EDMONTON (Interstat) — Aerin Frankel made 28 saves and the Boston Fleet scored five times in the first period to beat the Vancouver Goldeneyes 5-1 on April 7 at Rogers Place. Boston improved to 19-8 with its fifth straight win. Vancouver, the designated home team, dropped to 9-19.

Frankel was Boston’s top star, earning the win while stopping 28 of the 29 shots she faced. The Fleet gave her plenty of support early, scoring five times in the opening period and never trailing. Abby Newhook sparked the attack with three assists, three shots on goal and one hit. Susanna Tapani had a goal, an assist, two shots and two penalty minutes. Jessie Eldridge scored twice and put four shots on goal. Megan Keller had a goal, two shots, two penalty minutes and one hit. Alina Müller added two assists, two shots and one hit. Jamie Lee Rattray scored and had one shot and one hit. Hannah Brandt had one assist, four shots and two penalty minutes. Shay Maloney had one assist, four shots and two penalty minutes.

Vancouver’s early pressure was limited, and the Goldeneyes hurt themselves with a tripping penalty to Izzy Daniel at 1:31. Boston capitalized at 3:04 when Eldridge scored, with Müller and Newhook drawing assists. The goal gave the Fleet a 1-0 lead and set the tone for a fast, physical opening period.

Vancouver answered at 5:44 when Sophie Jaques scored. Jaques finished with a goal and five shots on goal, the most by any skater in the game. The Goldeneyes then took a boarding penalty to Hannah Miller at 5:57, but Boston’s momentum was interrupted by penalties to Keller for holding at 6:18 and Brandt for tripping at 6:22. Miller was called for boarding again at 6:47, giving Boston another power play.

Boston restored its lead at 8:05 when Eldridge scored again, this time with assists from Maloney and Müller. Eldridge’s second goal made it 2-1 and gave her a multi-goal game. Maloney was later called for charging at 10:21, one of several penalties that broke up the flow of the period.

The Fleet extended the lead at 15:46 when Tapani scored from Jill Saulnier and Newhook. Tapani’s goal made it 3-1. Rattray scored just 50 seconds later, at 16:36, with assists from Sophie Shirley and Brandt. That quick strike pushed the Boston lead to 4-1 and effectively put the game out of reach.

Tapani was called for interference at 16:43. Vancouver’s Michelle Karvinen was whistled for delay of game at 18:58, and Boston’s Laura Kluge was called for tripping at 19:00. The Fleet added one more before the period ended when Keller scored at 19:14, assisted by Tapani and Newhook. Boston’s Rylind MacKinnon then received an illegal body checking penalty at 19:44, but the damage was done.

By the time the first period ended, Boston had built a 5-1 lead and had scored four unanswered goals after Jaques tied the game. The Fleet got goals from four different scorers in the period and assists from seven different players. The Goldeneyes could not recover.

The first period included 11 penalties, and the teams spent much of the opening 20 minutes in special teams situations. Boston’s power play converted early when Eldridge scored after Daniel’s tripping call. Vancouver’s best chance came on Jaques’ goal, but the Goldeneyes could not build momentum. Boston’s penalty killers held Vancouver without another goal despite several power-play opportunities.

Boston’s five-goal first period was the decisive stretch. The Fleet scored at 3:04, 8:05, 15:46, 16:36 and 19:14. Vancouver’s only goal came at 5:44. Boston led 5-1 after one period and never looked back.

After the explosive first period, neither team scored in the second or third. Vancouver tried to climb back into the game, but Frankel turned aside every shot she faced. The Goldeneyes’ best chances came from Jaques, who kept putting pucks on net from the point. Boston’s defense cleared rebounds and kept Vancouver to the perimeter. The Fleet did not need more offense after their first-period outburst.

Frankel handled the rest. After allowing Jaques’ goal, she stopped every Vancouver shot the rest of the way and finished with 28 saves on 29 shots. Vancouver finished with 29 shots, but Frankel was sharp in net and did not allow a rebound goal. The Goldeneyes’ best remaining chances came through Jaques, who kept firing from the blue line, but Boston’s defense limited second chances.

Vancouver’s penalty trouble was a recurring issue. The Goldeneyes were called for five penalties, including two boarding minors to Miller. Boston was called for six penalties, with Keller, Brandt, Maloney, Tapani, Kluge and MacKinnon all spending time in the box. The special teams battle and the choppy first period did not prevent Boston from controlling the scoreboard.

Boston entered the game on a four-game winning streak and extended it to five. The Fleet have now won three straight meetings against Vancouver. Vancouver entered after a loss at Minnesota and a shutout loss at Montréal and has now lost three straight. The Goldeneyes remain at 9-19, while the Fleet moved to 19-8.

Jaques was Vancouver’s only goal scorer and the only Goldeneyes player listed with a point. Boston received points from 10 players, including assists from Saulnier and Shirley. Newhook led the Fleet with three assists, while Müller and Tapani each finished with two points. Eldridge’s two goals were the most by any player in the game. Keller and Rattray also scored, and Brandt and Maloney each contributed an assist.

Boston’s victory was its fifth straight and its third in a row against Vancouver. The Fleet have won nine of their last 11 games and improved to 19-8. Vancouver has lost three straight and fell to 9-19. The Goldeneyes will try to regroup in their next game, while the Fleet will look to keep their streak alive.

Boston next faces Montréal Victoire, while Vancouver next faces Seattle Torrent. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Boston with a 61.3 percent probability to win.