BUFFALO, N.Y. — Susanna Tapani scored the decisive goal during the shootout, leading the Boston Fleet to a 3-2 victory over the New York Sirens in a neutral site matchup as part of the Takeover Tour on Sunday. This win marked Boston’s sixth victory in their last seven games.
Aerin Frankel showcased an impressive performance, turning away 37 shots in regulation and overtime, along with saving all five attempts during the shootout, including a critical stop on Abby Roque during New York’s last chance. Amanda Pelkey and Loren Gabel contributed to the Fleet’s offense, helping Boston leapfrog Minnesota into third place in the league standings, especially after Minnesota’s earlier defeat by Toronto.
On the Sirens’ side, Sarah Fillier and Jessie Eldridge found the back of the net, but the team continues to struggle, facing their seventh consecutive loss — which includes two shootout defeats against Boston. Rookie goalie Kayle Osborne recorded 30 saves through the overtime period. Tapani’s shootout goal was a highlight as she maneuvered from the right wing, delivering a shot that rattled off the far post and in.
Despite the defeat, the Sirens managed to earn a point in the standings, ending a streak of five consecutive regulation losses that tied a league record set by Minnesota in the previous season. As the designated “home” team for this matchup, Sirens players showed their support for the local sports scene by wearing apparel from NFL’s Bills, NHL’s Sabres, and AHL’s Rochester Americans, who are affiliated with the Sabres.
The Takeover Tour continues to play a significant role as the PWHL considers future expansion, with plans underway to potentially add up to two franchises for the upcoming season. Recently, Amy Scheer, vice president of business operations, indicated that an official announcement regarding expansion is anticipated in the next four to six weeks.
The game in Buffalo was the sixth in a series of nine neutral site competitions in the PWHL’s second season. This matchup attracted a smaller crowd of 8,512, marking the lowest attendance across the league’s eight neutral site games, which included events from the previous year. In contrast, last month’s games yielded significant turnouts, with Denver seeing 14,018 fans and Vancouver drawing an impressive 19,038, the fourth-highest attendance in league history.
The tour will conclude with games scheduled in Raleigh, North Carolina (March 7), Detroit (March 16), and St. Louis (March 29). Detroit, which hosted a neutral site game last season, is viewed as a strong contender for a future expansion team. Buffalo has previously been a host city for professional women’s hockey with the Beauts before the Premier Hockey Federation was dissolved to pave the way for the establishment of the PWHL in June 2023.
