The Boston Fleet have been rolling since the Olympic break, sporting a sparkling 5-3-0-2 record since the season resumed, which was good enough to make them the fastest team in PWHL history to clinch a playoff berth. Sunday’s 4-2 win over the Minnesota Frost—in which they trusted their third goaltender, Amanada Thiele, to take on the league’s top offense—secured their spot, two games sooner than any team did in prior seasons.
With six games left in the regular season and the Montréal Victoire breathing down their necks in the standings, with Minnesota not too far off, the Fleet will need to continue to build on their recent successes if they hope to secure that coveted top playoff seed. But, in the meantime, here are two highlights from the post-Olympic Boston Fleet, plus something to work on.
Shutout… Shutout… Shutout
Aerin Frankel’s description-defying season has found another gear since the Olympic break. She has four shutouts across eight appearances since, and now has a record-smashing seven on the season. Ann-Renée Desbiens, who sits second to Frankel all-time, has the same amount in her career. Frankel also set a new PWHL record for the longest shutout streak, which currently sits at 191:01.
Given all her success this season, Frankel is in the conversation for both Goaltender of the Year and the Billie Jean King MVP award. Yet, with Desbiens also having a monstrous season, it’ll be a fight to the finish. Both have appeared in 21 games, with Frankel’s 1.17 GAA is currently second to Desbiens’ 1.14. Their 0.954 save percentages are tied. Desbiens has also had to put up those numbers behind a somewhat more porous defense. Still, regardless of what hardware may come, Frankel has had a year for the ages, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Power Play Pains
To say the Fleet’s power play has been going through a dry spell would be an understatement. They are 1-for-32 in ten games since the Olympic break, and scoreless in their past 28 opportunities. For a team that, until recently, was struggling to score, a lack of power-play punch is a big problem. Playoffs will only exacerbate it, with special teams mattering more than ever with seasons on the line.
However, there is a glimmer of hope that things may turn around soon. Jessie Eldridge’s arrival gives the Fleet one of the best power play scorers in the PWHL, and her impact has been noticeable. Boston has been landing more shots on goal and getting better quality looks. They just still can’t find the back of the net. However, once they get one, there’s reason to believe the floodgates will burst.
Defensive Deluge
The Fleet’s defense has found a new gear since the Olympic break, both offensively and in their own end. Despite being split up now to balance the pairings better and help limit their minutes, Megan Keller and Haley Winn continue to lead the league in ice time by over three minutes a game, without showing any signs of fatigue. They’re also the top two leading defensive scorers, with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Winn is beginning to run away with the Rookie of the Year award, while both will have an arguable case for Defender of the Year.
However, perhaps more importantly, the rest of the Fleet’s defensive lineup has also been excelling in their own end. Frankel is a vital part of the Fleet’s success, but she also hasn’t had to work too hard lately. Boston has done a remarkable job of limiting high-danger chances against by keeping their opponents to the perimeter, even when they’re hemmed into their own end for an extended stretch. Plus, they do a good job of cleaning up rebounds if Frankel doesn’t immediately snuff them out. If they can all keep performing at this level, the Fleet will be an awfully tough out in the postseason.
Overall Vibe
Overall, things couldn’t be going much better for the Fleet right now. They’ve already punched their ticket to the postseason, and they’re in a strong spot to secure home-ice advantage. Their scoring is improving, their defense has been outstanding, and Aerin Frankel remains Aerin Frankel. Meanwhile, the rest of their goalies are perfectly capable of giving her another night or two off down the stretch.
The biggest challenge for the Fleet now will be staying as motivated as their opponents, with all but the Victoire still looking to secure their postseason spot. They need to view getting a top seed as highly as the rest of the field views getting into the playoffs, or they will soon tumble out of that conversation. Luckily for them, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem, with the first seed arguably more valuable than ever this season, given the significant drop-off in consistency and play after the top three teams in the standings. In short, the vibes are sky high in Boston as the Fleet prepare to sail into the postseason for the second time in their history.
