Lowell, Mass. — Sophie Jaques scored two goals in PWHL Minnesota’s 3-0 victory over Boston at the Tsongas Center on Tuesday night to even the PWHL Finals series 1-1.
Following a rough performance by netminder Maddie Rooney in Game 1, Minnesota head coach Ken Klee made the switch to Nicole Hensley for the second game:
“We have two great goalies. All year we have rotated back and forth. Maddie got hot in the first round so it was tough to take her out, but we knew we could go back to Nicole at any point and she’d be ready to go.”
PWHL Minnesota head coach Ken Klee post-game
Minnesota Comes Out Swinging
While Boston held the early advantage in offensive zone time, it was Minnesota who found the back of the net first.
A Mellissa Channell body check on Boston’s Alina Müller sent the puck onto the stick of Michela Cava, which the former Minnesota Duluth forward turned into a fast break. With Kendall Coyne Schofield in toe, Cava sent a pass across the ice to the Minnesota captain. The puck deflected off of Boston defender Megan Keller’s stick and under the crossbar to give the visitors the lead.
Sophie Jaques doubled the advantage just moments later. The former PWHL Boston defender dodged an onrushing Jamie Lee Rattray before firing the puck under Aerin Frankel’s glove to make the score 2-0 Minnesota.
Sophie Jaques with her first goal of the postseason! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/GIInxFga7h
— PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) May 22, 2024
Susanna Tapani took the game’s first penalty, being called for a tripping infraction at 16:55. However, Boston captain Hillary Knight came to her club’s rescue. Rather than dumping the puck, she carried it up ice, drawing three members of Minnesota’s power play unit with her. The ensuing battle waisted a majority of the time remaining on the penalty and allowed Boston to gain some momentum in the dying seconds of the period.
Minnesota maintained their two-goal advantage heading into the first intermission while the shots on goal stood at 7 apiece.
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Boston’s Jess Healey appeared to have scored her second goal of the playoffs early in the middle frame. The initial call on the ice was “good goal”, but the tally was waved off. This came after a review due to referee David Elford blowing the play dead. The officials deemed that Hensley had control of the puck before it popped out of a netside scrum and onto Healey’s stick.
PWHL Boston head coach Courtney Kessel was curt in her discussion of the waved-off score:
“[The officials] just said that the whistle blew before the puck went in the net,” said Kessel postgame. “I thought the whistle blew a little bit too early.”
PWHL Boston head coach Courtney Kessel
Boston got a chance to redeem themselves late in the period. Minnesota’s Natalie Buchbinder took her club’s first penalty of the Finals, a minor for interference. The Minnesota penalty kill unit suffocated their opponents, forcing the hosts to chase the puck up and down the ice for the duration of the penalty.
A second Boston powerplay would come with under 100 seconds remaining in the period when Rattray was hooked by Emma Greco. The penalty extended into the third period, but the power play unit was unable to capitalize
At the buzzer, Minnesota’s 2-0 lead held firm while adding a marginal 13-12 lead in shots on goal.
Closing Time
Brittyn Fleming took Minnesota’s third consecutive penalty, heading off for a tripping minor at the 6:32 mark of the third period, but once again, PWHL Boston’s player advantage unit could not capitalize.
Minnesota finally got their chance on the power play midway through the third when Jessica Digirolamo delivered a massive hit on Michela Cava. The initial call of a major penalty was downgraded to a minor for charging after review. Knight nearly scored the jailbreak on a breakaway. Yet, Coyne Scofield took her down at the top of the circles before she could get the shot off.
The parade to the penalty box continued as the clock wound down on regulation time. Minnesota’s Clair DeGeorge downed Alina Müller in the corner, sending Boston back to the powerplay. While the hosts showed some teeth with the extra attacker, the puck could not find the target.
Sofie Jacques put the puck in the back of the empty Boston net to make the final score 3-0 and even the series 1-1.
Minnesota shuts out Boston! 💪
— PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) May 22, 2024
We head into Game 3 with a tied series!
PWHL x @scotiabank pic.twitter.com/4F5Y2JZVkR
Postgame Proceedings
PWHL Boston’s power play continues their season-long struggles, going 0-for-4 on man-advantage opportunities in Game 2.
“Something has to change. It’s going to be the death of us if we can’t put the puck in the net on our power play.”
PWHL Boston head coach Courtney Kessel post-game
As the series transitions to Minnesota, the grind of postseason play has become a clear factor in the Finals series.
“We’re playing a five-game series which is something a little bit different. It’s a marathon. Just because you win one game doesn’t mean you’re going to win it all. We knew it was going to be tough. We came out really strong in out first series, but this one is going to be a battle.”
PWHL Boston defender Kaleigh Fratkin
The inaugural PWHL Finals series continues on Friday evening. Boston and Minnesota face off in Game 3 at the Xcel Energy Center. All games can be streamed on the PWHL YouTube channel.
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