The Boston Fleet came out of the gate looking like a team that had been preparing for this moment since day one. And honestly, they had.

From the very first puck drop of the 2025-26 PWHL regular season, the Fleet have been built for playoff hockey. Under first-year head coach Kris Sparre, Boston has carved out an identity as a hard-checking, relentless squad that thrives in tight games and knows how to shut down opponents. It's no surprise they clinched a playoff spot early—they've been playing playoff-style hockey all year long.

That mentality was on full display in Game One of their Walter Cup series against the Ottawa Charge. Boston set the tone early in a gritty 2-1 victory, one that came with three first-period penalties, including a five-minute major for a check to the head on Rylind MacKinnon. But for a team that finished the regular season with a 91.6% penalty kill efficiency, playing with an edge is part of the game plan.

"I think it's something that you can't necessarily flip a switch and start preparing them now in this moment," Sparre said. "You prep them early in the season, you prep them throughout the season. Physicality is not something we haven't seen. We love it, we embrace it—it's part of our DNA as a hockey team."

Now, with a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five opening round, the Fleet know the real work is just beginning. As Sparre put it, it's only one win. The bigger challenge is doing it two more times.

"You can tell players to stay calm, relax—you can say everything you want," Sparre added. "But the truth is, players have to go through that side of the game, the grind of playoffs. This is only Game One. We get up tomorrow, have a great practice, and guess what? We get to do it again in 48 hours."

For a team built on grit and preparation, the Fleet are ready for whatever comes next in their quest for the Walter Cup.