In a stunning turn of events, the Minnesota Frost defeated the Boston Fleet 5-2 on Friday, December 19, putting an end to the Fleet's undefeated start to the 2025-26 season. The Frost's victory also snapped their own three-game losing streak.
The game, which marked the Frost's first home game of the season, saw Minnesota's top line performing at its best. Taylor Heise delivered a strong performance, scoring two goals to power the Frost past the Fleet. Brooke McQuigge also contributed significantly, finding the net to extend Minnesota's lead. Katy Knoll scored her first PWHL goal. Kendall Coyne Schofield sealed the victory for the Frost with another goal.
Boston responded with goals from Olivia Mobley and Riley Brengman in the third period, scoring within 23 seconds of each other and swinging the momentum in their favor. However, Minnesota quickly regained control, preventing the Fleet from completing a comeback. With just over a minute left in the game, the Fleet pulled their goalie, Frankel, in an attempt to close the gap, but the Frost capitalized with two empty-net goals.
Nicole Hensley was solid in goal for Minnesota, making 27 saves. The Fleet's goaltender, Söderberg, made 22 saves.
"We just beat ourselves," Fleet player Knight said after the game. "I think that's what's super frustrating. We gain momentum and this league's so tight... the margin of error is so small. So, when we don't capitalize and continue that momentum it's going to be really hard for us to win". Knight also noted the Fleet's difficulty in securing second and third opportunities, a recurring issue for their offense.
The regulation loss marked Boston's first in nearly a month. The Fleet had been riding a five-game point streak before this defeat. The Frost, on the other hand, were looking to rebound from a recent string of losses.
This victory is a significant one for the Frost, demonstrating their ability to compete with the league's top teams. For the Fleet, it's a reminder of the challenges of maintaining an undefeated record in a highly competitive league.
