Fleet Shut Out Sirens 4-0 in Regular Season Finale, Set Sights on Walter Cup Run

On the final day of the regular season, the Boston Fleet took on the New York Sirens in a game with major playoff implications. A regulation win combined with a Montréal loss of any kind, or an overtime/shootout win paired with a Montréal regulation loss, would have secured first place in the league for Boston—and with it, the right to select their playoff opponent. With the first game of the day, it was up to the Fleet to put themselves in a good position and then wait to see how the standings shook out.

All eight teams were in action for just the second time in league history, helping set a new PWHL single-day attendance record of 42,887. A crowd of 6,120 packed the stands for Fleet Fan Appreciation Day, marking the team’s fifth sellout of the season. While their opponent had yet to be determined, fans knew their team would return to Lowell on April 30 and May 2 to open the 2026 PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs on home ice.

Before the game began, an emotional pregame moment took center stage. Eight-year-old leukemia survivor Avery Callagy made her way to center ice, rang the bell commemorating the end of her treatment, and then participated in the ceremonial puck drop. Fleet captain Megan Keller reflected on the moment afterward, saying, "She rang the bell out there, finished her treatment March 10...Obviously a huge inspiration to all of us, for her to show up and have a smile on her face and bring us some joy. Just to see the fight that she has as a person, and the personality that she has, she was a lot of fun to be around...We can learn a lot from her."

Avery Callagy performing the ceremonial puck drop. Courtesy of pwhl_fleet/Instagram.

Despite being the team with nothing on the line, the opening period belonged almost entirely to New York. A delay of game penalty to Riley Brengman sent the Sirens to a power play just 4:13 into the contest, but goaltender Aerin Frankel kept the game scoreless. Boston struggled to generate any substantial offense and did not record their first shot on goal until 11:36, when Abby Newhook tested Callie Shanahan. By that point, the Sirens had already piled up eight shots.

Tensions rose after what appeared to be a missed call when Haley Winn was pulled down in the corner, and in the aftermath, Rylind MacKinnon was assessed a cross-checking penalty. The Fleet finished the first period with just one shot on goal, trailing 16-1 in that department, but the game remained scoreless thanks to steady goaltending.

The physicality only intensified in the second period. A scramble in front of the net with 8:09 remaining sparked a full scrum, and after an extended delay, both teams returned to play without penalties being assessed. Scrums after the whistle continued throughout the frame.

Scrum during the second period in front of Callie Shanahan's net. Courtesy of Karinna Leonard

At 17:08, New York’s Emmy Fecteau was sent off for cross-checking, giving Boston its first power play opportunity. The Fleet’s man advantage continued to sputter, however, as they struggled to establish offensive-zone time and failed to generate dangerous looks. New York carried a commanding 24-8 shots advantage into the second intermission, but the scoreboard still read 0-0.

During the second period, Jamie Lee Rattray quipped from the bench, "This crowd is just waiting for someone to put one in the back of the net to erupt."

She was right. After a slow start to the game, just 2:53 into the third period, the building erupted. Jessie Eldridge got a piece of a long shot from Megan Keller, redirecting it home for the game’s opening goal and giving Boston the lead. Keller later praised the support from the fans: “Our fans are passionate. Boston sports fans always are. There’s a high standard and we know that, and we hope to bring it each and every single night. We feel that, if we do get one in, they’re going to explode.” 

Courtesy of PWHL_Boston/X

The Fleet doubled their lead at 7:28 when rookie Ella Huber found the back of the net for her fourth goal of the season, three of which have come against New York.

When Paetyn Levis was sent off for interference, Boston finally capitalized on the power play. At 13:43, Haley Winn ripped home a goal to make it 3-0. Winn, a strong Rookie of the Year candidate, finished the regular season tied for second among rookies with 19 points. She also led all rookies in total ice time at 802:42, averaging 26:45 per game.

In an attempt to get back into the game, New York pulled their goalie early with just over five minutes to play, but the gamble backfired. With Noemi Neubauerová serving a boarding penalty, Jill Saulnier buried a shorthanded empty-netter for her second goal of the season, sending the crowd into another frenzy.

After a sluggish start, the Fleet dominated the third period and took care of business with a statement 4-0 win, putting themselves in position for first place while awaiting the later results. In the end, later that evening, Montréal won in a shootout to clinch the top seed. They selected the Minnesota Frost as their semifinal opponent, leaving Boston to face the Ottawa Charge.

The Fleet, however, are embracing the challenge.

“It doesn’t really matter who you play,” Keller said. “You’re going to have to beat the best teams to bring home the Walter Cup.”

Boston will have home ice for the first two games of the series, with the chance to feed off another packed Lowell crowd. Head coach Kris Sparre made it clear the focus now shifts entirely to the postseason:

"We want to acknowledge that we've done some great things this year, and we're proud. But at the same time, when our feet hit the ground tomorrow morning, it's all about that next step. And that's winning the Walter Cup. That's what we came for, that's what we're here for. We're built for this storm, we spent the whole year talking about the way we want to play as a group. We spent the whole year talking about our team identity, spent the whole year talking about composure and being able to execute in the big moments. We celebrate today, we get excited about everything that we've accomplished, and then tomorrow we put our work boots on."

When all is said and done, the Boston Fleet have a lot to be proud of. They tied Montréal for a new league record for most points in the regular season, going 16-5-4-5 for a remarkable 62 points. Aerin Frankel broke and then re-broke the league record for most shutouts in a single season, finishing with eight. Alina Müller won 63.3 percent of her faceoffs, going 253-for-400. Megan Keller finished first among defenders with 22 points. Up and down the lineup, everyone contributed in their own way.

Megan Keller and Aerin Frankel after the Fleet's 4-0 win. Courtesy of PWHL_Boston/X

But as Keller put it, "At the end of the day, this group, we have one goal and that's to win a Walter Cup. So if our commitment to the team can help bring that home, and all these things that we're doing, can help the team to win, that's what we're trying to do every single night. You know, nobody's going to remember any of these individual accolades, we're going to remember if we win a Cup."

Edited by: Kelly Cassette