PWHL Boston activates Loren Gabel from long-term injured reserve
A key secondary scorer is set to return to the lineup.
On Tuesday, PWHL Boston announced that forward Loren Gabel has been activated from long-term injured reserve.
Gabel has been out of the lineup since March 16 when she was hit hard into the endboards by Ottawa defender Aneta Tejralova during Boston’s 2-1 shootout win in Detroit. She was rumored to have been placed on LTIR shortly thereafter, but was not officially placed on there until April.
The 26-year-old had a solid start to the inaugural PWHL season, but struggled to put her name on the scoresheet in the weeks leading up to her injury. In 17 games, Gabel has scored four goals and three assists, though she has not registered a point since scoring a goal against Ottawa on Feb. 21.
Gabel was looked at as a steal acquisition by Boston, as she was coming off being named with the Premier Hockey Federation’s MVP with the Boston Pride. The Kitchener native scored 20 goals and 40 points in 22 games in the league’s final season.
Her return might be what Boston needs to advance in the Walter Cup Playoffs. While they lead Montreal thanks to a couple of stunning overtime wins, Boston has scored just four goals in the process and has scored more than two goals just once over its last 12 games dating back to the regular season.
Gabel bounced around head coach Courtney Kessel’s lineup over the course of the season, most notably playing on a line with captain Hilary Knight and Rookie of the Year candidate Alina Müller, though the trio did not quite connect offensively.
Expect Gabel to be used sparingly in her first game in nearly two months, but if she can find a way to impact the game, don’t be shocked if her minutes get bumped up.
Boston leads the Walter Cup Semifinals, 2-0, and has a chance to complete the sweep against Montreal on Tuesday night at the Tsongas Center in Lowell. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET.