LOWELL, MA (November 23, 2025) – The Boston Fleet skated to a 2-0 victory over the Montréal Victoire on Sunday afternoon at the Tsongas Center, backstopped by a 25-save shutout by Aerin Frankel in front of 5,166 fans. The Fleet got on the board just 1:13 into the game when Susanna Tapani’s shot deflected into the net off a Victoire player in front. Frankel stood tall through the second period, as Montréal outshot Boston 10-6 in the middle frame. Newly named Fleet captain Megan Keller doubled Boston’s lead in the third with a power play marker to make the score 2-0 for the home team with Tapani recording her second point of the afternoon on the play. The performance was Frankel’s third shutout of her regular-season career. Montréal goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens made 26 saves in the loss.
QUOTES
Boston Head Coach Kris Sparre on getting his first win as head coach of the Fleet: “This will be a night for me that I’ll never forget… I thought we were aggressive, which is how we want to play. There are obviously still things we need to clean up, but I’m so proud of the group. I told them in the locker room after the game that I’m having a lot of fun coaching them. They’re wonderful athletes, attentive and they’re picking up information quickly.”
Fleet goaltender Aerin Frankel on getting the shutout at home to start the season: “Each year getting experience is really important. Playing in this league, all the games are really intense, and you have to be ready to go from puck drop. I’ve been continuing to build on everything I’ve worked on in the past couple years and just try to be a calm, steady presence for our team. I’m excited that we got our first win at home in front of all these fans. I felt like I was seeing the puck well, but the players really helped me out today. They made my job pretty easy.”
Montréal Head Coach Kori Cheverie on Boston's work against Marie-Philip Poulin's line: “Pou's always going to find a way to create something, to find some momentum, and their line certainly did do that. It just didn't end up in the back of the net. We'll make adjustments. We'll fight through and she will make adjustments as well. I really liked some of the looks that they had and some of the momentum that they started, and some of the face offs that they ran. It's game one."
Victoire goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens on the message for the players who will play their first game in the Victoire uniform at home on Tuesday night: “I just want to tell them to enjoy it. The atmosphere at Place Bell is simply incredible, the fans are loud, they support us, so it’s always a pleasure to play for Montréal. I would tell them to learn from what they experienced today, continue building chemistry and build on that. The crowd will be behind us, and I know it will be our seventh player on the ice Tuesday."
NOTABLES
Boston’s win was their first in three all-time season and home opening games. Last year, they opened the season with a 3-1 loss in Toronto on Nov. 30, 2024 and followed up with a 2-1 loss to Minnesota at home on Dec. 4, 2024. In the inaugural season, they lost their first-ever game 3-2 to Minnesota at home on Jan. 3, 2024.
Montréal lost for the first time in three season opening games. Last season, they beat Ottawa 4-3 in a shootout at home on Nov. 30, 2024, and opened the inaugural season with a 3-2 overtime win in Ottawa on Jan. 2, 2024.
Aerin Frankel posted the third season opening shutout in PWHL history and is tied for third with three career regular season shutouts. Her single shutout during the 2024-25 campaign was also a 25-save performance on Feb. 12 in a 4-0 win in New York.
Susanna Tapani scored the fastest goal of PWHL Opening Weekend at 1:13 of the first period on Boston’s first shot of the game. With a third period assist, she now has 11 career multi-point games. Last season, she finished second on the Fleet with 11 goals and six multi-point performances.
Megan Keller scored the first power play goal of the PWHL season in her first game as Fleet captain. The only other power play goal of her career was also Boston’s first of the inaugural season. She now has a point in all three of Boston’s season opening games (2G, 1A).
Alina Müller also recorded the primary assist on Keller’s inaugural season power play goal. The Fleet’s new alternate captain is the team’s all-time leader with 24 career assists.
Jamie Lee Rattray and Sophie Shirley also contributed primary and secondary assists on Boston’s first goal of the inaugural season, setting up Theresa Schafzahl.
Marie-Philip Poulin led Montréal with five shots on goal, eight faceoff wins and six penalty minutes. The Victoire captain and PWHL all-time leading scorer has been limited to just one assist in three career season opening games.
Ann-Renée Desbiens, who led the league with 15 wins during the 2024-25 campaign, suffered her first loss in three career season opening games. Last season, she led the league with 16 full starts allowing two or fewer goals against.
Four Boston draft selections made their PWHL debuts today led by second overall pick Haley Winn who topped the Fleet with six shots on goal from the blue line, second-round pick Ella Huber, fourth-round pick Riley Brengman, and fifth-round pick Abby Newhook who turned pro after captaining the Boston College Eagles.
Three of the Fleet’s offseason acquisitions hit the ice for their first game with the team including forwards Laura Kluge, Liz Schepers, and defender Rylind MacKinnon.
Olivia Zafuto, who spent the 2024-25 season as a Fleet Reserve, made her official team debut after signing a 10-day contract to jump into the lineup in place of fellow defender Zoe Boyd who is listed day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Montréal’s top three draft picks made their PWHL debuts today led by fourth overall pick Nicole Gosling, second-round pick Natálie Mlýnková, and third-round pick Skylar Irving who suited up in familiar territory as a Kingston, MA native and Northeastern University graduate.
Five of the Victoire’s offseason additions put their new jersey on for the first time including forwards Shiann Darkangelo, Abby Roque and Hayley Scamurra, plus defenders Maggie Flaherty and Jessica DiGirolamo, who returned to Boston where she played her first two PWHL seasons.
Jade Downie-Landry, Montréal’s sixth offseason acquisition, was out of the lineup after being placed on long-term injured reserve prior to the game.
Boston outshot Montréal 28-25 after finishing last in the PWHL with an average 25.13 shots per game during the 2024-25 season. They also registered the fewest games in which they outshot their opponent last season (11).
THREE STARS
1. Aerin Frankel (BOS) 25/25 SV
2. Susanna Tapani (BOS) 1G, 1A
3. Megan Keller (BOS) 1G
UPCOMING SCHEDULES
Montréal: Tuesday, Nov. 25 vs. New York at 7 p.m. ET
Boston: Saturday, Nov. 29 at Toronto at 2 p.m. ET