Taylor Accursi

Taylor Accursi (born March 2, 1995) is a Canadian ice hockey forward who is currently a free agent. She most recently played in the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) with the Boston Pride.[1]

Taylor Accursi
Accursi with the Boston Pride in 2022
Born (1995-03-02) March 2, 1995
Ancaster, Ontario, Canada
Height 173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Position Forward
Shoots Left
team
Former teams		 Free agent
Boston Pride
Buffalo Beauts
Mercyhurst Lakers
Playing career 2013–present

Career

During high school, she played for the Burlington Barracudas of the Provincial Women's Hockey League.

From 2013 to 2017, she attended Mercyhurst University in the United States, and played with the Mercyhurst Lakers women's ice hockey program in the College Hockey America (CHA) conference of the NCAA Division I. Across 123 games, she scored a total of 38 points. After struggling to produce in her first three seasons at Mercyhurst – she recorded only 15 points from the 2013–14 season to the 2015–16 season – she had a breakout senior campaign, scoring 23 points in 35 games of her final season.[2]

Accursi with the Buffalo Beauts in 2018

After graduating, she planned to retire from ice hockey and become a police officer, until her sister convinced her to try out for the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL; rebranded as PHF in 2021).[3] She scored her first career NWHL goal in October 2017 in a 3–2 victory over the Connecticut Whale, the opening goal of the 2017–18 NWHL season.

In the 2019–20 season, she put up 25 points in 24 games, including 16 goals, and finished in the league's top-5 scorers. Her contributions were not enough to carry the Beauts to the playoffs and they were eliminated in the play-in game against the Whale before the playoff semi-finals.[4] She was named to Team Dempsey for the 2020 NWHL All-Star Game.[5] She scored a career-high four goals in a single game in the 2019 Buffalo Believes Classic, the NWHL's inaugural outdoor game, scoring all four in the third period to bring the Beauts back from a three-goal deficit (the Riveters ultimately won the game 7–4).[6]

She re-signed with the Beauts for the 2020–21 NWHL season, the first player on the team to re-sign and was named team captain. However, after being unable to secure a full two weeks off her job outside of hockey, she was forced to opt-out of the bubble season.[7]

Style of play

Often described as a natural goalscorer, Accursi has been noted for her speed, acceleration, and her stickhandling skills.[8][9] In 2017, Nate Oliver, who would later become Beauts' general manager, compared her stickhandling to Pavel Datsyuk, stating that "like Houdini, she is a bit of an escape artist. A small opening and, zoom, she’s gone."[10] When asked to describe her own style of play, she stated that "I like to score goals... definitely score goals."[11] She has also received attention for her goal celebrations.[12][13]

Personal life

Outside of hockey, Accursi works as a police officer for the Ontario Provincial Police.[14] Her sister, Hunter Accursi, also plays for the Beauts.[15] She is related to former National Lacrosse League player Mike Accursi.[16]

Career statistics
Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2017-18Buffalo BeautsNWHL 1565118 20002
2018-19Buffalo BeautsNWHL 134262 20000
2019-20Buffalo BeautsNWHL 241692516 10110
2020-21Buffalo BeautsNWHL 00000 –––––
2021-22Buffalo BeautsPHF 1438116 10000
PHF/NWHL totals 6629245332 60112

References
  1. Solomons, Jacob (November 19, 2022). "Schroeder's Shutout Hat Trick Leads Boston to First Road Victory of Season". Boston Pride. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  2. Clinton, Jared (January 14, 2020). "Opportunity allowed Taylor Accursi to fall back in love with the game – and turned her into an NWHL all-star". The Hockey News. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  3. Radley, Scott (December 1, 2019). "Ancaster pro is working to sell women's hockey in complicated times". The Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  4. Lippa, Nick (January 9, 2020). "Beauts Breakdown: Struggles continue, but Taylor Accursi is a bonafide star". WBFO. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  5. Strollo, Leighann (February 7, 2020). "2020 NWHL All-Star Weekend Preview". The Ice Garden. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  6. Rodriguez, Angelica (December 31, 2019). "Buffalo Believes Classic was an instant classic". The Ice Garden. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  7. "Buffalo Beauts Sign Premier Scorer Taylor Accursi for 2020-21". April 5, 2020.
  8. Tocheri, Julia (December 2020). "One player to watch on each NWHL team this upcoming season". Bardown. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  9. Bryant, Casey (October 30, 2020). "All-Time Starting Lineup: Buffalo Beauts". The Ice Garden. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  10. Oliver, Nate (October 31, 2017). "Beauts Taylor Accursi's Magical Stick-Handling". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  11. Burgess, Melissa (November 28, 2017). "Taylor Accursi Speeds Her Way to NWHL Success". The Victory Press. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  12. Pesarchick, Mike (February 7, 2020). "Beauts' Taylor Accursi , aka 'Celly Queen,' readies for NWHL All-Star Game". The Buffalo News. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  13. Rice, Dan (November 21, 2019). "Beauts' Accursi Inspiring Fans Near and Far". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  14. Tokarski, Anne (January 14, 2021). "Beauts' Taylor Accursi to sit out NWHL season six". The Ice Garden. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  15. Radley, Scott (January 12, 2021). "Taylor, Hunter Accursi set to take sister act to the NWHL". Toronto Star. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  16. "2016-2017 Women's Ice Hockey Roster: 6 Taylor Accursi". Mercyhurst Athletics. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
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