LOWELL, Mass. -- Despite losing the Walter Cup Final to PWHL Minnesota, PWHL Boston felt the love from the home crowd as its season came to a close.
Boston recognized the Tsongas Center crowd as "Thank you Boston" chants came down following the final horn, prompting an impromptu stick salute from the home fans.
"It was pretty emotional," Boston forward Jamie Lee Rattray told reporters after the game. "I think it's pretty special what we had here. We wanted to win on home ice but they still stuck with us through the whole game.
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"They were loud, and they showed up for us today. Unfortunately, we couldn't get it done, but we're super grateful for them, and we couldn't do it without them this year for sure."
The fans definitely showed up for the final game of the inaugural PWHL season. It was standing room only in the Tsongas Center, and the attendance record was 6,309.
"I think it speaks for itself, right? We were super excited to get to the rink today," Rattray said. " ... It means the world to us. As players, all we want is to be able to fill the buildings and have a fan base that really supports us and they've been so great for us all year.
"Unfortunately, we couldn't get it done for them tonight, but I think we got a special group here that hopefully, they keep coming to support us all next year too."
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PWHL Boston captain Hilary Knight reflected on the support the fans brought and how much the team and the league have inspired young girls worldwide.
"On one end of it, you're just a human showing up to play the sport you love," Knight said. "When you get on the ice with the group, you see the young faces. You see faces from all over. You see signs, candy, bracelets. Whenever you hear it, you realize how much you're a part of something bigger than yourself.
"While this loss, we feel it in our room, it's tough because we just so badly wanted it. Not only for the people in our room but for everyone who's supported us along this journey because we understand what type of impact and the significance of what we're doing through sport to have a positive, inspirational point and have that impact in someone's life, it's a huge responsibility that I know no player takes lightly and we get to do it with the best job in the world."
Featured image via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images
