The race for the top spot is heating up, and the Boston Fleet just threw down a massive statement. In a crucial late-season clash, Boston edged the Minnesota Frost 3-2, powered by a stellar performance from their key mid-season acquisition, Jessie Eldridge. This gritty regulation win pulls the Fleet to within a single, tantalizing point of the first-place Montreal Victoire with just three games left for each team.

Eldridge was the engine for Boston, showcasing exactly why she was such a prized pickup. She opened the scoring in the first period, finishing a slick one-timer from Alina Muller. Then, on the power play in the second, she pounced on a rebound to net her 12th goal of the season—a new career-high that couldn't have come at a better time.

Minnesota pushed back hard in the third. Kendall Cooper cut the lead to 2-1 early in the period, but Boston's response was immediate. Just over two minutes later, Alina Muller answered with a rebound goal of her own to restore the two-goal cushion. A late extra-attacker goal from Britta Curl-Salemme made for a tense finish, but the Fleet's defense held firm to secure two critical points.

The stage is now perfectly set for a dramatic finish. With both Boston and Montreal having three games remaining, their final head-to-head matchup on April 17 looms as a potential de facto championship decider. The pressure is on, and every shift counts.

“It was a good win for us,” said Boston head coach Kris Sparre. “The start of the game wasn't the way we typically like to start a hockey game. I think it took us a little bit to find our legs. We ended up finding our rhythm in the second period and I thought it started with our physicality. We were able to complete a few more plays and carry that into the third. I like the way we finished the game.” That finishing push might be what propels them to first place.