It is game day for the Metropolitan Riveters, as they are set to host the Connecticut Whale for a second consecutive week. The most notable changes will be to the Riveters lineup.

After missing last week’s game with an upper-body injury, Amanda Kessel will draw back into the lineup. She is a major asset to this lineup and will be relied on heavily to get the offense going. Making their season debuts today are Courtney Burke and Miye D’Oench. They were both sidelined with an injury and work, respectively. But all three of these players come into today’s game hoping to turn this 1-6 season around in the quickest fashion.

The most notable change for Metropolitan comes in goal, as Kimberly Sass will make her first start of the season. Katie Fitzgerald will in all likelihood be the backup. Coach Randy Velishchek says Sass has worked very hard in practice all year and is very deserving of the start today. It is an interesting call for the former New Jersey Devils defenseman to make, as Fitzgerald has been the bread and butter since the beginning of season two. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and he hopes this shake-up is exactly what the team needs to go out and win.

There are no announced changes in the lineup for Connecticut. Meeri Raisanen has had some phenomenal performances this season. There is no reason not to give her the start in net. Overall, the Riveters are going to need production from the players returning to the lineup and the current league MVP Alexa Gruschow. It pains me to make this prediction, but I do not believe all the pieces to the puzzle fall in line today. I’ll take the Whale to win by the same score as last weekend 2-1.

You can catch this game at the Barnabas Health Hockey House at 2:00 PM or via @NWHL Twitter.