House Enjoyed Special Trip "Home" To Boston

Several players made big returns this past week when the Boston Fleet faced the Ottawa Charge in Lowell, MA. Not only did Charge players return to Boston, but for the Fleet, Alina Muller also made her return to the ice.

The Ottawa Charge traveled 665 km to Boston. They brought with them four players who each had strong connections to the city, and made their returns on Tuesday.

First Charge player who made her return was Taylor House. House played one season with the PHF’s Boston Pride in 2022-23, before the league was changed to the PWHL. House was recently activated from Ottawa’s reserve list ahead of their game against the Boston Fleet.

House appeared in twenty-four games for the Pride in 2022-23 season. She scored three goals and had three assists. House left to play abroad during the inaugural season of the PWHL, but began came back and this season played with the Charge.

She made her PWHL debut Tuesday night in Boston, and saw just over ten minutes of ice time.

House wasn’t the only player returning to Boston Tuesday night. Three separate PWHL Ottawa Charge players had played collegiate ice hockey in Boston.

Rookie goaltender Gwyneth Philips played at Northeastern University where she earned National Goaltender of the Year in 2023 and set a Huskies record with a career .958 save percentage.

Although Philips did not make her PWHL debut Tuesday night, she dressed for the game and was able to once again suit up in Boston.

Another player returning to Boston is Rebecca Leslie, who attended Boston University. Leslie played with the PWHL Toronto team last year, and has made four appearances with the Charge this season.

Leslie had just over eleven minutes of ice time and one shot on net against the Fleet.

The final two returners for the Charge were goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer and Forward Hayley Scamurra. Maschmeyer started in net for the Charge, stopping 22 of the 25 shots she faced. Maschmeyer attended Harvard University in Cambridge, and is tied for saves with Fleet goalie Aerin Frankel.

Scamurra also attended college in Boston, graduating from Northeastern in 2017. She had eighteen minutes of ice time in Tuesday’s game.

Although many Charge players returned to Boston to play, one Boston Fleet player had a unique return of her own; the return to the ice.

Alina Muller, who went out on concussion protocol after the first game, returned to the Fleet’s lineup Tuesday night. Muller had left the Fleet’s first game on December 4th, 2024 following a hit from Minnesota Frost defender Maggie Flaherty.

Flaherty was suspended and Muller didn’t return for the teams following game on December 8th, 2024.

Thankfully the PWHL schedule allowed for a break in play for the Women’s Euro Hockey Tour, which allowed Muller time to recover instead of missing two weeks of play.

She started the game and spend almost 18 minutes on the ice, recording one shot on goal. Her return contributed to the Boston Fleet’s win in a close matchup that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

The two teams will face one another again on January 11th, 2025, this time at TD Place, where Ottawa will be looking to get their first win against the Fleet this season.