New York defeats Boston

With playoff points coming at a premium, Jade Downie-landry decided to up the ante.

The forward scored a pair of power-play goals and added an assist, as New York edged Boston, 3-2, in Professional Women’s Hockey League action Monday before 2,834 fans at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. The game featured teams on the outside of the PWHL playoff picture.

Boston (4-4-2-9) is in fifth place with 22 points, five behind fourth-place Ottawa. Sixth-place New York (3-4-3-9), which snapped a seven-game losing streak, has 20 points, trailing Boston by a pair.

“We have to start winning games if we want to make the playoffs,” said Boston coach Courtney Kessel before the game. “We’re looking to bear down here before the break.”

Downie-landry continued to have Boston’s number. The Mcgill University product, who netted a hat trick at the Tsongas Center on Jan. 20, gave New York the second-period lead. The forward tipped a point shot past Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel for the power-play goal at 2:12. And when Downie-landry set up Elizabeth Giguere on another power-play strike a few moments later, New York held the 2-0 advantage at 5:29.

Boston battled back with Alina Müller leading the charge. The Northeastern product scored her third goal of the season off a deflection at 6:27 of the middle period, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Hilary Knight and Emily Brown picked up the assists. Müller leads Boston in scoring with 13 points. But it wasn’t enough, however, as Boston was outshot 11-3 in the second period heading into the intermission.

Downie-landry potted her second goal of the game with 7:14 left in the third period, giving New York the 3-1 lead. It was her sixth goal of the season, with five coming against Boston.

Sophie Shirley supplied some hope for Boston by scoring a big goal at 10:15 of the third period. Defenseman Megan Keller (12 points) and Boston’s newest acquisition Lexie Adzija (nine points) assisted on the tally.

Frankel (31 saves) was playing in her first PWHL game in her home state.