NWHL All-Star Game Recap: Team Pfalzer steamrolls Team Knight
BUFFALO, N.Y. — After Saturday’s showcase of the CWHL All-Stars, it was time for the NWHL to take to the ice in the league’s inaugural All-Star Game.
There were two teams, one captained by Emily Pfalzer of the host city’s Buffalo Beauts, and the other by Hilary Knight of the Boston Pride. The captains selected their teams prior to the start of the All-Star weekend.
The day began with a brief skills competition. Team Pfalzer won each of the four heats in the competition and were awarded four goals to start the game. Players on Team Knight were none too pleased with this outcome and it will probably change next year. We’ll have a top 10 list of the best moments from the skills competition up on the site Monday.
As for the game, the two teams were tasked with playing four-on-four hockey for two 20 minute periods. Remember, Team Knight is already in the hole by four goals, so they’d have to mount a comeback before the puck even hit the ice.
Kelley Steadman of the Beauts will go down in NWHL history for scoring the first goal in the first all-star game. After her netminder Nana Fujimoto made a terrific save, Meghan Duggan got the puck and sent it up to Steadman at the top of the neutral zone. On the breakaway, Steadman rifles the puck past Jaimie Leonoff of the Connecticut Whale.
Probably my favorite moment of the game came on the second goal. Emily Field scored for Team Pfalzer putting them up 6-0. Her and her linemates celebration is something that brings a tear to even Ocho Cinco’s eye.
In the final period, Hayley Williams notched the only goal for Team Knight, making the score 6-1.
Kelley Steadman tried repeatedly to get the puck past new Team Knight goaltender, Brianne McLaughlin. Steadman and McLaughlin happen to be teammates on the Beatus. After a couple of ridiculous saves, McLaughlin and Steadman pretend to throw down in front of the net.
The rest of the game was all Team Pfalzer. Shiann Darkangelo (the best name in hockey), Devon Skeats and Steadman again each scored a goal in the second half. Thanks to the four point cushion, Team Pfalzer rolled over Team Knight 9-1.
As one last hurrah, the players showed off their camradarie by … planting a perfectly good pie on the face of Pride goaltender Brittany Ott. No specific reason as to why Ott was targeted. She was just the unwitting passer by.
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Jen Neale is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter! Follow @MsJenNeale_PD.
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