NEWARK, NJ (February 17, 2025) – Hilary Knight and Alina Müller combined for five points to lead the Boston Fleet to a 4-1 win over the New York Sirens in a Presidents’ Day matinee at Prudential Center. The Fleet earned their second regulation win in six days against the Sirens and have now won all four games of the season series to date. Müller tallied the opening goal halfway through the first period on the power play, with Knight earning the primary helper. Boston held their 1-0 lead until early in the second period when the Sirens capitalized on a five-minute power play. Goaltender Kayle Osborne made a stretch pass to Jessie Eldridge who converted on the breakaway to tie things up 1-1. Just over 10 minutes later, it was Knight who scored on a breakaway, set up by Müller, to launch a series of three unanswered goals for the Fleet. In the third frame, Jamie Lee Rattray tallied an unassisted goal at 7:36, followed by Knight’s second of the game at 17:45 to cap her first career multi-goal and three-point performance. Aerin Frankel made 35 saves on 36 shots in her eighth win of the season. Osborne recorded 19 saves on 22 shots. The win moves the Fleet into a three-way tie for second place in the league with 26 points alongside Toronto and Minnesota. The sixth-place Sirens extended their losing streak to five.
QUOTES
Boston Head Coach Courtney Kessel: “A little bit of a gritty win on our side. We've been on the road- trains, planes and buses and so I think coming in here, we knew we were going to have to grind it out a little bit. I think that's what our team did, and it shows the character to every single player we have in it.”
Fleet forward Jamie Lee Rattray on her goal: “I didn't really know until I looked back and the puck was in the net. I was just trying to forecheck so I could actually get a change and then the puck ended up popping right in front of the net. I was just trying to put it back in the mixture and caught a good bounce. I don't ask how sometimes, I guess.”
New York Head Coach Greg Fargo: “We get our chances, and our opponent was great tonight. I think we are squeezing our sticks a little bit right now and there are a couple of those shots that are going in but then we start to forget about our chances. We are going to keep doing a lot of the same things and I know that it will return in our favor.”
Sirens forward Jessie Eldridge: “I think it (the crowd at today’s Kid’s Game) gave us a lot of energy, and a lot of momentum, I just wish we could’ve gotten more because I know that they wanted to get loud a lot longer there. We would just love if they kept showing up for us because that’s where we get our energy from.”
NOTABLES
Boston scored four goals in consecutive games of their first-ever back-to-back schedule. The Fleet’s season-high goal total has come five times this season including three times against New York.
The Sirens have not scored more than two goals against the Fleet in their four matchups this season and have been held to two or fewer goals in all five games of their current losing streak.
Hilary Knight scored two goals and recorded three points, both for the first time in her PWHL career. The Fleet captain tallied the game-winning goal in back-to-back games and her career-high eight goals on the season are tied for second in the PWHL. She has also recorded an assist in all four games against the Sirens this season.
Alina Müller has recorded two-straight multi-point games with her fourth goal and seventh assist of the season. The Boston forward has tallied a point in all three games she has played against New York this season, scoring two of her four goals against the Sirens.
Müller’s goal was Boston’s first on the power play in nine games, ending an 0/18 stretch since the team scored twice on the advantage on Jan. 5 in Seattle.
Aerin Frankel has recorded 35 saves in three games this season which is tied with Ottawa’s Emerance Maschmeyer for most in the PWHL. The Fleet goaltender ranks second in the PWHL in wins (8), goals-against-average (1.90) and save percentage (.932).
Jessie Eldridge scored for the second straight game with her sixth goal of the season. The tally was her third on the power play which puts her in a five-way tie for first in the PWHL.
Kayle Osborne became the first goaltender to record an assist this season. Her primary helper is the first-ever from a New York goaltender and fourth all-time among PWHL netminders following Maschmeyer, Nicole Hensley (MIN) and Kristen Campbell (TOR).
Jamie Lee Rattray scored for the second straight game against New York and now has three goals in 17 games to tie her inaugural season total in 24 games.
Sophie Shirley collected her fourth assist of the season and second in back-to-back games.
Jessica DiGirolamo recorded her third assist in 17 games this season to tie her total across 24 games in the inaugural season.
Shay Maloney tallied her second assist of the season – 14 games after her first helper against New York on Dec. 8, 2024. The Fleet rookie has recorded three of her five points against the Sirens.
The Fleet have won six out of the eight games when scoring first.
SCORESHEET RECAP
Boston 1 1 2 - 4
New York 0 1 0 – 1
1st Period-1, Boston, Müller 4 (Knight, Shirley), 11:40 (PP). Penalties-Rosenthal Ny (hooking), 10:44; Nylen Persson Ny (interference), 14:24.
2nd Period-2, New York, Eldridge 6 (Osborne), 3:34 (PP). 3, Boston, Knight 7 (Müller, DiGirolamo), 14:27. Penalties-Shirley Bos (major - check to the head, game misconduct), 0:50; Brandt Bos (cross checking), 9:49; Brown Bos (boarding), 9:49; Bourbonnais Ny (cross checking), 16:19.
3rd Period-4, Boston, Rattray 3 7:36. 5, Boston, Knight 8 (Maloney), 17:45. Penalties-Bourbonnais Ny (tripping), 13:50.
Shots on Goal-Boston 7-9-7-23. New York 8-14-14-36.
Power Play Opportunities-Boston 1 / 4; New York 1 / 5.
Goalies-Boston, Frankel 8-4-1-0 (36 shots-35 saves). New York, Osborne 1-3-0-1 (23 shots-19 saves).
A-3,715
THREE STARS
1. Alina Müller (BOS) 1G, 1A
2. Aerin Frankel (BOS) 35/36 SV
3. Jessie Eldridge (NY) 1G
STANDINGS
Boston (6-3-2-6) - 26 PTS – 2nd Place (Tied)
New York (4-3-2-8) - 20 PTS – 6th Place
UPCOMING SCHEDULES
New York: Wednesday, February 19 vs. Toronto at 7 p.m. ET
Boston: Thursday, February 20 at Ottawa at 7 p.m. ET