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Boston Pride advance to third straight Isobel Cup final

The Pride pick up where they left off in Friday’s goal-heavy preliminary round to take a 5-1 win over the Toronto Six.
 
The Boston Pride celebrate their win against the Toronto Six during the Premier Hockey Federation's Isobel Cup semifinal Sunday in Wesley Chapel.
The Boston Pride celebrate their win against the Toronto Six during the Premier Hockey Federation's Isobel Cup semifinal Sunday in Wesley Chapel. [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]
Published March 28, 2022|Updated March 28, 2022

WESLEY CHAPEL — A 2:18 span in the first period was all the Boston Pride needed to take control of their Sunday semifinal against the Toronto Six in the Premier Hockey Federation playoffs.

The Pride scored three goals late in the first en route to a 5-1 win at the AdventHealth Center Ice complex to advance to their third straight Isobel Cup final.

They meet the Connecticut Whale Monday night.

The Pride could become the first team to win back-to-back Isobel Cups.

“I think we carried over the emotion from our (6-0) game against Buffalo (in the preliminary round), and we brought that (Sunday),” coach Paul Mara said. “I think when we play with heart and passion, like we’ve talked about, and we’re focused, there’s not a better team in this league, and we’re not done.”

Bad timing on penalties proved to be Toronto’s Achilles’ heel.

Twenty-one seconds into the first power play of the game, for Toronto courtesy of a Boston tripping call on defender Kaleigh Fratkin, Toronto forward Breanne Wilson-Bennett was called for body checking.

Boston Pride defender Kaleigh Fratkin (13) takes a shot during the first period. [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]

The officials signaled for a delayed penalty, and before Toronto could regain puck possession to stop play, Six forward Mikyla Grant-Mentis was assessed a tripping penalty, leading to a 4-on-3 power play for the Pride for 1:39.

That man advantage was all the Pride needed to go up 2-0.

Four seconds into the 4-on-3, Pride forward Christina Putigna opened the scoring with 4:21 remaining in the first. She beat goaltender Elaine Chuli (23 saves) on the right side from a cross-ice feed from defender Lauren Kelly.

Twenty-eight seconds later, Boston defender Kali Flanagan drove the length of the ice with the puck and through traffic scored the team’s second power-play goal.

When the teams returned to even strength, Pride forward Kayla Friesen made it 3-0 with 2:07 remaining in the period.

“I think our team always creates our own energy out there, but scoring three goals right off the bat there was a big boost for us,” said Mara, a former NHL defenseman who was a first-round draft choice of the Lightning in 1997 and played 101 games with Tampa Bay from 1998-2001.

Toronto broke through with 34 seconds left in the period when Wilson-Bennett cut its deficit to 3-1.

Boston added goals in the second and third periods, from forwards Evelina Raselli and Taylor Wenczkowski on a power play.

Boston Pride goaltender Katie Burt (88) prepares to block a puck in the third period. [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]

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Boston goalie Katie Burt had 18 saves.

Ten Pride skaters had points.

“I think we can put any player out there, any line out there, and D combination at any time in the game, any circumstance, and we’re confident they’ll get the job done,” Mara said. “We’re really confident that our depth will take us through and get us a win.”

Up next

Premier Hockey Federation Isobel Cup final: Connecticut Whale vs. Boston Pride, 9 p.m. Monday

Watch: ESPN2

Contact Mari Faiello at mfaiello@tampabay.com. Follow @faiello_mari.

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