Second Period Lifts Pride Over Rival Riveters
(@TheBostonPride/Twitter)
Buffalo, NY - The Boston Pride took the ice for a second straight night during the National Women's Hockey League Opening Weekend on Saturday, this time taking on rival the New York Riveters. Boston had won four of six contest last year against the Riveters, but New York made some major offseason additions and look poise to compete for an Isobel Cup this season.
Boston coming off a impressive, 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Beauts on Friday night looked like the Pride of last year dominating possession and pressuring the opponents defense and goaltender.
The Pride took a 1-0 first period lead when Alex Carpenter scored her first professional goal, after sneaking one past Sojung Shin. The lead was short lived as another rookie, Miye D'Oench responded for New York a minute later. The teams skated to a 1-1 draw at the end of the first period.
Pride coach Bobby Jay might have had some choice words about what the score should have been going into the first intermission. Boston outshot New York and controlled most of the tempo throughout the period.
In the second, the Pride responded when, Isobel Cup MVP, Brianna Decker gave Boston the lead 3:24 into the period. The Pride attack continued when New York's Kaleigh Fratkin was given a body checking penalty. Blake Bolden launched one past Shin on the power play to give Boston a 3-1 lead.
Midway through the period, Decker and Jordan Smelker connected for the Pride's fourth goal on the night. Minutes later, Rachel Llanes worked into the offensive zone and beat Shin to give Boston a controlling 5-1 lead. The Riveters didn't quite though, Milica McMillen netted a Power Play goal two minutes later to keep New York in the game.
Starting the third, Katie Fitzgerald stepped between the pipes for New York. Riding momentum from the end of the second, New York began its push to level the score. Tatiana Rafter would bring the Riveters within two goals 6:33 into the third on a feed from Rebecca Russo. Boston would buckle down defensively and net a shorthanded goal by another Boston College Alum, Emily Field.
Boston defeated New York 6-3 on Saturday night.
