LOWELL – They just needed to win.
That’s what the standings said midway through the second period. Whether it was in regulation, overtime or a shootout, a favorable result would book the Fleet’s ticket to the playoffs.
Such a mandate tends to encourage a sense of urgency. It often demands fight.
But by that time, victory was well out of reach.
Closing out its regular-season slate on a dud, Boston (15-10-5-0) came out flat against Minnesota (15-11-2-2) and limped its way to the finish line, losing 8-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Tsongas Center.
Ottawa defeated Toronto in overtime, 2-1, during the second period. That meant Boston had to win – by any means necessary – to qualify for the postseason.
“One of our teammates asked if we wanted to have updates between (periods) and we said no,” said forward Hilary Knight. “But our staff came in between the second and the third and said it was sort of a do-or-die situation.”
The group gave up its most lopsided loss of the 2024-25 season instead. As consequence, they’ll miss out on the playoffs after coming within one victory of the Walter Cup in the PWHL’s inaugural season.
Saturday’s defeat also marks the most goals allowed in any contest across franchise history.
Boston technically finished in a three-way tie for third place with Ottawa and Minnesota, with each squad possessing 44 points by the final buzzer Saturday. The Fleet, though, held tiebreakers over neither of the two.
“This league is so close. To be scratched out by one point is tough,” Knight said. “It sort of begets the question of that single point, and how those previous games went.”
Starting goaltender Aerin Frankel made her return from an upper-body injury suffered during the gold-medal game of the 2025 IIHF World Championships.
That gave the squad its cornerstone in the crease, as she had notched a team-high 12 wins in 23 games played.
“She’s been our No. 1 from day one. We wouldn’t have been where we were last year or this year without her,” said coach Courtney Kessel. “She’s cleared to play, and so I think you’ve got to go with your horse.”
But this would be a short-lived outing.
With the Frost sending a flurry of shots at Frankel in the opening minutes, Britta Curl-Salemme took the puck at the top of the right circle. The forward sent it toward the net with no blockers in front and got exactly what she wanted.
The deficit only deepened moments later.
Defenseman Lee Stecklein wheeled her way around the back of the net and found an opening in the low slot, beating Frankel for the second time just over three minutes into the contest.
Further damage came on the power play. Defenseman Megan Keller committed cross-checking, and Kendall Coyne Schofield turned it into a costly mistake.
The forward punctuated Minnesota’s fiery start with the final of three goals in an opening-period avalanche.
“Sometimes it’s not always on the goalie, and it was just really unfortunate,” Kessel said. “Honestly, I felt terrible for (Frankel) because it’s not the situation she wants to be brought into – us not being ready to go when the puck dropped.”
Looks, space, time – you name it, the Frost had it. The only shot the hosts had mustered with five minutes remaining in the first frame was from beyond the blue line. Through the entire period, Boston was outshot 10-3.
Kessel gave Frankel the hook for just the second time all season, opting for a fresh start in net to begin the second.
Disaster only rolled onward with Klára Peslarová assuming duties between the pipes.
Sophie Jaques took a pass all alone in the right circle and wristed it home. Then it was Curl-Salemme once again – this time on the power play – to make the deficit a daunting 5-0 entering the second intermission.
Forced into sheer desperation, Kessel pulled Peslarová with over 16 minutes remaining in the third. The odd-man advantage it granted would provide little solace, eventually resulting in a score by defenseman Jessica Digirolamo.
“This hurt will last a while, but I think we have a lot of great memories and joy to take away,” said defenseman Megan Keller. “Once this fades away, we’re going to remember all the laughs that we had in the locker room (and) all the adversity that we overcame as a group. It was a special group to be a part of.”
It was against this very team – in this very building – that the Fleet fumbled a winner-take-all Game 5 that could’ve crowned them PWHL Champions last season.
Courtesy of a franchise-worst effort, they won’t even have a chance at redemption.