LOWELL, MA (April 26, 2025) – Klára Peslarová turned aside all 29 shots in her first career PWHL start to backstop Boston to a 3-0 shutout victory over Toronto at the Tsongas Center on Saturday afternoon. The win ends the Fleet’s stretch of three consecutive regulation losses and brings them to within two points of the second-place Sceptres in the standings with two games remaining for both teams. The Sceptres, who missed an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth needing just one point in today’s game, have lost two straight decisions for the first time since their final two games in January. Lexie Adzija opened scoring with a goal scored backdoor off a pass from Jamie Lee Rattray on the team’s first shot, just 2:35 into the contest. Hannah Brandt extended the lead to 2-0 by sneaking in a backhanded shot from the top of the crease after receiving a nice pass from Megan Keller at 11:47. Theresa Schafzahl rounded out the scoring by capitalizing on a feed from Rattray on a power play rush with just six seconds remaining in the second period. The teams played a scoreless third period, with Toronto firing 10 shots on Peslarová in the final frame in their push to find some offense. Kristen Campbell recorded 12 saves on 15 shots and is just 13 saves away from 1,000 for her career.
QUOTES
Fleet Head Coach Courtney Kessel: “I thought our start was great. When you leave a period up by two goals, you’re excited, but you’ve got to continue with that momentum. I think we weathered the storm a bit in the second period and then getting that third goal was really good for momentum heading into the third… It was great to see a little bit more scoring distribution. I thought all four lines were going and anyone could be on the ice at any time. That’s a coach’s dream and what you want every game.”
Boston goalie Klára Peslarová on her mindset going into her first PWHL start: “I was waiting for this opportunity basically the whole season and it came. The girls helped me a lot and as I said to them in the locker room, if they have my back, I have theirs. I’m just grateful for this opportunity.”
Boston forward Hannah Bilka on what it was like being back on the ice: “It was awesome. You take it for granted when you’re playing, and then when you aren’t playing, you realize how much you miss it. It was so great to be back and on top of that we got the win, so it was awesome.”
Sceptres Head Coach Troy Ryan: “To me, the disappointing part as a coach is that tonight was an opportunity to probably solidify home ice advantage in the playoffs and put a push for first place. I’d like to think that those things are more motivating than even the risk of not making the playoffs, and I really wish that our group could understand the importance of that and what it would mean for the organization in general to secure home ice advantage and ultimately find a way to get into first place.”
Toronto forward Emma Maltais: “I think Soupy [Kristen Campbell] made a good point in the locker room that we’ve got to make sure we are challenging her earlier. I think the first period gave her [Klára Peslarová] confidence – we were putting a lot of easy shots on her with zero traffic and zero second effort, so I think we will learn from that.”
NOTABLES
Klára Peslarová has not allowed a goal in her PWHL career spanning five full periods of action. She previously turned aside all 15 shots faced in her debut on Feb. 16 where she played the final 40 minutes against Minnesota in Boston’s 4-2 comeback victory.
Peslarová becomes the third goaltender in PWHL history to earn a shutout in her first career start, following New York’s Corinne Schroeder and Minnesota’s Maddie Rooney during the inaugural season.
Lexie Adzija’s goal was her second in six games and counted as Boston’s quickest goal of the season at 2:35 of the first period. It marked the first time this season the Fleet have scored on their first shot on goal.
Toronto surrendered a goal on the first shot against for the third time this season, with previous instances occurring Feb. 11 against Minnesota and Feb. 16 against Ottawa. The Sceptres have also allowed the game’s first goal a league-leading 17 times and have a league-high 10 goals allowed in the first five minutes.
Hannah Bilka recorded an assist in her first game back in the Fleet lineup since Jan. 31, having missed 14 games while on LTIR with a lower-body injury. The rookie forward extended her pre-injury point streak to three games (1G, 2A) and is tied for sixth among rookies with 10 points (4G, 6A) in 14 games.
Hannah Brandt tallied her second goal of the season and first since Dec. 17, 2024. The Fleet forward has tied her 24-game inaugural season point total of 10 (5G, 5A) in four additional games.
Theresa Schafzahl scored her first career power play goal and matched her inaugural season goal total with her third of the campaign. Since scoring her first goal on Feb. 20, her next two were scored in five-game increments.
Jamie Lee Rattray recorded two assists for her second multi-point performance of the season and first multi-assist effort since Mar. 10, 2024, of the inaugural season.
Megan Keller picked up an assist – her first point since a goal against Toronto on Feb. 14 – snapping a career-high 12-game pointless stretch.
Loren Gabel collected her first assist of the season, with her previous helper coming last season against Ottawa on Feb. 19, 2024. In addition to today’s assist, she has two goals on the season for a total of three points.
Sarah Nurse led all skaters with five shots on goal.
Aerin Frankel was scratched from the Fleet lineup due to concussion protocol following a collision in the gold medal game of the Women’s World Championship.
The Fleet’s top ranked penalty kill improved to 85.1% efficiency, denying the Sceptres’ top ranked power play (27.6%) on all three opportunities.
Toronto was shut out for the second time this season following a 1-0 overtime loss to the Sirens on Jan. 12.
The Sceptres are the first team in the PWHL to finish their road schedule and earned 20 points (5-1-3-6) in 15 games as the visitors.
Toronto won the season series against Boston, 12-6 in points, with all six results decided by multiple goals. Toronto also won the inaugural season series, 9-6 in points.
With today’s results, New York has been officially eliminated from playoff contention.
SCORESHEET RECAP
Toronto 0 0 0 – 0
Boston 2 1 0 – 3
1st Period-1, Boston, Adzija 2 (Rattray), 2:35. 2, Boston, Brandt 2 (Keller, Bilka), 11:47. Penalties-Woods Tor (slashing), 7:15; Gabel Bos (hooking), 16:37; served by Daniel Tor (too many players), 19:06.
2nd Period-3, Boston, Schafzahl 3 (Rattray, Gabel), 19:54 (PP). Penalties-Daniel Tor (hooking), 9:47; Fast Tor (illegal body checking), 18:12.
3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Knight Bos (roughing), 3:56; Miller Tor (interference), 11:07; Adzija Bos (roughing), 13:57.
Shots on Goal-Toronto 9-10-10-29. Boston 7-6-2-15.
Power Play Opportunities-Toronto 0 / 3; Boston 1 / 5.
Goalies-Toronto, Campbell 9-8-2-1 (15 shots-12 saves). Boston, Peslarova 2-0-0-0 (29 shots-29 saves).
A-5,619
THREE STARS
1. Klára Peslarová (BOS) 29/29 SV
2. Jamie Lee Rattray (BOS) 2A
3. Lexie Adzija (BOS) 1G
STANDINGS
Toronto (12-2-5-9) – 45 PTS – 2nd Place
Boston (9-6-4-9) – 43 PTS – 3rd Place
UPCOMING SCHEDULES
Boston: Monday, April 28 at Montréal at 7 p.m. ET
Toronto: Tuesday, April 29 vs. New York at 7 p.m. ET
