GARÁT-GASPARICS SINKS BEAUTS IN FINAL GAME OF SEASON

Despite tying the game midway through the third period, the Beauts weren’t able to stop the Riveters power play late, falling 3-2 in their final game of the 2022-23 season.

Samantha Ridgewell earned First Star honors, making 42 saves in the loss. Metropolitan goalie Rachel McQuigge stopped 26 shots.

Once again Buffalo scored the opening goal of the game. Emma Nuutinen carried the puck into the offensive zone and chipped the puck at McQuigge, who made the initial stop. While the Riveters attempted to collect the rebound, Claudia Kepler crashed the net and seized control, poking it behind McQuigge to make it 1-0 Buffalo eight minutes into the first.

Ridgewell stopped all 15 shots that she faced in the first period to keep Buffalo up 1-0 after the first 20 minutes.

Metropolitan equalized in the second with a goal from Kendall Cornine, her fourth of the season. Cornine skated in on the right wing and let loose a wrister that beat Ridgewell to tie the game five minutes into the second frame.

The Beauts got into penalty trouble later in the second period, and the Riveters got a five-on-three power play opportunity that they capitalized on to take the lead. Minttu Tuominen dished a pass down to Packer at the goal line, and despite a nearly impossible angle, Packer roofed it to give the Riveters a 2-1 lead with 12:30 left in the second.

There were an avalanche of penalties in both the second and third period, but the score stayed deadlocked at 2-1 until the Beauts tied the game up again midway through the third frame. Mikyla Grant-Mentis deked the socks off the Riveters on the right wing, getting a shot on McQuigge. Though McQuigge made the first save, she gave up a big rebound that bounced directly to Courtney Maud, who buried it just past the eight minute mark.

Unfortunately for the Beauts, Fanni Garát-Gasparics swooped in to play hero for the Riveters just as she did on Friday night. With the Riveters on a power play, Anna Kilponen let loose a blast from the point that Garát-Gasparics tipped past Ridgewell to give Metropolitan the game-winning goal.

The Beauts ended the season with a 5-16-3 record.

About the Buffalo Beauts

The Buffalo Beauts are a professional women's ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York and competing in the Premier Hockey Federation (formerly the National Women’s Hockey League). The Beauts are one of the Founding Four teams that stepped on the ice in 2015 and the 2017 Isobel Cup Champions. The team is owned and operated by NLTT Hockey Ventures. Visit beauts.nwhl.zone to learn more.

About the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF)

The PHF is the leading home of professional women’s hockey in North America. Established in 2015 as the National Women’s Hockey League, the NWHL rebranded to become the PHF in 2021 and maintains the mission to provide strong role models and fuel the continued growth of the sport. The league is made up of the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, Minnesota Whitecaps, Montreal Force and the Toronto Six who all compete annually for the Isobel Cup.

Contact: For media information, please contact Nate Oliver: noliver@beautshockey.com.