Hannah Brandt’s ‘Hot’ Stick Propelled PWHL Boston In Walter Cup Opener

LOWELL, Mass. — PWHL Boston rallied twice against PWHL Minnesota for a 4-3 victory in Game 1 of the Walter Cup Finals at Tsongas Center on Sunday night.

It was the highest-scoring game in the inaugural PWHL playoffs, with five of the seven goals coming in the second period.

Taylor Heise scored two goals for Minnesota in the middle frame, while Taylor Wenczkowski, Hannah Brandt and Jess Healey all lit the lamp for Boston.

After Heise gave Minnesota the 2-1 lead, Wenczkowski answered for Boston, but she wasn’t even using her own stick.

“I think my favorite goal was Taylor Wenczkowski’s goal because that was my stick,” Brandt told reporters after Boston’s win. “So, I’m getting an assist on that one, I don’t know if you guys noticed that.

“… (Wenczkowski) dropped (her stick) and Jeff (Mobley), our (equipment) manager, got one quick, but not quick enough, and I knew she was a righty, so I threw mine out, and I was like, ‘This is gonna be hilarious with this.’ She did, and then the next shift was when I scored with it, so that’s a hot stick.”

Since two goals were scored with Brandt’s stick, she said she would start Game 2 with it.

The number of goals scored in Game 1 was somewhat surprising considering both Aerin Frankel (0.97) and Maddie Rooney (0.45) entered the game with sub-one goals against averages. Frankel stopped 141 of 145 shots against Montreal in the first round of the PWHL playoffs, and Rooney made 92 saves on 94 Toronto shots in Minnesota’s opening round.

“Aerin coming up huge again,” Boston coach Courtney Kessel said. “Just a tremendous hockey player. We knew that when we picked her up in free agency. She’s small but she’s mighty, and we’re going to continue to lean on her here.”

Boston will look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead Tuesday night. Puck drop for Game 2 of the PWHL Walter Cup Finals is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game on NESN 360.