By Michael Heilman
After a two-week hiatus, the NWHL returned to action Saturday night as the Boston Pride took on the Buffalo Beauts at Warrior Ice Arena. Boston is the only remaining undefeated team in the NWHL.
It took almost half of the first period before Boston’s Mary Parker scored an open net goal to put Boston up 1-0. Emily Fluke and Briana Mastel assisted with Parker’s goal. With less than a minute left in the period, Boston’s Lexie Laing, with an assist from Carlee Toews and Kaleigh Fratkin, ripped the shot pass Beauts goalie Mariah Fujimagari for the goal to extend Boston’s lead 2-0 at the end of the first period.
While the action was hot in the second period, there were no goals scored by either team until Boston scored with under three minutes left in the second period as McKenna Brand scored a laser shot goal to extend Boston’s lead 3-0. Mallory Souliotis assisted Brand’s goal. Boston would add another goal thirteen seconds later as McKenna Brand would get her second goal of the game, and it was now 4-0 Boston. Buffalo finally scored with a minute and fifty-one seconds left in the second period as Sara Bustard scored with an assist from Cassidy MacPherson to cut Boston’s lead 4-1. Boston headed to the locker room with a 4-1 lead over Buffalo at the end of the second period.
From there, it was all Boston in the third period. Four minutes and seven seconds into the third period, Boston’s Mary Parker got her second goal of the game with assists from McKenna Brand and Mallory Souliotis to make it a 5-1 Boston lead. Boston would add another goal three minutes and twenty-one seconds later as Tori Sullivan added her name to the scoresheet with an assist from Lexi Bender and it was now 6-1 Boston.
Boston Pride would go on to defeat the Buffalo Beauts by the final score of 6-1 to remain undefeated at 8-0 in the NWHL. Boston dominated the shots total with fifty-one while Buffalo only had nineteen shots. Boston Pride goalie Lovisa Selander stopped eighteen of nineteen shots allowing one goal while Buffalo Beauts goalie Mariah Fujimagari made forty-five of fifty-one saves allowing six goals.
The three stars of the game were Boston defender Mallory Souliotis with two assists, Boston defender Kaleigh Fratkin also had two assists and Boston forward McKenna Brand with two goals and an assist.
Boston’s next game will be next Saturday at 6:30 pm from the Warrior Ice Arena against the Connecticut Whale. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Beauts next game is tomorrow at 12:30 pm from the Danbury Ice Arena against the Connecticut Whale.
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