This was not the Boston Pride's week.
Beginning the 2021 NWHL season 1-1-0 at the Lake Placid bubble, the Pride dropped two straight games to the Toronto Six and Connecticut Whale after playing four games in five nights.
Now, entering a three-game-series against the Buffalo Beauts this weekend beginning Saturday, the team has it's eyes set on clinching the No. 4 seed of the 2021 Isobel Cup.
Certainly, this isn't how the favorite to win it all anticipated their season to day.
Coach Paul Mara is not necessarily concerned, however.
"We’ve got to play with more heart, more jam, and we’ll be fine," Mara said, via Matt Porter of The Boston Pride.
While that's true, they're running out of time.
-- The Metropolitan Riveters were forced to withdraw from the Lake Placid bubble after several members of their team tested positive for COVID-19.
The Riveters were in third place before heading home, which led to the NWHL being forced to make some changes ahead of the four-team playoffs.
The Pride were set to wrap up their season against the Riveters on Saturday. So now, Boston will play a best-of-three series against the Buffalo Beauts.
The Pride-Beauts schedule is as follows, with all games being played in Eastern Standard time:
Game 1: Saturday, Jan. 30 at 3 p.m.
Game 2: Sunday, Jan. 31 at 3 p.m.
Game 3 (if necessary): Monday, Feb. 1 at 8:30 p.m.
Last season, the Pride defeated the Beauts in all seven matchups.
-- Pride captain Jillian Dempsey, who on Wednesday was limited with a shoulder injury in a 4-1 loss to the Whale, will be a game-time decision for Saturday.
As one of the team's leading scorers, Boston certainly could use her help in a do-or-die series.
-- The family of a local high school hockey player has been dealing with quite the nightmare, but the Massachusetts hockey community has been there to support.
The Pride included.
A.J. Quetta, a Bishop Feehan High School senior, suffered a serious spinal cord injury in a game after he crashed headfirst into the boards.
"On behalf of the Boston Pride, we want to send strength and well wishes to A.J. Quetta, his family, and the Bishop Feehan community," the team said in a statement. "A.J., your hockey family is with you and keeping you in our thoughts during this incredibly challenging time."
