Sophie Shirley stars, Amanda Thiele wins PWHL debut as Fleet defeat Frost

Rookie goalie Thiele shines in her first start as Boston clinches playoff spot

Mar. 29, 2026 at 11:18pm

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Sophie Shirley scored two goals to lead the Boston Fleet to a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Frost in the Premier Women's Hockey League (PWHL). Rookie goaltender Amanda Thiele made 23 saves in her PWHL debut, helping the Fleet clinch a playoff spot with the win. Boston moved five points ahead of Montreal and nine ahead of Minnesota in the standings with three weeks left in the regular season.

Why it matters

The Fleet's victory over the Frost keeps them in strong position to secure a high playoff seed, while the loss is a setback for Minnesota's postseason hopes. Thiele's impressive debut in net also provides a boost for Boston as they look to make a deep playoff run.

The details

Shirley gave Boston 2-0 leads in the first and third periods, with Haley Winn and Liz Schepers also scoring for the Fleet. Thiele, a two-time NCAA champion at Ohio State, earned the win in her first PWHL start, taking over for Aerin Frankel who was given the day off. Lee Stecklein and Taylor Heise scored for the Frost, who got assists from Kendall Coyne Schofield and Kelly Pannek.

  • The Fleet's scoreless streak reached 211:24 before it ended.
  • Stecklein scored just 23 seconds into the second period to cut Boston's lead to 2-1.
  • Heise tied the game 2-2 with 10:41 left in the second period.
  • Schepers scored less than two minutes later to give Boston a 3-2 lead.
  • Shirley capped the scoring at 5:16 in the third period.

The players

Sophie Shirley

A forward for the Boston Fleet who scored two goals in the win over the Frost.

Amanda Thiele

The rookie goaltender for the Boston Fleet who made 23 saves in her PWHL debut, earning the win.

Aerin Frankel

The Fleet's starting goaltender who was given the day off, allowing Thiele to make her first start.

Lee Stecklein

A defender for the Minnesota Frost who scored a goal in the second period.

Taylor Heise

A forward for the Minnesota Frost who scored the game-tying goal in the second period.

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What’s next

Boston is 16-2 when scoring first this season but has whiffed on 29 straight power-play opportunities. The Fleet will look to improve their power play as they visit the Vancouver Goldeneyes on April 7. Minnesota will try to bounce back when they visit the New York Sirens on Wednesday.

The takeaway

Thiele's strong debut in net and Shirley's offensive production were key factors in Boston clinching a playoff spot. The Fleet have positioned themselves well for a deep postseason run, while the Frost will need to regroup to keep their own playoff hopes alive.