By Michael Heilman

With two weeks left in the NWHL season, the road to the Isobel Cup playoffs heated up as the Boston Pride visited the Connecticut Whale, and the Minnesota Whitecaps battled the Buffalo Beauts.

Boston Pride 3, Connecticut Whale 0

The Boston Pride shut out the Connecticut Whale 3-0 Saturday afternoon at Webster Bank Arena. McKenna Brand and Christina Putigna scored first period goals to put Boston up 2-0. There were no goals scored in the second period, and Mary Parker put the game away with an empty-net goal.

Connecticut did not have a good game and gave up four penalties, but their penalty-killing unit did a good job not allowing Boston to score. They only got off eight shots throughout the game. On the other side, Boston had forty-four shots and committed three penalties but did not allow Connecticut to score.

Boston goalie Lovisa Selander earned the shutout as she made all eight saves while Connecticut goalie Brooke Wolejko was forty-one of forty-three saves allowing two goals.

Connecticut Whale will play next Saturday at the ProSkate Arena against the Metropolitan Riveters while the Boston Pride will also head to the ProSkate Arena tomorrow afternoon against the Metropolitan Riveters at 4:30 pm.

Minnesota Whitecaps 6, Buffalo Beauts 1

The Minnesota Whitecaps visited the Northtown Center to take on the Buffalo Beauts. First period goals came from Whitecaps forwards Meghan Lorence, Meaghan Pezon, and Beauts forward Kristin Lewicki for a 2-1 tie after the first period. There were no goals scored in the second period.

Minnesota took over in the third period with a power-play goal from Jonna Curtis, Meaghan Pezon scored her second goal of the game for a 4-1 lead. Nina Rodgers and Brooke White-Lancette also scored goals to give the Whitecaps a 6-1 win.

Minnesota only committed two penalties throughout the game, and their penalty-killing unit did not allow the Beauts to score. Meanwhile, Buffalo committed six penalties, with one of them ending up a goal. Buffalo must correct their mistakes if they are going to have any chance at making a run in the Isobel Cup playoffs.

These two teams will go at it again for game two tomorrow at 1 pm from the Northtown Center.