The Connecticut Whale played two games this past weekend to kick off their 2023 new year. Let’s see how they did:
January 5th:
In their first game, they played the Boston Pride. It’s the third time these two teams have met this season. In their first meeting, the Pride won 4-0, the Whale would win the second game 6-4. This time, it would be Boston that would come out victorious by a score of 5-2.
Boston would notch the first goal of the game, very early on. The tally coming from Christina Putigna, her third goal of the season, with the assists on the play coming from Jenna Rheault and Allie Thunstrom. Boston would then add 3 more goals in the second period, giving them 4 unanswered goals in the game. The goals coming from Taylor Wenczkowski, her second goal, Elizabeth Giguere, her fifth goal, and Jillian Dempsey, her eighth goal.
The Whale would answer with 2 goals of their own before the end of the period. The first goal coming via shorthanded, scored by Taylor Girard. It would be her fourth goal of the season, and her third shorthanded goal, which leads the league. The other Connecticut goal was scored by Justine Reyes, her second goal of the year.
Loren Gabel would add the lone goal in the third period for the Pride, which came via an empty net, and it would confirm the 5-2 victory for the Pride.
Corinne Schroeder would get the start for the Boston Pride, and she would face 40 shots, making 38 saves. While Abbie Ives got the start for the Connecticut Whale, and she would face 23 shots, making 19 saves.
The three stars of the game were Loren Gabel, Justine Reyes, and Elizabeth Giguere
Postgame Audio:
Thank you D.F. Pendrys for the post game audio!
Pride Head Coach Paul Mara:
Pride Defender Kali Flanagan:
Whale Defender Shannon Turner:
January 8th:
The second weekend game for the Connecticut Whale saw them square off against the Metropolitan Riveters. This time the Whale would find themselves victorious, and in shutout fashion.
The Whale would start off by nabbing 3 first period goals, and they never looked back. The goalscorers were, last season’s MVP, Kennedy Marchment, her sixth goal, Taylor Girard, her fifth goal, and Caitrin Lonergan, her second goal.
The Whale would add another goal in the second period, to take a 4-0 lead heading into the third period, the lone goal would come from Emma Keenan, her second goal of the season, with the assists on the play coming from Taylor Girard and Hannah Bates.
Connecticut would score two more goals in the third period, making the score 6-0. The two goals scored by Katerina Mrazova, her third and fourth goals of the season. That would finish the scoring in the game, as the Whale would win this one by a score of 6-0.
Eveliina Makinen would get the start for Metropolitan Riveters, and would only play in the first period, she would face 7 shots, making 4 saves, with Katie Burt would come in relief for the last two periods, she would face 27 shots, making 24 saves. Meeri Raisanen would get the start for the Connecticut Whale, she would stop all 23 shots she faced, earning her first shutout of the season, and her second career NWHL/PHF shutout. (Her other shutout coming during the 2018-19 season.)
The three stars of the game were Meeri Raisanen, Taylor Girard, and Katerina Mrazova
Next Game:
The next game the Connecticut Whale play will be on January 14th against the Montreal Force. That game will start at 3p in the Steel City of Pittsburgh, PA.
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The Xperience Hockey Talk 
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