1/16/23

By Laura Everett

The Boston Pride played two back-to-back home games resulting in two Boston Pride wins. But Sunday’s afternoon game of the Boston Pride’s home stand against the Buffalo Beauts had a very different feel than the 8-0 rout on Saturday night.  

Showing the depth of the Premier Hockey Federation, bottom-of-the-table Buffalo Beauts came back on Sunday much more organized and disciplined. But ultimately, the Boston Pride pulled out an overtime win 2-1.

Raising hopes that fans might get a sequel to Saturday’s shooting spree, the scoring started early again, with the first goal coming three minutes in the first period. In her first year with the Boston Pride, Boston College alumna and veteran Forward Allie Thunstrom scored shorthanded and unassisted. Thunstrom had also scored two goals and two assists the night before. 

Thunstrom said,

“We knew coming into it that 8-0 probably wasn’t indicative of the game today. Buffalo is always a really tough team to play against. They’re not going to give up. We knew that they were going to come with some firepower, and they did. Credit to their goalie; she stood on her head. She made a lot of tremendous saves. We knew it was going to be a battle. It’s also really hard after a game where there’s so much success and so many goals, it doesn’t come as easy the next day, ever.” 

And it didn’t come easy. The next goal wouldn’t come until the third period. And it would finally come for the Beauts. 

Midway through the first period, Beauts made some heavy hits that knocked down #36 Loren Gabel and the refs took some time before pausing to stop and call play. Thankfully, Gabel was able to skate off assisted and came back on shortly thereafter. 

On Sunday, the shots-on-goal were much more evenly matched, with Boston shooting 35 to Buffalo’s 30, as opposed to the lopsided 47 to 19 from Saturday. 

Throughout the game, there were moments of Buffalo’s skill and potential without the completion and finishing, with passes not connecting and shots narrowly missing. For fans who had read with excitement of Merrimack College alumna Mykala Grant-Mentis’s historic deal to join the Beauts from the Toronto Six, there were real flashes of her excellence and skill with her new team. Yet, Buffalo clearly was still missing connections in front of the goal. 

The 1-0 score line held through the second period, with Boston goalkeeper Corrine Schroeder pulling several pucks out of the air. Absolutely credit Captain Jillian Dempsey with a save, as well. Ten minutes into the second period, Dempsey slipped in behind Schroeder and barely nudged a loose puck out of the mouth of the goal before breaking from defense and flipping into offensive mode. 

Play got a little chaotic towards the end of the second, but nowhere near the commotion of Saturday. With five minutes left in the second period, multiple sticks were somehow launched into the air, and shortly thereafter, Olivia Zafuto was issued a major 5-minute penalty for charging.

The third period began 1-0, and held until the ninth minute. At seven minutes, Boston’s McKenna Brandreceived a minor 2-minute penalty for slashing. Nearing the end of the power play, the Beauts advantage paid off, and Courtney Maud scored, with assist from Anjelica Diffendal and Cassidy MacPherson. The equalizing goal was Maud’s second of the season. The game plan remained the same after the tie goal, Thunstrom said.

“From the bench, I’m thinking, ‘there’s plenty of time for us.’” We’re gonna get this. There’s never a lapse in confidence in thinking, ‘we’re gonna pull this out.’ I’m not thinking overtime until there’s ten seconds left.”

Tied up and with eleven minutes left in the third period, The Boston Pride kept pressing to take back the lead. In the last eleven minutes of regular play, Pride got off 10 shots on goal, while the Beauts took five. Something was coming; both Gabel and Thunstrom with near misses each.

With two minutes left in the period, everyone was sent to time out: Beauts Jessica Healy for cross-checking and Pride’s Sammy Davis for hooking. 

By the end of regular play, Boston had 34 shots on goal to Buffalo’s 28. Despite the one goal allowed, Pride Goalie Corrine Schroeder finished the game with a .967 save percentage. 

But the full house of Pride fans didn’t need to wait long into overtime to celebrate. Buffalo had the first two shots on goal, from forward Summer-Rae Dobson and defender Whitney Dove. But seizing the moment, Allie Thunstrom pulled out a picture-perfect breakaway goal, only 1:40 into overtime. 

After the game and on a four game/four goal/two assist streak, Thunstrom reflected,

“There’s a lot of chemistry that’s started to show through. Coming into a new team, being a new player, it’s nerve-wracking. But everyone’s been super welcoming. And collectively, not just our line, but our whole team is finding our stride.”

With a four game win streak, an 11-2 record and sitting 3 points clear of Toronto at the top of the table, that’s a lot of chemistry for the whole Boston Pride team.