compete in last night’s game. Both Steadman & Duggan would see their NCAA teams eliminated from conference play. Wohfeiler and the UMASS-Boston Beacons picked up two wins over the weekend.

First Period

Both teams came out fast and eager to score, but it would be Buffalo that notched the first goal of the game. Devon Skeats beat Whale goalie, Nicole Stock to get the scoring started for the evening. Kelli Stack of the Connecticut Whale responded with a goal of her own with under six minutes left in the first period.

Second Period

The second period put Brianne McLaughlin of the Beauts to the test. The Whale came out eager to build off Stack’s goal. Things got interesting with under two minutes left in the second period. With McDonald in the box for hooking, the Whale had good possession at the beginning of the power play. The last 40 seconds of the second period was equal parts confusing and frustrating for the Whale. The Whale were stunned by a mystery whistle that stopped Kelly Babstock in her tracks, all leading to the second Buffalo goal by Hailey Browne.

Third Period

Coming into the third period, the Whale attacked the net, eventually finding their second equalizer of the game. Babstock beat McLaughlin 5-hole within the first minutes of the third period. The Whale continued to spray McLaughlin, but to no avail. The Whale continued to push the tempo, but the aggressive play eventually lead to a Beauts power play. It would be Devon Skeats that made the Whale pay.

Down 3-2, Stock was pulled from net, with an extra skater and Paige Harrington in the box, the Whale looked to get aggressive. However, Connecticut was unable to control the puck amid pressure from Steadman and Duggan. It would be Megan Bozek who found the puck and scored the shorthanded goal with 1:14 left in the 3rd period. The Beauts looked ready to celebrate, but the Whale weren’t quite done battling. Babstock again attacked the net and beat McLaughlin with 42.5 seconds left. Stock would retreat to the bench once more in favor of more offensive support. However, the clock would expire without an equalizer, sending the 3rd place Buffalo Beauts to the Inaugural Isobel Cup Finals.

Player Reactions

After the game, McLaughlin discussed her focus coming into the game, “Let in less goals than the other goalie (laughs). This team plays so good together. I don’t know if I’ve ever been on a team that battles this hard, all the time.” The starting goalie for all three games also discussed the hard-fought road that led the Beauts to a third place finish in the regular season, and now to the NWHL Finals, “We just had to go through our process … we struggled a little bit, just kind of, gelling together. We were trying to be fancy and create plays, and we kinda figured out that wasn’t gonna be us, that’s not what was gonna make us successful. It was going to be the winning battles and the blocking shots, and more heart.”

Team USA Captain, Meghan Duggan discussed the personal challenges she faced entering yesterday’s contest, “Today was probably the craziest it’s been … having to turn around my body and turn around my emotions”. Duggan arrived to Chelsea Piers for the deciding game 45 minutes before the scheduled puck drop, and roughly two hours after coaching in the ECAC Championship match.

“For me, the first period and warm-ups was a bit of a whirlwind, but I love the sport. Coaching, playing; I’d do anything for it, any day of the week.”

Duggan and the Beauts will return to Buffalo for practice on Wednesday in preparation for the Isobel Cup Finals. The Beauts likely took the ride home to celebrate the win, but the countdown to the first ever Isobel Cup Finals begins today, “I think we’re gonna take tonight and celebrate a bit. It was a huge, huge win for us” said Duggan, “that [preparation] process begins tomorrow I guess, or tonight with a little bit of recovery.”

MyWSports will be reporting live from Prudential Center Practice Facility beginning Friday for the action. Tickets to the Isobel Cup Finals can be purchased on NWHL.co

Follow Erica Ayala on Twitter @ELindsay08