22 May 2024
Minnesota twice had leads in Game 1 of the Professional Women’s Hockey League finals on Sunday before Boston rallied and then won 4-3 with three second-period goals.
There would be no comeback in Game 2.
Minnesota scored twice in the first period and added an empty-net tally in the third to win 3-0 on Tuesday night in Boston at the Tsongas Center, with Minnesota goaltender Nicole Hensley stopping all 20 shots she faced for the shutout.
Michela Cava scored for the second straight game and Sophie Jaques scored twice for Minnesota, which will return home tied 1-all in the best-of-five championship series for the Walter Cup.
“It feels amazing (to get the shutout),” Hensley told the Associated Press. “Obviously Maddie has been carrying our team, it’s nice to be able to help out our team and give her a little break. It’s huge to get a split on the road, that’s what you’re looking to do in the playoffs. I’m excited to get back to Minnesota and our fans.”
Hensley took the net on Tuesday after Maddie Rooney had played five straight games, including posting two shutouts herself.
Cava opened the scoring at 14:25 in the first. Less than two minutes later, Jaques skated in from the point and let a wrist shot fly from the faceoff circle to beat Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel at 16:21.
After five goals were scored in the second period on Sunday, Minnesota’s defense was locked in Tuesday. Neither team would score until Jaques added an empty-netter with 2:29 remaining. Boston had won six straight games, including a sweep of Montreal in the first round, while Minnesota had to go five games against top-seed Toronto, including a comeback after being losing the first two games of the series.
Boston had won 12 straight one-goal games, including four in the playoffs. Frankel made 20 saves for Boston, which travels to Minnesota now for Game 3 on Friday at 6 p.m. at the Xcel Energy Center.