In a match that showcased the very best of professional women’s hockey, the Boston Pride defeated the Toronto Six 3-2 in overtime at what can only be described as a goaltending clinic between two of the league’s premier netminders.
Coaching Legends Face Off
The matchup featured a fascinating contrast in coaching philosophies, with Boston’s Paul Mara squaring off against Toronto’s legendary Geraldine Heaney. Mara, a former NHL defenseman who was the 7th overall pick by Tampa Bay in 1997, brought his 734-game NHL experience to the Pride bench. The former blueliner, who accumulated 253 points across six NHL clubs, made history in November 2022 as the first PHF coach to reach 50 wins.
On the opposing bench stood Heaney, a true pioneer of women’s hockey whose credentials speak for themselves. The Ireland-born defenseman was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2008 alongside Angela James and Cammi Granato, before becoming one of the first three women ever inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. Her international resume includes 93 points in 125 games for Canada’s National Team and numerous individual honors, including Women’s Nationals MVP in 1992 and multiple Best Defenseman awards.
Goaltending Duel for the Ages
The star attractions proved to be the goaltenders, with Boston’s Corinne “Secretary of Defense” Schroeder facing off against Toronto’s Elaine “The Cat” Chuli in what became an instant classic between the pipes.
Schroeder, who leads all PHF goalies in every major category this season, was matched step-for-step by Chuli, the former UConn standout who brought an impressive international pedigree to the crease. Chuli’s resume includes leading Team Ontario Red to a National Championship in 2011 and winning gold at the 2012 IIHF Worlds as a member of the Canadian U-18 women’s hockey team.
Scoreless First Period Sets the Stage
The opening period lived up to every expectation, with both teams feeling each other out while the goaltenders stole the show. Schroeder turned away all 11 shots she faced, while Chuli matched her with 10 saves of her own. Despite four power-play opportunities between the teams (both sides going 0/2), neither could find the breakthrough.
The penalty parade began early with Toronto’s Saroya Tinker heading to the sin bin at 2:13 for slashing, followed by Boston’s Olivia Zafuto at 6:21 for tripping. Toronto’s Kayla Friesen served a too-many-men penalty at 12:25, and Taylor Woods closed out the period’s infractions with a tripping call at 17:13.
Second Period Breakthrough
The deadlock was finally broken in the second period when Boston’s Kaleigh Fratkin capitalized on a rare 5-on-3 power play opportunity. With just 22 seconds remaining in the two-man advantage, Fratkin set up shop at the point and unleashed a perfectly placed slap shot into the lower right corner.
“She set up shop at the point and just teed off on a slap shot one-timed into the lower right corner of the net. Chuli was completely screened on the play and never really saw the shot till it was too late,” described the match coverage. The goal was assisted by McKenna Brand and Loren Gabel.
The period continued the physical play from the first, with Toronto’s Brooke Boquist (tripping at 7:44) and Emma Woods (hooking at 8:22) joining the penalty parade. The officiating drew some scrutiny, with observers noting: “there was contact on the play, but I didn’t see a hook anywhere in sight.”
Despite the increased penalty minutes, both goaltenders continued their stellar play. Chuli saved 13 of 14 shots in the period (23 of 24 through two periods), while Schroeder remained perfect with 8 saves in the frame (19 total through 40 minutes).
Third Period Fireworks
The final frame exploded into offensive action, beginning with Toronto’s equalizer just 1:24 into the period. Brooke Boquist showcased her skill with a spectacular individual effort, collecting the puck at the right circle before dashing across the slot and beating Schroeder five-hole with a perfectly timed wrist shot.
The assist went to Lexi Templeman, who created the crucial turnover in Boston’s defensive zone. The goal highlighted the difficulty goaltenders face with lateral movement: “It’s one of the hardest moves for a keeper to stop because of the side-to-side movement they have to take to get across the crease.”
Boston regained the lead at 9:55 when Becca Gilmore converted a beautiful drop pass from Taylor House. House’s rush down the right side drew Chuli into the butterfly position before the forward executed a forehand-to-backhand move and delivered “a gem of a drop pass to the wide-open Gilmore, who just unloads a ridiculous one-timer slap shot into the upper left corner over Chuli.”
Toronto’s response came 4 minutes and 18 seconds later through Shiann Darkangelo, who received a perfect feed in the slot from Emma Woods. Despite being about to lose possession, Woods “placed a dime on DarkAngelo’s tape” for a mid-driven shot that found the inside of the left post, beating Schroeder’s blocker side. Taylor Davison earned the secondary assist for her work along the right-side boards.
Overtime Drama
With the score tied 2-2 and both goaltenders having delivered what observers called “superb unhuman saves,” the match headed to overtime. The extra session belonged to Boston, who controlled possession in the Toronto zone and refused to allow the Six to clear the puck.
The winner came from McKenna Brand, who found space in the slot near the left circle and fired a wrist shot just over Chuli’s pads on the glove side. Sammy Davis and Aneta Tejralova were credited with the assists on the game-winning goal.
A Clinic in Goaltending Excellence
The match served as a masterclass for aspiring goaltenders, with both netminders showcasing the highest level of positional play and game reading. As noted in the coverage: “Today’s game is for anyone wanting to be the player between the pipes, regardless of gender. Go watch this game. It’s an absolute clinic on how to play the position at a high level and read the flow of play.”
Final Thoughts
The 3-2 overtime victory improved Boston’s record to 5-0-0 (15 points) while Toronto fell to 3-2-0 (8 points). However, the final score hardly captured the drama and skill displayed throughout the contest.
“Someone, unfortunately, had to lose the game, but the keepers both deserved the win tonight,” perfectly summarized the sentiment following this instant classic. The performance by both Schroeder and Chuli elevated an already compelling matchup between the league’s top two teams into something truly special.
With both teams set to face off again, fans can expect another thrilling encounter between these evenly matched squads. If this game was any indication, tomorrow’s rematch promises to deliver more of the high-level hockey that makes the PHF must-watch entertainment.
The victory not only maintained Boston’s perfect record but also demonstrated why they remain the team to beat in the PHF. However, Toronto’s resilient performance showed they have the talent and determination to challenge for the championship, setting up what promises to be an exciting season-long battle between these two powerhouses.
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