The New York Riveters will be without starting goaltender Nana Fujimoto in net to start a game for the first time all season when they face the Boston Pride for the third time in the last four games.
Fujimoto was injured in a November 29 loss to the Buffalo Beauts when an odd-man rush ran through her on a goal that was ultimately called off. She stayed in the game for a little while, but eventually exited the game, giving Jenny Scrivens the net.
The team confirmed on Sunday that Fujimoto has been ruled out with an upper-body injury and that Scrivens will get her first start of the season.
The team is in a tough spot despite having three goaltenders on the roster. Shenae Lundberg has missed the last couple weeks with an injury and, according to her, remains on IR as she has been for past few games.
We’ve confirmed that the Riveters have signed former Boston College goaltender Corinne Boyles, who will serve as Scrivens’s back-up goaltender for the game.
The Pride embarrassed the Riveters in their first meeting of the year, beating them to the tune of 7-1. But the Riveters grabbed their first win of the season in their next meeting, beating them two games in a row and starting a three-game skid for the Pride that ended yesterday with a 7-6 win over the Buffalo Beauts.
The Riveters take the ice at 3:30pm ET in the Pride’s home arena, Harvard Bright-Landry Center. The game will be broadcast on NESN (details on the TV deal) and streamed through ESPN3.
Fujimoto is not only a fan favorite (she was the NWHL leader in jersey sales at the league’s last update), but she’s a teammate favorite as well.
Not only is she a great goalie, but @NanaFujimoto33 is also a great housemate, teammate, and friend. #tendylove pic.twitter.com/DNYVkf6xNZ
— Shenae Lundberg (@lundberg_s1) December 6, 2015
UPDATE:
According to the league Boyles will be paid on her one-day contract. Every team must dress at least two goalies for a game and in the event that a team has goalie injuries that require an additional goalie to be added, the team can dress a practice player for one game or sign another player to a tryout contract for a day.
RELATED: CWHL and NWHL Will Play Outdoor Game at Winter Classic