LOWELL, MA (March 5, 2025) – Hilary Knight had a career-night at the Tsongas Center with a hat-trick and four-point performance to lead Boston to a 5-2 win over New York. With the victory, the Fleet sweep the six-game regular-season series over the Sirens, extend their point streak to six games, and overtake Toronto for second place in the PWHL standings with 34 points. The Sirens suffered their ninth straight loss. New York opened the scoring for the second straight time against Boston with a goal from Élizabeth Giguère seven minutes into the action. Alina Müller tied the game at one late in the period. Knight boosted the Fleet with her first of three goals on the power play early in the middle frame, then added to her team’s lead at even strength midway through the period. Sarah Fillier gave the Sirens life by cutting the Fleet lead to 3-2 with a power play tally with just over five minutes remaining in the second. Susanna Tapani restored Boston’s two-goal lead at 14:54 of the third period, then Knight completed the hat-trick into the empty net with eight seconds on the clock. Müller and Shay Maloney picked up assists, their third points of the game. On her eleventh win of the season, Aerin Frankel tied a season-high with 38 saves, opposite rookie Kayle Osborne who stopped 15 shots.
QUOTES
Boston Fleet Head Coach Courtney Kessel: “I knew this was going to be a hard game, harder than most. We’ve played New York five times in the last month. We’ve been on the better side of those five games and it’s a team that’s desperate, fighting for any point at the bottom. We’ve been there and we know what that feels like... We knew this was going to be a battle. Not the forty we wanted to start with, but the 20 we wanted to end with. At the end of the day, we have Aerin Frankel standing on her head and our leadership group really put the puck in the back of the net.”
Fleet captain Hilary Knight: “That was wild. I’m really fortunate to be able to get a hat-trick. It’s my first in the league, so it is really exciting. Just echoing before, every single team is really good, and to be able to close out the door and get three points tonight is big for us.”
New York Head Coach Greg Fargo: “I think Aerin Frankel has a lot to do with it – she's been tremendous every time we’ve played her. Tonight, we had a lot of looks that we like, and we just had to find a way to convert. I think everybody in the room gets those chances and you want to be someone that pushes the team forward and you want to make a difference offensively. I think it feels like we’re just gripping our sticks a little tight at times too and its coming from a good place, but we have a lot of talent in the room, and I think we can certainly convert on those chances.”
Sirens forward Sarah Fillier: “I think we had a lot of chances, we almost had 40 shots. Everyone in the lineup was creating chances and going back to that fight and drive. Yes, there were two 2-on-1’s and a power play, so I don’t think we played in our defensive zone today that much, but we have to be able to not give up those chances that they get. Tonight, we were on par to win this game.”
NOTABLES
Boston became the first team in PWHL history to win all six regular-season games against an opponent and finished the head-to-head series 16-2 in points against New York.
The Fleet scored five goals for the first time in team history after five different four-goal games this season, including three against the Sirens.
Boston has won six straight games at the Tsongas Center since their home opener loss on Dec. 4.
New York’s record ninth straight loss comes despite a season-high 40 shots on goal, doubling Boston’s 20.
Hilary Knight recorded her first career hat-trick and four-point performance and became the first Boston player to achieve both feats. Her hat-trick was the third in the PWHL this season following Montréal’s Marie-Philip Poulin (Jan. 29) and Ottawa’s Tereza Vanišová (Feb. 13), and her four points match season efforts by Minnesota’s Claire Thompson (Dec. 19) and Toronto’s Hannah Miller (Feb. 19). The Fleet captain has climbed into third in PWHL scoring with 21 points (11G, 10A) in 21 games, including 11 points (5G, 6A) in six games against the Sirens.
Alina Müller set a new career-high with her sixth goal of the season and added two assists for her second three-point performance of the season and third multi-point effort in six games. She recorded a point in all five games she played against New York this season (3G, 5A) and extended her home point streak to four games (4G, 5A).
Shay Maloney became the first Boston player and PWHL rookie to record three assists in a single game this season. The performance raises her point total to eight (3G, 5A), including six (1G, 5A) against the Sirens.
Susanna Tapani recorded her fourth multi-point game of the season with a goal and an assist to bring her point total to 13 (9G, 4A) in 21 games – matching her inaugural season point total in five fewer games.
Aerin Frankel earned all six Boston wins between the pipes against New York, accounting for more than half of her 11 total wins. She recorded a 1.46 goals-against-average and a .954 save percentage in the season series, improving her full season marks to 1.95 and .932.
Sarah Fillier scored for the third straight game and extended her point streak to four (3G, 2A). The Sirens rookie now has points in all ten of the team’s road games this season (5G, 10A) and is tied for first in PWHL scoring with 22 points (8G, 14A) in 21 games. Her goal was her third on the power play to put her tied for third overall in the category and first in rookie points on the advantage with seven.
Élizabeth Giguère’s second tally of the season ended a 15-game goal drought and gives her points in two straight games. The Sirens forward recorded three of her four inaugural season points against Boston and has matched last year’s point total in three fewer games.
Abby Roque recorded an assist to extend her point streak to three games (1G, 2A) and her road point streak to eight games (4G, 5A).
Jessie Eldridge also picked up a helper to extend her point streak to three games (1G, 2A) and climbs into a tie for fourth in league scoring with 18 points (7G, 11A) in 21 games. Her nine power play points (3G, 6A) ranks fourth in the PWHL.
Jill Saulnier recorded an assist and set a new career-high of three points (1G, 2A) on the season to exceed her inaugural season total in two fewer games.
Sophie Shirley recorded her fifth assist and point of the season. The five points in 21 games matches her inaugural season total (3G, 2A) in 20 games.
Ella Shelton led all players with a season-high five shots on goal.
New York won 36 of the game’s faceoffs to Boston’s 19.
SCORESHEET RECAP
New York 1 1 0 - 2
Boston 1 2 2 – 5
1st Period-1, New York, Giguère 2 7:21. 2, Boston, Müller 6 (Knight, Maloney), 14:48. Penalties-No Penalties
2nd Period-3, Boston, Knight 9 (Maloney, Tapani), 1:36 (PP). 4, Boston, Knight 10 (Müller), 12:16. 5, New York, Fillier 8 (Roque, Eldridge), 14:22 (PP). Penalties-Levis Ny (cross checking), 0:31; Shirley Bos (delay of game), 9:45; Brandt Bos (high sticking), 13:50.
3rd Period-6, Boston, Tapani 9 (Saulnier, Shirley), 14:54. 7, Boston, Knight 11 (Müller, Maloney), 19:52 (EN). Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-New York 14-18-8-40. Boston 6-5-9-20.
Power Play Opportunities-New York 1 / 2; Boston 1 / 1.
Goalies-New York, Osborne 1-4-0-2 (19 shots-15 saves). Boston, Frankel 11-4-2-0 (40 shots-38 saves).
A-3,252
THREE STARS
1. Hilary Knight (BOS) 3G, 1A
2. Shay Maloney (BOS) 3A
3. Sarah Fillier (NY) 1G
STANDINGS
Boston (7-5-3-6) - 34 PTS – 2nd Place
New York (4-3-4-10) - 22 PTS – 6th Place
UPCOMING SCHEDULES
Boston: Saturday, March 8 vs. Montréal at 2 p.m. ET (Agganis Arena)
New York: Wednesday, March 12 vs. Montréal at 7 p.m. ET