PWHL Boston had a slow start against PWHL Toronto on Wednesday (Jan. 17), but Loren Gabel’s two goals, including some late-game heroics, propelled them to a 3-2 victory. But, Toronto kept things tight, despite going 0-for-5 on the power play.
Gabel wasn’t the only player to pot two goals either, as Toronto’s Hannah Miller scored twice herself – but it simply wasn’t enough to topple Boston.
Boston Starts Slow, Miller Scores Twice
Toronto came out flying against Boston, ending the first period with a 10-3 shots-on-goal advantage, which included a goal from Hannah Miller just nine minutes into the game.
Toronto defender Jocelyne Larocque flew down the left wing with the puck, picking up enough speed to swing around Boston’s Sophie Jaques. She switched over to her backhand as she crossed in front of the net and shot. Boston defender Megan Keller got a piece of it with her skate and the puck went right to Toronto’s Rebecca Leslie, whose own shot deflected off Keller as well.
Then came Miller. As Keller recovered from making two stops with her skates, and Boston netminder Emma Söderberg desperately tried to bat the puck out of the air, Miller got her stick on it first, swinging at the puck and knocking it into the back of the goal for the early 1-0 lead.
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After Boston took a 2-1 lead in the second frame, Miller took matters into her own hands once more. Jesse Compher, who would later earn an assist on the play, forced a turnover in Boston’s zone, jarring the puck loose with a stick check. Leslie was there to pick it up in stride and carried it to the right of the goal. She slung a pass through the crease that squeaked through defender Emily Brown and trickled over defender Sidney Morin’s stick.
The puck found its way to Compher who put one on the net. Söderberg made a stellar pad save on the cross-crease opportunity, but Toronto’s Miller was there for the rebound to tie things 2-2.
Boston’s Gabel & Keller Score Off Müller’s Three Assists
Despite the slow start, Boston got the last laugh, and Gabel’s first goal of the night was a laser.
Over the midway point in the second period, Boston’s Alina Müller, along the right boards, chipped the puck into space for Gabel to pick up. Gabel did, and Müller had the speed to transition to her left side to create a 2-on-1 opportunity. She was eyeing the eventual assist-getter her entire way through the offensive zone, but instead rifled one by the ear of Toronto goaltender Kristen Campbell. She only looked toward the net at the last possible second and sent the puck into the top corner to tie the game, 1-1.
Keller’s goal was a tale as old as hockey: a one-timer from the high slot. Like all of Boston’s goals on Wednesday, it came off an assist by Müller. No. 11 was patient with the pick, even deking out a defender to buy more time for Keller to get set up. Müller tapped it over to Keller as a Toronto defender lined her up for a hit, and Keller zipped it into the top corner.
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Tied 2-2 with less than two minutes to go in the game, Müller skated the puck into Toronto’s end before turning to head toward the high slot herself. She made a no-look drop pass to Gabel who cut in between two Toronto players to get to the front of the goal. She let go of a shot that screamed by the netminder and into the top left corner, helping her team earn the 3-2 victory.
The Road Ahead
The win brings Boston to 2-1-1-0-0 on the season, tied for third in the standings with five points. The loss marks three straight for Toronto who are now dead last in the standings with a 1-0-4-0-0 record and three points.
Boston will take on PWHL New York on Saturday afternoon while Toronto will take on PWHL Montreal that evening.
