Before the 2025-26 season got underway, Fleet general manager Danielle Marmer said something very pointed about one of Boston’s players who was left out of different previews across the league — Susanna Tapani.
“All these top 25 (players) lists have come out, and I am blown away that Tap is not on those lists,” Marmer said on Nov. 20. “I think she is a top 10 player in this league. I think every time she is on the ice, you notice her impact. She’s what drives the play for us every time she is on the ice.”
Tapani certainly made an impact in the Fleet’s 3-1 win Saturday over the Sceptres and spoiled Toronto’s home opener.
She silenced the 8,277 fans at Coca-Cola Coliseum with a third-period strike that was the eventual game winner.
Toronto opened the scoring with a jailbreak goal from Blayre Turnbull at 6:26 of the first period. The Sceptres outshot the Fleet 9-2 in the opening frame.
“I think we got a little bit better as the game went on,” Fleet head coach Kris Sparre said after the game, per team-provided audio. “We were caught off guard a little bit by their pressure in the first period. They got on top of us early, but we defended well enough to give ourselves a chance to win the game and obviously, our goaltending was outstanding.”
Boston’s 2025 fifth-round draft pick Abby Newhook got the equalizer for the Fleet in the second period. Newhook outhustled a Toronto defender for the puck, resulting in a 2-on-1 rush with Jill Saulnier. Saulnier’s shot off a Newhook pass was stopped by Raygan Kirk, but the rebound went off Newhook’s skate into the back of Toronto’s net.
“It was awesome scoring my first goal,” Newhook told reporters after Boston’s win. “But I think it was a team effort out there. We got pucks behind them and went to work and that’s our game style.
“So, I think it was a great look there, I gave it to Jill and crashed the net hard and got lucky there. It was a cool moment.”
Alternate captain Alina Müller added an empty netter with 22 seconds remaining in the game to secure the win for the Fleet.
Here are more notes from Boston’s win over Toronto:
— Aerin Frankel turned aside 24 Toronto shots, earning her second win of the season. She is posting a .980 save percentage and a 0.50 goals-against average this season, stopping 49 of the 50 shots she’s faced in the two contests.
“Yeah, she’s pretty good,” Sparre joked with the reporters regarding Frankel’s performance in net. “When your goaltender gives you an opportunity to get yourself into the game it’s a huge thing in hockey.
“You want to start on time in every game, you want to be the team that dictates the pace of play, and it doesn’t always happen like that. When you have a goaltender that gives you an opportunity to sort of find your legs and find your rhythm within the game, it’s a great thing, and we’re thankful to have her.”
— The Fleet’s penalty kill was perfect in the win, killing off all three of Toronto’s power plays. Unfortunately for Boston, the Sceptres were also perfect while shorthanded, and the Fleet went 0-for-3 on the advantage.
— Boston returns home Wednesday night when they host the Vancouver Goldeneyes at the club’s secondary rink — Agganis Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on NESN and the league’s YouTube channel.
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