Frost Froze Fleet’s Offense In Boston’s Home Opener

LOWELL, Mass. — The Boston Fleet fell to the Minnesota Frost in their home opener on Wednesday night at Tsongas Center and dropped to 0-2-0 on the season.

The Fleet struggled to light the lamp during a 2-1 loss in a Walter Cup Finals rematch against the Frost. Boston captain Hilary Knight tallied her second goal of the season to tie the game at one, but Minnesota goalie Maddie Rooney turned aside the other 19 Fleet shots she faced in the contest for her first win this season.

Knight had played in six games in the Fleet’s inaugural season before scoring a goal and another five before recording her second. While she’s off to a faster start this season, the veteran forward would rather have her team win games.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re not winning games, right?” Knight told reporters. “I think that it’s important that we fight for that more. Obviously, playing a 60-minute game is more advantageous for us than not. We’re looking forward to our next opportunity to play 60 minutes.”

The Fleet have scored just one goal in each of their first two contests of the PWHL’s sophomore season. Head coach Courtney Kessel said the message ahead of their next game is simple: “Remember it’s a 60-minute game.”

“I would just say doing the small things,” Kessel said. “We can’t turn pucks over at the blue lines, and I don’t think it’s a lack of offensive ability. I think it’s just the mistakes that happened prior to us getting in the O-zone that are pulling us back right now. We’re just going to remember it’s a 60-minute game.”

The Fleet committed three penalties in the first period. With the new “no escape rule,” Boston was challenged with not being able to change out their personnel until after the ensuing faceoff to begin the penalty kill. With defender Daniela Pejsova in the box for tripping, the Fleet began their shorthanded shift with three forwards and one defender.

“I think you’re going to see it across the league,” Kessel said. “It’s going to affect (the penalty kill) because you’re going to have players that potentially haven’t played PK their entire lives, and now you’re asking them to play against some of the best players in the world. The league wants more power-play goals, and they’re going to get that as a result of this new rule.”

Boston was able to prevent Minnesota from scoring on the man advantage, but Kessel added it’s something new the team will have to practice going forward.

“It’s great to see people adding different skills to their toolbox,” she said. “Some of them probably didn’t think they’d ever see (time on the penalty kill). It was good for us to kill those penalties, even though we didn’t have some of our top PKers out there. … Everyone’s going to have to know the PK because it happens every single game.”

Here are more notes from Wednesday’s Fleet-Frost game:

— Aerin Frankel made 26 saves, including six shorthanded, in the loss for the Fleet. At times, the Fleet goalie would be peppered with pucks from the Minnesota offense, but she was able to maintain her form and stay sharp.

“Just taking it one shot at a time I normally my mentality,” Frankel said. “It’s a long season, and each night we’re facing really good competition, so I try to not get too ahead of myself and just take it one shot at a time, one period at a time, one game at a time.”

— Michela Cava opened the scoring for the Frost in the second period with her first goal of the season. Cava had success against the Fleet last year, especially with her linemates Taylor Heise and Kendall Coyne Schofield.

“The three of us, I feel like, have really good chemistry, and we all kind of work together to make our line what it is,” Cava said. “… It’s been a lot of fun to play with them, and I just think it’s going to keep getting better.”

— The Fleet will look to get their first win of the season when they host the New York Sirens on Sunday. Puck drop from Tsongas Center is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game on NESN.