Today the Professional Women’s Hockey League announced their Three Stars of the Week for the week of December 30th through January 5th.
First Star – Susanna Tapani (F – BOS)
At Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, before a season-high crowd of 12,608 in Sunday’s opener of the PWHL Takeover Tour, Tapani scored the game-tying goal at 10:58 of the third period and contributed a shootout goal to give the Fleet a 3-2 victory over Montréal. Tapani’s performance capped a three-goal week, helped Boston snap a three-game losing streak, provided the team’s first road point of the campaign and snapped a four-game win streak by the Victoire. After being held off the scoresheet in a 3-1 loss to Montréal at Place Bell last Monday, the 31-year-old native of Turku, Finland made PWHL history in the following contest against Minnesota – scoring twice within 49 seconds to record the fastest two goals ever by a PWHL player; Toronto’s Natalie Spooner scored twice in 3:11 against Ottawa last March 23. The Fleet trailed the Frost 3-1 with fewer than four minutes remaining in regulation time before Tapani scored on a power play at 16:43 and added an even-strength score to pull Boston even at 17:32 of Minnesota’s eventual 4-3 overtime victory. With four goals in eight games this season, Tapani has matched her goal total over the 26 games she played in 2024.
Second Star – Megan Keller (D – BOS)
Keller had a four-point week, with an assist in Boston’s loss to Montréal Monday, an assist in Minnesota Thursday and two assists in Seattle against the Victoire. With her assist on a goal by Knight at 10:30 of the third period at Place Bell, the 28-year-old from Farmington, Michigan helped Boston into a temporary 1-1 tie. The combo clicked again in Minnesota when Keller kept in the puck at the point and took a shot before Knight converted the rebound at 7:05 of the third period – getting the Fleet on the scoreboard and halving the 2-0 lead Minnesota had built with second-period goals 43 seconds apart. At Climate Pledge Arena, Keller collected her second two-point game of the season – she had two goals against the New York Sirens on Dec. 8 – to help the Fleet wipe out a 2-0 deficit and lengthen her point streak to four games. Keller’s pass from the top of the right-wing circle set up Hannah Bilka’s 5-on-3 one-timer to the short side at 12:45 of the second period, and her assist on Tapani’s tying goal marked yet another success for Boston’s PWHL-leading power play (29.2%).
Third Star – Hilary Knight (F – BOS)
Boston’s captain collected two goals, one assist and amassed 14 shots during the Fleet’s busy week on the road. Against Montréal Monday, the 35-year-old, from Sun Valley, Idaho scored her third goal of the season, then notched her first two-point performance of the 2024-25 campaign with a goal, an assist and five shots against the Frost. While it didn’t show up on the scoresheet, Knight also harried Minnesota defender Claire Thompson into the turnover that resulted in Tapani’s unassisted goal that tied the score, 3-3, with just 2:28 left in regulation play. In Seattle, Knight followed up with a season-high six shots. With four goals in eight games this season, Knight is just two short of her total for 24 games in the PWHL’s inaugural campaign. Trailing league-leading goal scorer Alex Carpenter by just one goal, Knight is in a four-way tie for second with Tapani, New York rookie Sarah Fillier and Minnesota rookie Britta Curl-Salemme.
*All Graphics and Pictures courtesy of the PWHL.
*Player Profiles written by PWHL Staff.
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