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Boston, MA
Fleet’s sold-out homecoming at TD Garden a resounding victory for women’s sports in Boston
PWHL
“I think they saw that they can play in a professional hockey league and they can sell out buildings that the men play in.”
Aerin Frankel, Alina Muller, and Megan Keller are no strangers to playing in Boston.
Frankel and Muller called Northeastern’s Matthews Arena home for four and five seasons, respectively, helping the Huskies win five Hockey East titles over that sustained stretch of dominance.
Keller anchored the BC Eagles’ blue line at Chestnut Hill for four seasons from 2014-19.
The trio’s respective hockey journeys have brought them back to Boston as franchise fixtures for the Boston Fleet — with Lowell’s Tsongas Center and BU’s Agganis Arena serving as their go-to rinks over the last two years.
But on Saturday night, a Fleet game in Boston felt different.
Perhaps it was the collective roar of nearly 18,000 that rained down on the Fleet’s stars as they braced for hockey on Causeway Street.
“I got chills,” Frankel admitted.
”We dream of playing in buildings like this, and especially in front of our fans,” Keller added.
When the Fleet — then dubbed “PWHL Boston” — first took to the ice in Lowell on January 4, 2024, the PWHL’s inaugural season felt like a collective victory for generations of women’s hockey players.
Years spent fighting for livable wages, benefits, and pro-level resources were finally rewarded with the inception of a sustainable women’s hockey league.
If that game at Tsongas stood as a testament to the potential of what professional women’s hockey could be in North America, Saturday’s sold-out game between the Fleet and Montreal Victoire felt like that dream being realized.
A week after the PWHL sold out Madison Square Garden, 17,850 fans packed into the Bruins’ home barn — with a sea of green and blue enveloping seats usually shrouded in hues of black and gold.
Even if Boston couldn’t overtake Montreal in a 1-0 defeat, Fleet head coach Kris Sparre believed that Saturday night still held plenty of weight — both for his team and the league as a whole.
“This is a big deal,” Sparre said. “You’re standing on that bench, and there are 17,000 people. They had the lights going on in the first little bit of the game. It’s so loud. The sound system here is incredible.”
“It’s a really great venue. We’re lucky to play at Tsongas, and the games we play at Agganis — those buildings rock. But this one’s three times the size, so you certainly feel that when you’re down on the bench, and I think our players did.”
The decibels didn’t lessen for most of the night on Causeway, especially for a matchup between two of the top teams in the PWHL.
Before the puck even dropped, Keller, Frankel, and the rest of their teammates had front-row seats to the rows of posters plastered up against the glass during warmups.
Some of those placards set the terms of a trade for a puck or twig, with one fan wagering a swap of their younger brother for some hockey gear. Fleet fans honored their favorite players by holding aloft signs featuring Keller and Frankel.
But it was clear what resonated the most for the Fleet among the scrapbook of banners and signs sandwiched into the glass.
One fan — her eyes barely peaking above a poster in the front row — held a small sheet above her head as Keller and Co. made their rounds.
An arrow on the board pointed down at the youngster as she watched her hockey heroes take to the Garden ice.
“Future Fleet Player”, it read.
TD Garden roared as one in approval when one fan showed off her own piece of artwork from the upper bowl.
“Now I know I can do it, too!” her message declared.
The presence of Boston sports greats like Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, and Derrick White might have added further validity to the Fleet’s standing as one of the sports teams woven into the fabric of this town.
But it was the promise rooted in those young fans’ messages that offered the greatest sign yet that the Fleet’s future in this city is only destined to shine bright in the coming years.
“It’s incredible,” Frankel, who turned aside 18 of 19 shots, said of Saturday’s atmosphere. “I think when you have the moment to look up and look in the stands and see all of the people there to support us and to support this league — it’s been a long time coming.
“Selling out this place is a huge accomplishment for women’s sports, women’s hockey, and I think seeing the impact that we have on the young girls is a really special thing.”
While sing-along ballads of Chappell Roan and Justin Bieber punctuated a joyous atmosphere at the Garden, those same pleasantries weren’t echoed between the Fleet and Victoire out on the frozen sheet.
Much like their counterparts in the NHL, Boston and Montreal traded verbal barbs, cross-checks, and shoves after just about every whistle.
A tally from Montreal forward Lina Ljungblom at 5:52 of the third period stood as the lone puck that sailed past Frankel, while Victoire netminder Ann-Renée Desbiens turned aside all 20 salvos that sailed her way.
“It’s no secret we have a rivalry with them,” Keller said of Montreal, who sit four points ahead of Boston in first place in the league. “It gets physical out there. We see them a lot, and saw them in the playoffs in year one, and we’re at the top right now, kind of battling for home ice here in the playoffs… .We wanted to come out and give the fans a game and give them some action and get them involved.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get any in the back of the net tonight. But yeah, I think we’ll see them a few more times before the season’s over.”
A win in the standings? Perhaps not.
But a win for women’s hockey in Boston?
The cheers that never waned — from warmups until the final Fleet skater left the TD Garden ice — removed all doubt of such sentiment.
“They have something to look forward to when they’re our age,” Keller said of what younger fans could take away from Saturday’s game. “When we were growing up, we were dreaming of playing in the NHL.
“Tonight, I think they saw that they can play in a professional hockey league and they can sell out buildings that the men play in.”
Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe combined for 59 points, and the Philadelphia 76ers looked like a completely different team against the Boston Celtics in Game 2.
And unlike Game 1, the Sixers’ defense also showed up, holding Boston to 43 second-half points and 39 percent shooting for the game in a 111-97 road win to tie this Eastern Conference first-round series at 1-1.
Edgecombe scored a team-high 30 points on 12-for-20 shooting, and Maxey added 29 points and nine assists. The Sixers’ backcourt duo combined to shoot 11-for-22 from 3-point range. The Sixers were 19-for-39 from 3 after going 4 of 23 from that distance in Game 1.
Boston was led by Jaylen Brown’s game-high 36 points, but Jayson Tatum was the only other Celtics player who scored in double figures with 19. Boston shot 13-for-50 from 3-point range.
Here are some takeaways with Game 3 set for Friday in Philadelphia.
Celtics offense falls flat
The Celtics knew to expect a different effort from the 76ers.
One adjustment from Philadelphia likely didn’t take Boston by surprise. After taking just 23 3-pointers in Game 1, the 76ers sought out more long balls in Game 2.
Maxey called his own number more often. Edgecombe was aggressive from the start. As a team, the 76ers played with more freedom, firing plenty of shots that they might have turned down in the series opener. Philadelphia made plenty of those looks while shooting 48.7 percent from behind the arc.
Still, the Celtics would have been all right if they had played their usual offensive game. Instead, their offense was their biggest issue. They shot just 39.3 percent on field goal attempts. They missed 37 of 50 3-point attempts. They committed an atypical 13 turnovers.
Trying to come back in the fourth quarter, they had too many empty offensive possessions. Jaylen Brown got blocked while trying to beat the shot clock buzzer and picked up an offensive foul while hitting Maxey in the face. Jayson Tatum missed a contested pull-up 3-pointer early in the shot clock on one possession and threw away a pass on another. Derrick White was left wide open in the left corner but couldn’t find the bottom of the net. The 76ers left the door open early in the fourth quarter by missing several shots, including a couple of layups, but the Celtics couldn’t fully capitalize. Eventually, Maxey sank a series of baskets to create more separation for Philadelphia, and the Celtics largely went away down the stretch. — Jay King, Celtics beat writer
Sixers bounce back in Boston
This is the way the 76ers have to play if they want to extend this series as far as possible.
Maxey and Edgecombe have to dominate their guard matchups, which is exactly what they did in Tuesday night’s Game 2. Paul George needs to be a deterrent to Celtics stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. He doesn’t have to eclipse them, because that would be difficult. But he does have to give them a bit of pause. Most of all, the 76ers have to play the focused brand of basketball they exhibited in Game 2 rather than the sloppy and slapstick kind of hoops they played in Game 1.
The Celtics are such a good team that the above equates to near-perfect basketball. But that’s the task the Sixers are facing, particularly without star center Joel Embiid. On Tuesday night, this was a team up to the task. They were focused. They executed on both ends of the floor. They got much better play from their role players. Maxey and Edgecombe were absolutely dominant.
Overall, on both ends of the floor, this is the best game the 76ers have played in months. And they got it at just the right time. Now we have a 1-1 series heading back to Philadelphia. — Tony Jones, Sixers beat writer
A former doctor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston has been indicted on 81 new sexual assault charges, prosecutors announced Tuesday. Dr. Derrick Todd, a rheumatologist, was already facing rape and assault charges in Middlesex County and had been sued by dozens of former patients.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said the new charges stem from accusations made by 22 victims between 17 and 56 years old. Todd faces 21 new rape charges, 59 new counts of indecent assault and battery and one count of assault with intent to rape.
“Many of these women had complicated and gravely serious symptoms and conditions. Some were in excruciating pain. Many were desperate for relief,” Hayden said. “Dr. Todd intently groomed them all into quiet submission.”
With the latest indictments, Todd is now facing more than 100 charges of sexual assault in Massachusetts.
“Almost unimaginable”
The alleged assaults occurred between 2017 and 2023 at Brigham and Women’s Hale Building in Boston and the Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain. Hayden said it’s “almost unimaginable” how Todd was able to violate and betray patients’ trust.
“The scale of victimization and the magnitude of trauma left in the wake of these allegations is something we have never encountered,” Hayden said.
WBZ-TV has reached out to Todd’s lawyer for comment. He could be arraigned in court on the new charges this week, Hayden said.
Charges against Dr. Derrick Todd
Brigham and Women’s fired Todd in 2023 following accusations that he performed inappropriate pelvic and breast exams on his patients. The I-Team reported at the time that police were investigating more than a dozen complaints of sex assault against Todd by his female patients.
In January of 2025, Todd pleaded not guilty in Middlesex Superior Court to rape charges involving two of his former patients at Charles River Medical Associates in Framingham.
Last month, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said a grand jury indicted Todd on three new charges of rape and 17 counts of indecent assault and battery.
Boston, MA
Between Providence And Boston Is A Vibrant Massachusetts Town Bursting With Diverse Entertainment – Islands
For some, New England might conjure images of skating rinks, Colonial architecture, and quaint villages. Others might picture waterfront cities like Boston or Providence, rich in history and — in the case of Boston, especially — towering skyscrapers. As you drive between these two capitals along Interstate 95 — a trip that should take about an hour — you’ll pass by towns like Foxborough. For the last few decades, this little community has developed a reputation as a hub of diverse entertainment, making it a worthwhile pit-stop as you journey along the East Coast.
If you’ve ever watched the Patriots kick off from Gillette Stadium on TV, then you’re already familiar with this Massachusetts town. The stadium, considered one of the 10 best in the U.S. for fun activities and events, was completed in 2002, but Foxborough itself has served as the home base for the Patriots since the 1970s. In the decades since, the team has attracted millions of visitors.
Foxborough — also spelled “Foxboro” — is normally home to about 6,500 year-rounders, but it floods with thousands more people on game or concert days. In total, the stadium can accommodate over 65,000 fans. When you’re not at Gillette Stadium, which is less than 4 miles from the heart of downtown, you’ll find plenty of other things to do. There’s live theater, outdoor recreational opportunities, and an eclectic mix of dining options, each deserving some exploration.
NFL games and Cranberry Bogs in Foxborough
Foxborough is located roughly 30 miles from Boston and just over 20 miles from Providence. In the area, you’ll find plenty of suburbs with historic downtowns and lush trails, like Hopedale, but Foxborough, nicknamed the “Gem of Norfolk County,” has one of the most diverse mixes of entertainment options. Marilyn Rodman Performing Arts Center, for instance, housed in a 1920s-era silent movie theater, offers a busy calendar of comedy and musical performances year-round.
Football fans will also enjoy visiting the Patriots Hall in Patriot Place Mall, which is open daily for $10 per standard ticket. Here, you’ll be able to watch interviews with former players and stroll through a range of exhibits. “I liked all the different memorabilia from all different players all labeled with who and what milestone they came from,” reads one review on Tripadvisor. Afterward, check out the dozens of shopping and dining options in the surrounding mall, which also has its own commuter rail station and connected hotels. Gillette Stadium is next door; along with the Patriots, the venue has hosted performers like Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, and The Rolling Stones.
The Ocean Spray Cranberry Bogs and surrounding nature trails are also part of Patriot Place. Planted back in the 1920s, these bogs continue to thrive. They’re typically harvested in October, when visitors can attend the annual Harvest Festival. At this fun and family-friendly local event, you’ll be able to enjoy an inflatable corn maze, a beer garden, live music, and more.
Where to eat and sleep in Foxborough
As you explore Foxborough, you’ll find a range of dining options, from classic breakfast plates at The Commons, to artisanal burgers at Union Straw. As one reviewer writes about the latter on Google, “[This is a] Gorgeous venue, one of our favorite daytime lunch or date places. All food options are 10/10, truffle burger, gnocchi bolognese, and the flatbread pizzas are delicious and the fries are perfect.”
If you’re planning to spend the night rather than hit the road after a burger at Union Straw or a long football game, you’ll have a range of vacation rentals, local inns, and chain hotels to choose from. The Rally Point Inn & Pub, for instance, is within walking distance of local restaurants and shops. It also has its own sport-themed bar, weekly trivia nights, and karaoke. Just make sure to book your stay well in advance, as places tend to fill up before popular events.
The nearest airport is also in Providence, but you’ll find more flight options at Boston Logan International. Travelers can also opt for the “Event Train,” which runs between Patriot Place and Boston’s South Station on game days, providing a convenient way to avoid the notorious traffic. Besides the I-95 drive from Providence to Boston, there are plenty of other New England road trip tours you can take through gorgeous small towns. That being said, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a destination that attracts as many annual visitors as Foxborough.
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