Buffalo Beauts Fall in Final Home Game to Connecticut
Connecticut Whale earn split on weekend stay out of last place in standings (@NWHL/Twitter)
Buffalo, NY - The NWHL regular season is coming to an end and we are finally able to see what the race to the Isobel Cup playoffs will look like. On Sunday, the Connecticut Whale traveled to Buffalo to take on the Beauts for a positioning battle for the #3 and #4 seed in the NWHL standings. Connecticut fresh off of two tough losses in which they gave up multi-goal leads were looking to right the ship and gain some momentum going into the final weekend of regular season hockey.
Connecticut has scored the most first period goals in the NWHL this season and on Sunday continued to add to that stat. Nicole Connery scored a shorthanded goal at 12:53 in the first to give the Whale a 1-0 lead. Buffalo outshot Connecticut in the frame 11-9 but could not convert on their two power play opportunities in the first.
Buffalo found the equalizer in the second when Megan Bozek blasted one past Shenae Lundberg while on the power play. Just about three minutes later, Connecticut started to find their stride and Haley Skarupa responded for the Whale giving them a 2-1 lead.
After a scoreless 20 minutes, the Whale picked up a third period goal from Nicole Kosta to give Connecticut a 3-1 lead. Buffalo tried to get back into the matchup and got the score within one on a score by Emily Janiga. Unfortuntely for Buffalo fans, Kelli Stack scored under 30 seconds later to put Connecticut back up by two. Brianne McLaughlin played her last game in front of the Buffalo fans as she is set to retire at the end of the season. McLaughlin made 33 saves in her final game.
Lundberg picked up the win for the Whale making 23 saves in the contest, helping Connecticut move into the #3 seed. The action this weekend gave New York (Off this weekend) the #2 seed in the NWHL Isobel Cup Playoffs. Boston will host the #4 while New York will host the #3 in the upcoming playoffs. Buffalo and Connecticut will battle it out for seeding purposes in these last few games.
