The Metropolitan Riveters’ season is over. This coming even before the rest of the sports world seemingly ended. The Riveters were knocked out of the playoffs in the semi-final round against the Minnesota Whitecaps on Sunday, March 8th. This the same day the Boston Pride knocked out the Connecticut Whale.
This means they will spend another Isobel Cup Final watching from home, whenever the cup does happen. However, they do not have anything to frown about after a remarkable, bounce-back season.
They ended the regular season in third place, with a 10-11-3 record. Forwards Kate Leary and Madison Packer broke into the top-five in certain statistical categories, these including points and goals. While Brooke Baker tied for second with most shorthanded goals on the season. Packer was also tied for most power play goals in the season.
Sam Walther ended the season with a .892 save percentage, giving up 77 goals and making 638 saves. This is the second-most in the league only to Amanda Leveille’s 677. However, she did play two more regular-season games than Walther.
Season Summary
Headed into this season, the entire league had a lot to prove. After a boycott by most national team players left teams with a lot of empty rosters, the NWHL had to adjust. For the Riveters this may have been a blessing in disguise, as they had only won an abysmal four games in the season prior.
With all of the teams seemingly on a more even playing field, the Riveters were able to gain some traction with signings. Additionally, they added a new coach who helped create an entirely new, more positive environment for the Metropolitan team.
They started their season with seven consecutive road games, most of which against the Pride and the Whitecaps. Each of which are current Isobel Cup final teams. So the road to a better season was not easy. However, after losing their first two games by a combined 13-4 score, the Riveters bounced back with an overtime win in Minnesota. That’s when I knew things were different.
They ultimately split every weekend with the Whitecaps, and in the semi-final match brought them to overtime and only allowed one goal. They were able to bring the Pride to overtime, swept the Beauts during a historic weekend where the NWHL held its first outdoor game ever and claimed seven All-Star Game rosters spots. As well as Kate Leary earning the league’s Newcomer of the Year award.
A low point of the season for the Riveters would be losing a game to the Connecticut Whale. This gave the Whale their first win in over a full calendar year. Additionally, they gave up another game to the same team later on.
Ultimately, the team suffered a lot from an inconsistent schedule which unfortunately is just the nature of the league. There are very few players on the squad that does not have long commutes. They also have other commitments other than hockey. This is why there is a huge push for salary increases and more investment in women’s hockey at a professional level.
Another reason why the Riveters seemed to have a mid-season drop-off was the downward trend of Kendall Cornine. She ended the season with 13 goals, and all but one (empty-netter) came before the All-Star Break. I believe the team could have nabbed a few more wins if Cornine had stayed consistent through the season.
Nevertheless, this year was a huge improvement from the season prior. The Riveters finally have a good foundation again. And if they can just build some depth from there, another Isobel Cup could surely be in their future.
Looking Ahead
The Isobel Cup Final was slated to take place in Boston on March 13th where the Boston Pride was to host the Minnesota Whitecaps. The ultimate winner of the match would be the first team in NWHL history to capture two Isobel Cup wins. This would also make history as it is the first Isobel Cup Final game without the Buffalo Beauts involved.
As of right now, the NWHL has stated that the event will only be postponed, however, the date is unknown. In the meantime, the NWHL is giving fans something to watch with their weekly show NWHL Open Ice. This can be seen on their Twitch channel every Monday at 7:00 PM through the end of this month. The show features at least one different player or league legend per episode as well as a breakdown of the week and opportunities for fans to talk to players.
As for the Riveters, they will look ahead at trying to find a more stable home rink, potentially signing another goalie, and fortifying the defense. This all while the league will take strides to become even bigger and better in season six.