PWHL
“We would welcome that. I mean, the last time we played there, it was electric.”
Aerin Frankel and the Fleet are tied 1-1 in their first-round playoff series. Finn Gomez for the Boston Globe
In a typical May — at least these past five years or so — the calendar at TD Garden is packed. But with the early exits of the Celtics and Bruins in their respective postseasons, there are plenty of dates wide open.
Could the Boston Fleet move their playoff games downtown? Coach Kris Sparre is open to it.
“Let’s go,” he said. “We would welcome that. I mean, the last time we played there, it was electric. One of the best atmospheres I’ve ever been in front of, if not the best.”
The Fleet, the No. 2 seed in the Professional Women’s Hockey League playoffs, are traveling this week to Ottawa to play Games 3 and 4 of their best-of-five series against the Charge.
Boston opened the postseason with a win on Thursday in front of a crowd of about 4,500 at Lowell’s Tsongas Center, the Fleet’s primary venue.
On Saturday, the Fleet dropped Game 2 with a sellout crowd of 6,017 in attendance.
In Ottawa, the series will be played at the Canadian Tire Centre, home of the NHL’s Senators. The Charge typically play at TD Place, with a capacity of 8,605, but moved an April game to the CTC and drew a crowd of more than 17,000.
Boston has played at TD Garden once, a 1-0 loss to Montreal on April 11 that sold out.
“We would love another kick at the can because we didn’t score in that game,” Sparre said Sunday. “I know everybody was a little bit ticked off, so it’d be nice to see us [score].”
The sold-out crowd lights up TD Garden as the Fleet take the ice. – Barry Chin/Globe Staff
If the first-round series goes to five games, the finale will be held on May 12 at the Tsongas Center. When asked if the Walter Cup Finals could move to the Garden, a team spokesperson wouldn’t reveal their plans.
“The support we’ve felt from Lowell and the surrounding communities during the first two playoff games has been incredible,” the team said in a statement to the Globe. “Our fans have brought a level of energy that’s helped drive our group. Right now, we’re focused on carrying that momentum into Ottawa as we prepare for Games 3 and 4.”
TD Garden did not respond to a request for comment.
The Garden has just two events scheduled after this weekend for May: Bruce Springsteen is playing on May 24, and Don Toliver is playing on May 30.
The dates for the PWHL’s Walter Cup Finals have not been set. In the other series, Montreal and Minnesota face off in Game 2 on Tuesday night. Minnesota won Game 1 last week. If that series goes to five games, it will wrap up on May 11.
Emma Healy of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
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