PREVIEW: Boston Kicks Off PWHL Takeover Weekend With Pivotal Game for Playoff Race

Boston kicks off the PWHL’s takeover weekend tonight, as they face off against Ottawa at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Both teams will be desperate for a win to control their playoff destiny down the stretch run.

The Basics: Saturday, March 16, 2024- Boston vs Ottawa- 6 p.m. EDT, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI (Bally Sports North, Sportsnet, PWHL Youtube Channel, SN+)

What to Expect

Last weekend against New York was a big game for Boston. But this one has become even more important. Not only is it on a bigger stage, with the potential to break the U.S. attendance record for professional women’s hockey, but Boston is tied for fourth place in standings points with Ottawa at 20 a piece. Ottawa currently holds the tiebreaker with one extra regulation win. However, one way or another, the tie will be broken tonight. A regulation win would be massive for either team, giving them the inside track for the final playoff spot. Meanwhile, the losing team would lose control of their destiny and need an extra win down the stretch to sneak in. The swing will be less significant should this game go past 60 minutes, but the sentiment remains the same: win, and you’re in control. Lose, and you’re stuck hoping the other team loses more down the stretch.

Through three meetings this season, Boston is 2-0-0-1 versus Ottawa. In the first game on January 24, Boston rode an excellent first period to victory and handed Ottawa their first regulation loss. Then, sloppy defense cost them the second game on February 20. Finally, two days later, Boston rallied back for a solid 3-1 win, which was their first in regulation on home ice. 

Boston is coming off a disappointing 4-0 loss to Minnesota on Wednesday. While the game wasn’t as uneven as the score suggests, Boston lacked much urgency throughout and was largely pitiful offensively. After what felt like a breakthrough game against New York on Sunday, they returned to their old bad habits. They’ll need to simplify their game and reignite that spark they had Sunday if they hope to walk out of this one with a win. 

Meanwhile, Ottawa hasn’t played since Sunday, a 4-2 win over then-league-leading Montréal. A penalty box parade (each team got five minors, and none were matching or coincidental) led to a special teams battle, with two of Ottawa’s goals coming via the power play along with one of Montréal’s. Plus, the final Ottawa goal was into the empty net. Ottawa’s power play leads the league, boasting 13 goals and a 27.7% conversion rate. Boston would do well not to give them many opportunities on it tonight. Overall, after a rough middle of the season, Ottawa has been playing better hockey recently, and they’ll be hungry to keep proving the doubters wrong tonight.

In goal, expect Emerance Maschmeyer for Ottawa. She has started all but one of their games this season, and Carla McLeod trusts her the most. Maschmeyer made 34 saves in perhaps her best overall performance of the season in her last game against Montréal. It also happened to be immediately after Sandra Absterieter’s first start. Coincidence? I think not. The little mental reset appeared to be a big boost for her, and it will likely bleed into tonight. Maschmeyer is 5-0-4-6 on the season, with a 2.55 GAA (eighth in the league) and 0.904 SV% (ninth in the league).

Meanwhile, Aerin Frankel will probably get another start for Boston. Her last two starts have not been her best, but they’ve also been behind terrible efforts from the rest of the team. She’s still made several big saves in each, and throughout the season, she’s been the goaltender head coach Courtney Kessel trusts the most. That said, Emma Söderberg started against New York last weekend with crucial points on the line, and the goaltender change after six straight Frankel starts could have been part of what sparked the team. So, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Söderberg starts again, especially given she was great when needed (which, granted, was not very often). However, given tonight’s stage and the importance of the points, I lean more towards Frankel. She’s not on some crazy streak of starts unlike before the New York game, and while through no fault of Söderberg’s own, Frankel has more experience when the lights are brightest. Frankel is 3-1-2-5 on the season, with a 2.11 GAA (sixth in the league) and 0.926 SV% (fourth in the league).

Boston’s Key to the Game

Urgency. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Boston must come out of the gate with urgency tonight and sustain it until the final buzzer. They are facing a team that is just as desperate for points as them, and you have to expect Ottawa will be ready to seize that opportunity. Boston proved last weekend that they can bring it when the points are the most valuable, and now is the time to prove that wasn’t just a flash in the pan.