Pride look to stay hot
NWHL back in action
It’s been a while since the Boston Pride hit the ice.
A 5-3 win over the Riveters on Oct. 27 was their last time out. The Pride return this weekend at 7-0, the best record in the National Women’s Hockey League. With a home-heavy start to their slate, they have three straight contests at Warrior Ice Arena again, starting with games against the Connecticut Whale this weekend.
After the break, the Pride couldn’t be more happy with the results so far just as the schedule is about to get tougher with more road contests heading into the new year.
Just about everything has gone right, but it’s started with the goal scoring and depth of the offense overall, led by their top line.
McKenna Brand, Jillian Dempsey and rookie Christian Putigna have become arguably the most dynamic line in the league. They have 13 even-strength goals, Brand leads the Pride with seven goals and Dempsey is one of the most consistent two-way forwards and faceoff-takers in the NWHL.
But even as they get deeper, that’s where the Pride’s strength is flaunted even more; not every team can have an all-star like Emily Fluke on the wing, and an NWHL veteran like Mary Parker anchoring the line up the middle.
Even if the Pride struggled to score for a stretch — of which there’s been no evidence yet — goaltending and experienced defense gives them another layer.
Rookie goalie Lovisa Selander has a .949 save percentage through her first seven career contests, including a 46-save performance against the defending champion Whitecaps in just her second career game.
It’s not going to be so easy for the Pride all season; in their second year of play in 2016-17, they made an undefeated run until the final game of the regular season and then succumbed in the title game, so no matter how dominant they are, anything can happen. The schedule does get tougher and more road games are on the agenda after November, but they’ve accumulated enough wins early where they’re in a prime position no matter what.