The Buffalo Beauts opened their National Women’s Hockey League season with a 2-1 shootout loss to the Connecticut Whale on Saturday night in the first game of the league round-robin in a bubble series of games at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid.
Katelyn Russ of the Whale led off the shootout and beat Buffalo’s rookie goalie Carly Jackson after the teams had played to a 1-1 tie for three periods plus overtime.
Russ’ goal was the only tally in the shootout, giving the Whale the victory. Kristin Lewicki, Brooke Stacey and Dominique Kremer were unsuccessful in their attempts to even the shootout for Buffalo after Russ scored.
Connecticut scored first in regulation when Kayla Friesen scored even strength at 4:07 of the second period with Shannon Doyle getting the assist.
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The Beauts tied it at 5:14 of the third on a power-play goal by Lewicki. Alyson Matteau assisted.
Despite the loss, it was a promising pro debut for Jackson, who was the third player taken in the NWHL draft in 2020. She played in college at the University of Maine. Jackson stopped 42 of the 43 shots she faced from the Whale. Abbie Ives of the Whale had 24 saves.
Buffalo will face the Boston Pride at 7 p.m. Sunday in its second game of the five-game round-robin series, one game against each of the other league teams. Round robin games against Metropolitan, Toronto and Minnesota will be Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at the rink that was the site of the 1980 U.S. Olympics "Miracle on Ice."