LOWELL, Mass. -- PWHL Boston's season came to an end with a 3-0 shutout loss to PWHL Minnesota in Game 5 of the Walter Cup Final at Tsongas Center on Wednesday night.
Despite the loss, Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel kept her team in the game by turning aside 41 Minnesota shots.
"That game in the second (period) could have opened up a lot greater than a 3-0 deficit without Aerin between the pipes," PWHL Boston captain Hilary Knight said after the game. "She stood on her head all year. She showed up every single day. We couldn't be more grateful, and I'm proud of her performance throughout the year. Hopefully, we can help her out a little bit more next year upfront, relieve some of that pressure. Man, she's the best goalie in the league. No doubt about it."
Frankel made some outstanding saves in the loss and even earned Player of the Game honors.
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"Super humble off the ice and so quick in the way she tracks the puck," Boston coach Courtney Kessel said. "Just incredible. Her ability to see all those point shots last second and make those saves. We wouldn't be where we are today without her. Unfortunately, we fell a little short."
The 24-year-old Northeastern product was instrumental in Boston's run in the playoffs. Frankel faced 300 shots in eight games for Boston with a 1.45 goals-against average and .953 save percentage. She set a PWHL record with 56 saves in Game 2 of the opening-round series against PWHL Montreal, breaking her own record of 53 saves in Game 1 of the same series.
"She's been our backbone," Boston forward Jamie Lee Rattray told reporters. "She's literally the best goalie in the world right now. She literally stood on her head, and she helped us in the first couple of rounds of the playoffs. Without her, I don't think we get where we are. Like (Hilary) said, we're gonna back her up a little more next year hopefully. She's phenomenal and such a great teammate too. Unfortunately, we couldn't get any in for her tonight, but she was phenomenal all year."
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Frankel posted a .929 save percentage and a 2.00 goals-against average in the regular season with an overall record of 8-6-2. She recorded 41 saves against Minnesota on February 25 in her first shutout of the season. Down the stretch, Frankel was instrumental in Boston clinching the No. 3 seed for the inaugural PWHL playoffs. She won three of her final four starts with the lone loss coming in a shootout to Ottawa on April 24. She posted a 1.75 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage in those games.
Featured image via PWHL
