The Boston Fleet might be docking on Causeway Road this spring.
The Skilled Ladies’s Hockey League membership introduced Tuesday morning that the staff will host the Montreal Victoire at TD Backyard on April 11 at 7 p.m.
The sport was initially listed on Boston’s schedule with a time and site to be decided, however the Fleet will play its first sport on Backyard ice towards a longtime Boston rival.
The lean will function the nightcap of a Saturday doubleheader at TD Backyard. The Boston Bruins first play the Tampa Bay Lightning at 12:30 p.m. earlier than the Fleet will hit the ice for the primary skilled ladies’s hockey sport within the historic venue.
“This marks a special milestone in our club’s history,” stated Fleet basic supervisor Danielle Marmer. “The Boston-Montreal rivalry runs quite deep on the men’s side, but we’ve found a way to continue that in the PWHL as well. I expect this to be a really fun game for our fans to attend and one that’s going to mean a lot in terms of standings and just to continue on that rivalry.”
Montreal battled Boston final March on the Bell Centre, house of the Montreal Canadiens, in entrance of 17,324 followers. The Fleet will now return the favor on the house sheet of the Bruins in what has developed into one of many league’s fiercest rivalries. Of the ten regular-season video games performed between the franchises, seven have required additional time. The Fleet notably swept Montreal in three straight additional time video games within the 2024 PWHL semifinals.
Marmer stated the group has been working towards touchdown a sport at TD Backyard for the reason that inaugural season in 2024 however confronted struggles to align the venue’s crowded schedule with the PWHL’s. She stated it was a precedence coming into 12 months three.
TD Backyard boasts a capability of 17,850 for hockey video games and introduced in over 13,000 followers for the Ladies’s Beanpot in 2025. The WNBA’s Connecticut Solar held video games on the Backyard the previous two years, promoting out each.
“It’s a place that I think a lot of us have always wanted to play, especially representing the city of Boston and playing for the Boston Fleet, we’re really excited to get the opportunity to play at TD Garden and hopefully pack the place,” stated Fleet captain Megan Keller.
The Fleet calls Lowell house for almost all of its house matchups this season. Boston hosts eight video games on the Tsongas Middle and 4 at Agganis Area. Boston has video games at Agganis this week on Wednesday (7 p.m.) and Sunday (3 p.m.) and doesn’t return to the Tsongas till Jan. 14.
Scorching begin
Boston (2-0-0-0) is the one unbeaten staff within the early goings of the 2025-26 marketing campaign, incomes thrilling wins over Montreal (2-0) and the Toronto Sceptres (3-1). Boston has relinquished a league-best one aim to date and has additionally but to permit a power-play aim (3-for-3).
“Getting three points in this league is tough to do, so to be able to do that in the first two games, we’re obviously excited about that, but I think for us as a group we know that we still have things to work on and still have things to grow on,” Keller stated. “That’s our focus after each game.”
The Fleet blanked Montreal in Lowell in its house opener earlier than hitting the street and doling out a powerful 3-1 win over Toronto after battling again from a 1-0 deficit. Boston was the higher staff in all aspects of the sport towards the Victoire — holding a 28-25 photographs on aim benefit and enjoying a sound defensive sport — earlier than grinding out a blue-collar effort whereas being outshot 25-12 towards Toronto.
Whereas it’s early, with the ability to win in a myriad of how excites Marmer.
“If you have a team that can find different ways to win hockey games, that’s a really good sign,” Marmer stated.
Frankel stands tall
Star netminder Aerin Frankel has loads to do with Boston’s success. Frankel has stopped 49 of fifty photographs and has been the anchor of the Fleet’s first two wins.
“There’s a confidence that she plays with, and seeing that come through in these first couple of games, that’s the start that you want for her,” Marmer stated.
Frankel has definitely lived as much as her billing as a franchise stalwart in her third 12 months with the staff. The Goaltender of the 12 months finalist led the PWHL in saves final season with 591.
Newhook becoming in
Boston’s stars have proven out of their first two video games, with fixtures Susanna Tapani (2-1-3), Keller (1-1-2) and Alina Müller (1-1-2) carrying the offensive workload.
However rookie Abby Newhook has rapidly assimilated herself as a middle-six ahead with some playmaking punch for first-year bench boss Kris Sparre.
Newhook selected a pivotal time to pot her first profession aim, tying the sport at 1-1 towards Toronto en path to an exciting win on Saturday.
“She’s a player that’s come in and earned every opportunity,” Sparre stated. “That last game in a big moment, we’re trying to find our rhythm in the game, and Abby goes in and wins a big 50-50 puck and sets up a goal to sort of spark our team.”
Newhook has expertise enjoying on Backyard ice. The Boston School product performed within the Ladies’s Beanpot final 12 months in a 4-1 win over Harvard within the third-place sport.
