Boston Fleet 2 (3) – 2pts SOW
Montreal Victoire 2 (1) 1pt SOL
PWHL Regular Season – Takeover Tour
Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle, WA
January 5, 2025
photos by Vanya Tucherov
The PWHL Takeover Tour hit Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday afternoon. A large and enthusiastic crowd packed the building. Unlike many other sports tours, the match and the Takeover Tour are regular season games that count in the standings and were not merely exhibitions.
The weekend-long event included the players getting the Seattle treatment of fish throwing and sightseeing, a Kraken game Saturday night, and and open practice at the Kraken Community Iceplex that drew hundreds of loud and enthusiastic fans.
The two clubs played last Monday in Montreal, an 3-1 win by the Victoire. Montreal has not played during the week since. Boston played in Minnesota on Thursday and comes in on a three match losing skid.
Both teams had commented on Saturday to expect a physical match up as they had just recently played a hard fought match. That would prove to be true in the early going.
Montreal would grab the game’s first goal. Taking advantage of the first power play, the Victoire’s Laura Stacey would poke in from short range. The early stages had seen Boston pushing the play, having a 6-1 SOG advantage in the first half dozen minutes prior to the power play. The Fleet had managed to get several good looks early, but had not capitalized.
Not long after the goal, a scrum would ensue in front of the Fleet goal, highlighting the stakes of the game. A Victoire slashing penalty would provide Boston with an opportunity to level, but they were unable to get the equalizer as Montreal would kill off the penalty. The pace of play remained brisk.
Late in the first, Montreal would grab a second goal by Abby Boreen. The early push from Boston had not produced a goal and Montreal had found their game. The 2-0 scoreline would hold into the first intermission.
Boston would again come out pressing, needing to cut the lead. But again, Montreal’s defense would weather the attack and as the period progressed the Victoire would once again begin to control more of the play and get more shots on goal.
The hard hitting would mostly continue, but Boston appeared more interested in getting players into transition. Even after successfully killing a mid 2nd period penalty, the Fleet still found themselves down two and goalless.
The break Boston needed would come when Montreal would find themselves suddenly two players down from a quick series of penalties. It did not take long in the 5v3 situation for the Fleet to finally get on the board. Hannah Bilka’s goal made the it 2-1, and it felt like a very different game with seven minutes left in the 2nd.
Boston’s good fortune looked to be quickly evaporated when almost immediately facing a a power play themselves, but they managed to fend off the Victoire with some scrappy defense in front of the net.
The crowd had steadily warmed up to the neutral match, cheering plays and goals and hits regardless of who. A close game entering the final period brought the noise out. The early 3rd period penalty against Boston got the crowd going on the power play.
The power play dented the Fleet time for a leveling goal. They managed to kill off the penalty, but as the midpoint of the period ticked down, they were still a goal down.
The Fleet got that second goal. WIth nine minutes remaining and with Montreal down a player, Susanna Tapani would make it 2-2 and the crowd noise sounded like it was actually a home game for Boston.
The final minutes were tense, as both looked to grab a late winner. The end to end pace and near misses and late chances added drama to an already exciting evening.
The overtime period began with Boston having a 5v4 advantage from a late penalty against Montreal. Montreal killed off the penalty. Both had chances, but neither was able to get past the stellar goaltending on display from both Aerin Frankel and Ann-Renee Desbiens.
The shootout would go the way of Boston, as they netted three to just one from the Victoire.
The crowd of 12,608 was treated to a great game amidst a well done event weekend.
BOX
Montréal 2 0 0 0 – 2
Boston 0 1 1 0 – 3
1st Period-1, Montréal, Stacey 3 (Gardiner, Barnes), 6:28 (PP). 2, Montréal, Boreen 3 (Ambrose, O’Neill), 16:36. Penalties-Brown Bos (tripping), 5:39; O’Neill Mtl (slashing), 12:47.
2nd Period-3, Boston, Bilka 2 (Keller, Pelkey), 12:45 (PP). Penalties-Murphy Mtl (interference), 7:24; served by Ljungblom Mtl (too many players), 11:40; Wilgren Mtl (hooking), 12:02; Bilka Bos (tripping), 13:00.
3rd Period-4, Boston, Tapani 4 (Keller, Bilka), 10:58 (PP). Penalties-Tapani Bos (interference), 3:18; Murphy Mtl (tripping), 10:35; Poulin Mtl (boarding), 19:47.
1st OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties
Shootout – Montréal 1 (Poulin G, Grant-Mentis NG, Ambrose NG, Stacey NG), Boston 3 (Brandt G, Knight NG, Bilka G, Tapani G).
Shots on Goal-Montréal 9-6-8-2-0-25. Boston 7-6-10-7-1-31.
Power Play Opportunities-Montréal 1 / 3; Boston 2 / 6.
Goalies-Montréal, Desbiens 3-1-0-1 (30 shots-28 saves). Boston, Frankel 3-3-1-0 (25 shots-23 saves).
A-12,608
THREE STARS
1. Hannah Bilka (BOS) 1G, 1A, SOW
2. Abby Boreen (MTL) 1G
3. Susanna Tapani (BOS) 1G
