As would be expected, a faceoff between the two future 2018 NWHL All-Star goaltending captains was a defensive battle for the ages; both seemed to maintain their own unexplainable energy fields, keeping almost everything nearby at bay. Although the Boston Pride shot first to get things rolling, the Buffalo Beauts would eventually triumph with a 1-0 shootout game winner from Lisa Chesson.
The last time the Pride and Beauts met, the matchup also required extra time, and marked the first in each team’s current five game streak. The most recent win gives Buffalo it’s fifth in as many games, now closing the gap of what seemed like light years between their seat in second place and the surging first place Riveters. Coming into Saturday, the teams were both seeking a regulation win for an outright two points and to begin to gain ground on the 20 point Metro leaders.
The first period offered no goals but three power play opportunities, two for the Beauts and one for the visiting Pride. Both squads poured on the pressure, but Buffalo’s Amanda Leveille and Boston’s Brittany Ott held strong, turning away six and fourteen shots, respectively.
The teams traded moments in front of the netminders. Kaleigh Fratkin, making a timely defensive play to turn away a Buffalo shooter camped out just beside Ott sparked, the Pride who charged down the ice to wear down the Beauts in their zone, giving no chance for fresh legs and continuing to make Leveille work in the paint.
The Beauts regrouped, this time sending Jess Jones and Corinne Buie in on Ott to counter, but as was the evening’s saga, Ott could not be solved.
While the first period shot totals heavily favored the Beauts, Boston would slowly begin to narrow the gap with each passing period. The second period produced much of the same, with the Pride killing three penalties leaving league leading power play goal scorer Taylor Accursi (4) and the Beauts unable to capitalize on the (at one point two-man) advantage. Boston’s two overlapping infractions fell in the final two minutes of the period and the Beauts tried to close in on the goal until Dana Trivigno stole control and fired the puck own the ice and far, far away from Ott.
Buffalo began the third on the advantage, yet Ott and the Pride remained unfazed and even broke down the ice for a (fruitless) shorthanded chance. As the final horn neared, Boston began to throw everything they had at Leveille. With only heartbeats left on the clock, Sarah Casorso bolted for the loose puck deep in the Buffalo zone and held possession as the seconds ticked away. With 22 additional shots between the clubs and no goal lights lit, an overtime period looked to be the solution.
In the overtime, the Beauts’ attack awakened, outshooting the Pride by and 8-1 margin, yet much to the credit of Ott, five minutes later, still no goals were scored. It would now come down to a shootout.
Buffalo, having finished victorious in a shootout just last week (on a goal from Hayley Scamurra) against the Whale, would lead off with Accursi, followed by Boston’s Trivigno.
Ott and Leveille remained perfect.
In round number three, it looked to be over when Maddie Elia took Ott all the way to her left post and had (what seemed like) open net ahead – but Ott made a superhuman save, reaching all the way across the line to swipe away the rolling puck and force another shooter.
The shooters continued to alternate until Buie put one home for Buffalo, leaving them one save away from the win. But the Pride struck back, countering with a goal from Jordan Smelker, sending the teams into yet another round of shooters, and giving Boston new hope. Two more shots gone, and still locked at one brought up round number eight -a goal on the backhand for Sarah Edney and another to counter by Corey Stearns.
Finally, in round number ten Buffalo’s Chesson landed a laser in the top left corner of the net and sent the arena into cheers. Chesson’s goal lit up the building, but having been first up to shoot, Buffalo were not the victors quite yet; it would take one more shooter and with Michaela Levine up next, it was up to Leveille to be Buffalo’s only hope to seal the game.
As she had been all night, Leveille was up to the task and snared the puck for the win and the shutout, earning Buffalo another point closer in their hunt for playoff positioning. The two teams will meet one final time in Boston, before the 2018 playoffs begin. Additionally, they will each face the league leading Metro Riveters – Boston once, and Buffalo thrice. With the playoff race closing in, every point counts and home ice is on the line.
