Adzija, Brandt score early to back Peslarova in first career start as Fleet blank Sceptres 3-0
Toronto host New York on Tuesday, need 1 point to clinch playoff spot with 2 matches remaining
Lexie Adzija and Hannah Brandt scored first-period goals and Klara Peslarova finished with 29 saves in her first career start to lead the Boston Fleet to a 3-0 victory over the Toronto Sceptres on Saturday as the Professional Women's Hockey League returned to action in Lowell, Mass. after a nearly month-long international break.
It took just 2:35 for Boston to grab the lead when Lexie Adzija used an assist from Jamie Lee Rattray to score her second goal of the season. Rattray's assist was her fourth.
The Fleet (9-6-4-9) took a two-goal lead at 11:47 on Hannah Brandt's second goal with assists from Megan Keller — her eighth — and Hannah Bilka — her fourth. Peslarova had nine saves to keep Toronto off the scoreboard in the first period.
WATCH | Sceptres miss another chance to secure playoff spot with shutout loss to Fleet:
Boston took advantage of a power-play opportunity after Renata Fast was sent off for two minutes for an illegal check at 18:12 in the second period, scoring on a goal by Theresa Schafzahl with six seconds left in the period for a 3-0 lead. Schafzahl's third netter of the campaign came with assists from Rattray and Loren Gabel — her first.
Peslarova made one other appearance this season on Feb. 16 and also earned a victory when she played the final 40 minutes and stopped all 15 shots on goal as the Fleet rallied to beat Minnesota 4-2 after trailing 2-0 before Peslarova entered.
WATCH | Boston Fleet's Klara Peslarova earns shutout in 1st-ever PWHL start:
Kristen Campbell finished with 12 saves for Toronto. She needs 13 more to become the third goalie to top 1,000 through the league's first two seasons.
Toronto will host New York on Tuesday needing one point to clinch a playoff spot with two matches remaining.
Boston travels to play Montreal on Monday. The Fleet trail second-place Toronto by two points.
