PWHL Boston forces title-deciding Game 5 with dramatic 2OT win
The PWHL's first postseason certainly has not lacked for drama, and now there will be one final act: A winner-take-all Game 5 in the Walter Cup Finals between Boston and Minnesota Wednesday night at the Tsongas Center in Lowell.
Boston forced that Game 5 with a dramatic 1-0 double overtime win Sunday night in Minnesota, with Alina Muller scoring the winner just over a minute after Minnesota had appeared to score, only to have the goal called back after a review.
With 2:35 left in the second 20-minute overtime, Minnesota's Taylor Heise drove hard to Boston's net. The puck popped out into the slot and Sophie Jaques buried it past Boston goalie Aerin Frankel. Minnesota's bench poured onto the ice and the 13,104 fans in attendance at Xcel Energy Center went crazy.
But… Boston coach Courtney Kessel challenged for goalie interference. As Heise drove to the net, she lost an edge and crashed into Frankel. Replay made it clear that Heise did not get pushed in, and that Frankel did not get a chance to reset in time to make a save. No goal.
After Minnesota finished picking up all their helmets, gloves and sticks, play resumed. Just 1:11 of game action later, Theresa Schafzahl dropped a pass for Muller, who snapped a shot past Nicole Hensley's glove to send the series back to Lowell.
Muller, Boston's leading point-scorer in the regular season, had a quiet start to these playoffs, but the former Northeastern star has now scored in back-to-back games.
"I'm not surprised," Kessel said of Muller scoring the winner. "…She's just a tremendous 200-foot hockey player that can put the puck in the back of the net. We've been waiting for it all year, and I know it's there, and I've been telling her that it's there. Just so happy to see that happen."
Frankel, another Northeastern alum, continued her terrific postseason in net. She stopped all 33 shots she faced and is now 5-2 in the playoffs with a .953 save percentage. Boston has needed that, because their offense is averaging under two goals per game in the playoffs. She has also played seven overtime periods this postseason without allowing a goal, with Boston now 4-0 in OT games.
"She's the Green Monster," Kessel said of Frankel, referencing Boston's green jerseys and the famous Fenway Park wall. "Tremendous. … It starts with Franks and just her ability to stay calm through all these ups and downs, and her ability to keep us in games and win games for us. That's what you want heading into the championship. If you have a hot goalie, you can win."
Boston has a hot goalie. And on Wednesday night, they'll have a chance to win the first Walter Cup in front of what is expected to be a sellout or near-sellout crowd at the Tsongas Center.
