PWHL Boston Has ‘Big Focus’ To Combat Routinely Slow Starts

LOWELL, Mass. — It’s only been a few weeks, so they’ve got time to figure it out, but PWHL Boston has already fallen into a habit that’s hampered the start of their inaugural season.

They can’t seem to get out of the starting blocks.

Boston, in its loss to PWHL New York on Saturday afternoon at Tsongas Center, found itself fighting to overcome a three-goal deficit just minutes into the second period. It’s the fourth consecutive time Courtney Kessel’s squad fell behind to start the game, which has the bench boss ready to make changes.

“I think we’ve had a slow start to a lot of our periods,” Kessel told reporters postgame. “We need to start building momentum right from the start of the puck drop, and it needs to be a big focus for us.

“… I think an identity comes as the season rolls on. I think you can go into a season hoping for your team to have an identity, but sometimes it has to change. I think we might have to change a little bit of our identity.”

It might feel a tad early to start talking about a change in identity, but the facts are the facts. Kessel told NESN.com prior to the start of the season that she wanted Boston to play a “fast, physical” game, and that isn’t happening.

It could be that PWHL Boston has yet to find its footing, but we might find that the roster isn’t conducive for that brand of hockey. It isn’t time to sound any alarms, as Boston’s roster is still one of the most talented in the sport, but change certainly is needed if a turnaround is in the cards.