The Boston Fleet beat the Ottawa Charge in Game 1 at Tsongas Center, with Alina Müller and Jamie Lee Rattray scoring less than two minutes apart late in the second period to lift the Fleet to a 2–1 win over Ottawa.

After the electric opener to the best-of-five semifinal, Rattray spoke about the team’s spirit. She reflected on the win in a short clip shared by @thepwhlofficial on X.

“I think we're kind of just ready to get going. I think all of us, we've kind of known we're in playoffs for a little bit now," said Jamie Lee Rattray about the team’s mindset.

That showed on the ice, as the Boston Fleet controlled most of the game and kept pressure on Gwyneth Philips, who made 26 saves on 28 shots, while they stayed aggressive even after falling behind.

"And I think, it's not always easy when you clinch earlier to kind of keep the momentum and obviously the sharpness going. And I thought our group did a pretty good job, but I think we're just ready to go," she added, praising her teammates.

Late in the second period, the momentum finally paid off. Alina Müller tied the game, and just 91 seconds later, Rattray scored to give Boston the lead, drawing cheers from the crowd in Lowell.

Rattray also mentioned the enthusiasm and liveliness that she felt in the arena, which she thinks contributed to their victory.

"And the energy in the building this morning was a lot of fun. I think everyone was just kind of ready to go... I think everyone had just had each other's backs and was excited to kind of do anything they needed to win," said the 33-year-old in the end.

But this performance was no surprise; it’s exactly how the Boston Fleet has played all season.

Boston Fleet Bring Playoff Edge Early as Kris Sparre Sets the Tone

The Boston Fleet has played playoff-style hockey all season under head coach Kris Sparre, becoming a physical, relentless team that earned an early playoff spot.

"I think it's something that you don't you can't necessarily flip a switch and start preparing them now in this moment," Sparre said.

"You prep them early in the season and you prep them throughout the season. And so physicality is not something that we haven't seen. You know, we love it. We embrace it, it's a part of our our DNA as a hockey team," the 39-year-old head coach said while reflecting on the mindset behind the win.

Boston Fleet showed their physical edge in a 2–1 Game 1 win over the Ottawa Charge, taking three first-period penalties, including a five-minute check to the head on Rylind MacKinnon, and finishing the season with a strong 91.6% penalty kill.

Now leading the best-of-five series 1–0, Boston knows the job isn’t done. As Sparre pointed out, it’s just one win, and they’ll need two more, while Ottawa looks to bounce back in Game 2 on Saturday night.

With Game 1 in the books, do you think Boston Fleet’s physical style gives them the edge to win the series? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Surjo Roy