Beauts Extend Win Streak to 7 With 6-2 Victory Over Pride
Published on February 19, 2018 under Premier Hockey Federation (PHF)
Buffalo Beauts News Release
With the Buffalo Beauts returning from the All-Star break as the only team in the league with a winning streak, they were not looking for it to end anytime soon. Meanwhile, the Boston Pride came into Sunday's afternoon tilt determined to stop their 6 game losing streak. The Beauts we determined to keep their winning streak alive as they triumphed in a 6-2 victory.
The Beauts came out firing on all cylinders right from the opening faceoff. At 2:27, Beauts rookie Kristin Lewicki buried the puck past Pride netminder Brianna Laing, which appeared to squeak out from her glove to give the Beauts an early 1-0 lead. Five minutes later, with the Pride's backs completely against the wall, Beauts forward Maddie Elia scored to put the Beauts up 2-0.
Unfortunately for the Pride, the Beauts were far from finished. At 10:20 of the first period, Laing once again was unable to fully cover the puck with her glove, allowing Hayley Scamurra to poke in a loose puck to score the teams third goal of the game and put the Beats up by three. As if the Pride were not hurting enough, Brianna Laing sustained an injury during that play and was relieved by fellow rookie goaltender Madison Litchfield, who made her NWHL debut.
Two minutes later, the pounding by Buffalo continued, this time on the man-advantage as Pride forward Mary Parker was assessed a 2-minute minor for tripping. The Beauts showcased their impeccable passing game, with Kourtney Kunichika passing the puck to Taylor Accursi in front of the net, who fed it right back to Kunichika to allow for a wide-open net and an all-too easy goal for Buffalo. At twenty minutes of play, the Pride found themselves in a four goal hole.
In the second period, the Pride came out revitalized, determined to chip away at the score one goal at a time. The momentum seemed to turn in their favor, and it would be the Pride who scored next. Beauts netminder Amanda Leveille gave up a juicy rebound from a Jillian Dempsey blast, allowing Emily Field to easily put it in the net at 4:50 to make it 4-1. The Pride seemed to be in complete control of the game's momentum at this point, as the Beauts appeared to have lost their touch that afforded them the initial four-goal lead.
However, if it was one thing the Pride learned during last year's Isobel Cup Final, never count the Beauts out. Capitalizing on a Pride turnover, Kaylyn Schroka singlehandedly carried the puck into the Pride zone and fired a laser from the high slot which beat Litchfield and once again widened the goal differential to four. This goal initially appeared to deflate any newly-found momentum the Pride had been able to muster, but the Pride also had a few tricks up their sleeve. With less than a minute to go in the second period, Field decided to return the favor by setting up Dempsey this time in the high slot, who buried a shot past Leveille to bring the Pride within three once more. The Pride tripled their SOG in the second period compared to the first 15-vs.-5 and left the ice after forty minutes optimistic about a potential three goal comeback.
In the third period, however, the Beauts seemed to have regained composure and again began to dictate the terms of the game. At 16:12, the Beauts put the icing on the cake as Rebecca Vint snuck a shot through an opening between Litchfield's pads to score her third goal of the year and close the game out with a final score of 6-2.
The Beauts are back on the road next week to face the Metropolitan Riveters, while the Pride travel to Stamford, Connecticut, to take on the Connecticut Whale.
Premier Hockey Federation Stories from February 19, 2018
- Beauts Extend Win Streak to 7 With 6-2 Victory Over Pride - Buffalo Beauts
- Rivs Get Back on Track in Win Over Whale - Metropolitan Riveters
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