PWHL Boston prevented PWHL Minnesota from celebrating a championship Sunday night by taking a thrilling 1-0 victory in double overtime in front of 13,104 fans at Xcel Energy Center.
Boston leveled the best-of-five Walter Cup series at 2-2.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Hollywood couldn’t have even come up with a script this good.
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It looked like all hope was lost for Boston and its season would come to a crashing end when Sophie Jaques, who Boston traded in the middle of the season, found the back of the net with 2:34 left in double overtime to send Minnesota into a frenzy. Jaques’ teammates threw their helmets up in the air in elation and rushed the ice to celebrate a title. Or so they thought.
Boston goalie Aerin Frankel was interfered with by Taylor Heise on the play and the goal was overturned on video review.
It didn’t take long for Boston to take advantage of its new life and put an end to the game just 1:10 later to force a winner-take-all Game 5 for the Walter Cup.
Boston’s offense had been almost lifeless at that point, tallying just one goal in 10 periods heading into the double overtime session. But Boston just might be living by the mantra that it’s not how many goals you score, but when you score.
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It’s a dangerous way to play, but it also has Boston within one win of an inaugural PWHL title.
And that is an incredibly devastating defeat that Minnesota will have to try to find a way to bounce back from.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Alina Muller played the hero for Boston as she took advantage of a Minnesota turnover. Muller took a pass from Theresa Schafzahl and fired top shelf for the game-winning goal with 1:24 left in double overtime. Muller left nothing to chance, either, skating right off the ice in her celebration.
— Aerin Frankel continued to be Boston’s backbone with another spectacular postseason performance. Frankel recorded 33 saves — 22 of those came in the third period and throughout the overtimes — to stonewall Minnesota’s offense.
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— Frankel’s counterpart Nicole Hensley was up to the task, too, but ended up being the tough-luck loser. The Minnesota goalie was stout between the pipe and made 32 saves.
UP NEXT
The Walter Cup will be decided Wednesday when Boston and Minnesota collide for Game 5 at Tsongas Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and you can watch the game on NESN+.
Featured image via PWHL
