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Beauts Close Out Season This Weekend

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Isobel Cup to be Played at Mullett Arena

Story and Photos by Janet Schultz

The Buffalo Beauts will travel to take on the Metropolitan Riveters this weekend, the last two games of the regular season.

Sitting in last place in the league, the Beauts lost back-to-back games against the Connecticut Whale this past weekend.

It was a 2-1 overtime  loss on Saturday (March 4) after going 0-0 in the First, the Whales hit the net in the second to make it 1-0. Buffalo answers back when Claudia Kepler drops one in and ties the game.

Going into overtime the Whale hit the net at 2:45 to win the game.

Sunday’s first period was a repeat of Saturday, ending 0-0. Buffalo scores first in the second at 19 seconds in with Kepler hitting the net, assisted by Dominquie Kremer and the Beauts are up by one. But only for seven minutes and Connecticut drops in a goal and its a tied game.  A powerplay goal by the Whale and its 2-1 for the Whale at the end of two. In the third period two more goals by the Whale and it ends 4-2 for the visiting team.

Boston sits in first place going into this weekend, followed by Toronto, Connecticut, Minnesota, Metro and Montreal ahead of Buffalo.

The top four teams will head into a playoff round March 16 through 20 with the Championship game being played on March 26  at 9  p.m. ET at Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. They will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and TSN.

The Isobel Cup Championship game will follow the NHL Arizona Coyotes game against the NHL Colorado Avalanche game. This will be the first time the Isobel Cup has been played on official NHL game ice.

Buffalo’s games this weekend are at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 10 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 11.

Around the League:

…Kennedy Marchment was named first star of the week by the PHF. She added to her point record to 16 straight games with a pair of two-point performances against Buffalo last weekend. She has 16 goals and 17 assists for 33 points. Her OT goal against Buffalo, the Whale’s first OT win since January 11, 2020.

…Sarah Bujold was named second star after she record 3 points, including two game-winners against Montreal that secured the Riveters with their first weekend sweep in three seasons.

…Third Star Jillian Dempsey helped Boston reclaim first place overall with three points including two goals in a weekend series against Minnesota.

…For the first time in PHF history this past weekend produced three weekend sweeps with the Whale over Buffalo, Boston over Minnesota and the Metropolitan Riveters over the Montreal Force.