The Boston Fleet will play their first game since the international break on April 26, 2025 at Tsongas Center.
The Fleet, who are currently in third place in the PWHL will take on the Toronto Sceptres [second place], who are also competing for a playoff spot.
The Sceptres have 45 points, while the Fleet have 40 points. If the Sceptres get one more point before the regular season ends they will join the Montreal Victoire, who have already clinched a spot in the 2024-25 playoffs.
The pause in play was due to the league taking a 24-day break for the Women’s Hockey World Championship. Many PWHL players were competing in the World Championship which took place in Czechia from April 9th through April 20.
The United States took home the win in Czechia, with three Fleet players contributing to the team’s success. Fleet Captain Hilary Knight, Goaltender Aerin Frankel and Megan Keller all returned to Boston with another trophy.
Not only did they return with a trophy, the Fleet players alpo returned with battle scars. Knight, who led the team to victory over Canada, is now sporting a black eye and three stitches.
Alina Muller has been placed on LTIR and will miss the remainder of the season following a lower body injury.
Frankel hasn’t returned to practice after a collision with Montreal’s Laura Stacey in Czechia.
Stacey was assessed a minor penalty, while Frankel had to leave the game. It was reported that Frankel has not seen the ice since the collision, and there is no current knowledge of when she will return.
However, with only three games to go in the regular season, the Fleet have to lock in if they want to secure their playoff spot. The team is currently on track to make the playoffs needing only one regulation win to seal the deal.
The Fleet will receive a boost with the return of Hannah Bilka from LTIR.
Although it may seem simple, the team entered the break having lost their last three games. While there is also still a possibility the Fleet won’t make the playoffs, their current standing is far better than last season, where where they were fighting to sneak into the playoffs. They just need to secure three points in the next three games and they are in the playoffs.
Two of the Fleet’s final three games will be played on home-ice at the Tsongas Center, where the team has historically performed well in front of their fans.
Heading into the game a few questions still remain; Will Frankel be in net? Will the Fleet be able to pull themselves out of the losing streak they had prior to the break? How will the international break impact both teams?
We will find out tomorrow when the puck drops at 2 p.m. E.T. in Lowell. Both the Fleet and Sceptres will fight to secure their playoff spot.
