In a highly anticipated matchup in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, the first-place Boston Fleet faced off against the eighth-place Seattle Torrent at Climate Pledge Arena. Despite the gap in the standings, the contest unfolded as a tightly battled showdown, with Seattle defending home ice in front of an energized crowd and refusing to back down against the league leaders.
The first period showcased the offensive talent on both teams. The Boston Fleet struck first at 12 minutes and 30 seconds into the period when Theresa Schafzahl tipped a Daniela Pejšová one-timer past Corinne Schroeder to give the Fleet a 1-0 lead. But with less than 10 seconds remaining in the period, Alex Carpenter of the Seattle Torrent backhanded the puck past her former teammate Abbey Levy, sending the game into the break tied 1-1.
Boston regained control against Seattle in the second period. At 11 minutes and 27 seconds, Susanna Tapani buried a rebound five-hole to restore the Fleet’s lead at 2-1. Despite Seattle coming in with heavy pressure, including a season-high of 19 shots in the frame, Levy stabilized control in the net, keeping Boston ahead through two periods.
Entering the third and final period, Seattle elevated its intensity against the Boston Fleet. With just over five minutes remaining, Mikyla Grant-Mentis delivered the turning point. On a shorthanded rush, she drove hard into the net and scored her first career “jailbreak” goal, tying the game 2-2 and igniting the home crowd.
This momentum carried forward. Just a minute later, Natalie Snodgrass set up Danielle Serdachny, who buried the go-ahead goal at 16 minutes and 14 seconds to complete the comeback. It marked Serdachny’s first career game-winning goal and capped off a dominant stretch for Seattle’s second line.
Boston pressed late, but Schroeder shut the door, finishing with 25 saves on 27 shots. Levy was equally impressive despite the loss, turning aside 35 of 38 shots in Boston’s most heavily tested defensive outing of the season.
This win was significant for the Torrent. They snapped a four-game losing streak, starting from their previous win on Jan. 20 against Boston. Notably, Seattle had only won once all year, trailing after two periods, underscoring the magnitude of the comeback. Meanwhile, Boston, still atop the PWHL standings with 37 points, saw its six-game winning streak and eight-game point streak come to an end.
Looking ahead, Seattle, in last place in the league, will try to carry the momentum into a five-game road trip beginning in Minnesota. Boston wraps up its road swing Sunday in a crucial first-place showdown against Montréal Victoire before returning home for its first game back since the Olympic break. The matchup served as a reminder that in the PWHL, no lead guarantees safety. Seattle’s relentless push in the final minutes turned what seemed like another Boston victory into one of the season’s most exciting comebacks.
