LOWELL — PWHL Boston entered the third period of Game 2 in the Walter Cup best-of-five series in relatively unfamiliar territory: down 2-0.
The team had only been down by two entering the third period one other time in the playoffs — Game 3 of the semifinal round against Montreal, which they won 3-2 in overtime to win the series — Boston looked for the comeback heroics on Tuesday that had served the team well before.
However, Boston could not overcome Minnesota’s early surge, falling 3-0 for its first playoff loss.
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“You can’t come into the championship thinking you’re just going to sweep, so we’re ready for battle and that’s what we saw tonight,” head coach Courtney Kessel said postgame. “I thought it was a great game. They capitalized, we didn’t.”
Boston went 0-for-4 on the power play, including a late-game opportunity with potential, but no shots on goal to show for it.
“Obviously something has to change. We did a few things throughout the year, but at the end of the day, it’s going to be the death of us if we can’t put the puck in the net,” Kessel said about the power play.
Boston gained early control of the game, with six shots on goal to Minnesota’s two, but a 2-1 opportunity gave Minnesota the 1-0 lead at 14:25 in the first.
It was forward Michela Cava — Minnesota’s first goal scorer in Game 1 — who sent the puck past Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel, with an assist from defender Melissa Channell for the first goal.
Unlike Boston’s quick equalizer in Game 1, Minnesota found the back of the net again less than two minutes later. Boston draftee Sophie Jaques, who was traded in February to Minnesota, sent one from the right circle to put Minnesota up two.
This score held until Jaques put in an empty-net goal at 17:31 in the third.
“I don’t think we had a bad game at all,” forward Hilary Knight said. “I think they were just able to capitalize on a couple of our errors.”
Boston had no shortage of opportunities, including a waved-off goal from defender Jess Healey early in the second. The play had already been blown dead, so the call remained no-goal.
“I just think [the whistle] was a little bit too early,” Kessel said.
Frankel had 20 saves on 22 shots on goal by Minnesota.
“Aerin Frankel stands on her head every single night for us,” Knight said. “People are stepping up in different positions.”
The series, now knotted at one win apiece, will now transition to Minnesota, where games three and four will be played. If necessary, game five will return to Tsongas Center.
“It’s a marathon. Just because you win one game doesn’t mean you’re going to win it all,” forward Kaleigh Fratkin said. “We knew it was going to be tough coming into it. We came out really strong in our first series, and this one is going to be a battle.”
