Just as it did in Game 2, PWHL Boston entered into the third period down by a goal Friday afternoon. And unfortunately for Boston, the outcome remained the same as the team fell to Minnesota, 4-1, during Game 3 of the Walter Cup Finals.
Boston now trails Minnesota in the championship series, down 2-1 in the best-of-five series.
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The game was almost the same story as game two as Boston nearly entered into the final frame without scoring a goal. Alina Müller, though, would not allow that.
Jamie Lee Rattray spun along the boards to pass to Susanna Tapani who quickly backhanded the puck to Müller.
With an open net, Müller sent the puck past Minnesota goaltender Nicole Hensley to give Boston a goal with just one second left in the second period and make it a 2-1 game.
“I think that gave this team a lot of life,” Megan Keller said on the goal. “It’s fun scoring goals, especially under two seconds, that’s happened quite a few times here so going into the third it definitely gave us some life. Just a few defensive breaks at the end there that cost us.”
Before the goal, Boston struggled to maintain control of the puck and have good looks at the Minnesota net. Boston was outshot 11-5 in the second period with their goaltender Aerin Frankel keeping the team in the game.
Minnesota responded to Müller’s late second-period goal with an early third period goal of its own. Just over three minutes played in the third period, Boston turned over the puck in the neutral zone to Minnesota. Michela Cava skated through the zone after a Taylor Heise pass. Cava deked by a Boston defender then sent a backhand past the goaltender to bring Minnesota up 3-1.
Despite giving up the early goal in the third, Boston looked to have momentum and controlled the period more than previous periods as it outshot Minnesota 7-5.
With less than five minutes left in the third period, Minnesota’s Claire Butorac was whistled for a tripping penalty. After Boston pulled their goaltender, the team looked like it was set to make a push at a comeback. Grace Zumwinkle put the idea of a Boston comeback to rest, though, with an empty net goal as she was tied up with Hillary Knight.
Frankel continually made huge saves that kept Minnesota at two goals in the second period. Most notably, the goaltender went out of her crease to make a save on a one-timer but the goal went past her and hit the crossbar. Frankel stayed with the puck and made a huge save to cover up the puck and not allow a deflection from the crossbar.
The first period hurt Boston as Minnesota scored two first-period goals to take an early lead. Minnesota got on the board less than a minute into the first period after Cava sent a wraparound pass to Taylor Heise. Heise caught the pass and shot the puck on a one-timer to take an early 1-0 lead 59 seconds into the game.
“I think Minnesota has done a great job of setting up a trap after they score,” Boston head coach Courtney Kessel said. “They’ve done it in all three games, we’ve gotta find a way to beat it, to get pucks in with possession and not chase the game.”
Toward the end of the first period, with 2:22 left, Brittany Flemming controlled the puck behind the net before wrapping around the net for a shot. On the deflection, with Sydney Brodt in the crease, she finished the play with a tap-in for a 2-0 game.
Boston will look to keep the season alive on Sunday, May 26 at 5:00 p.m. in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
“I feel like our backs have been up against the wall for quite some time,” Kessel said. “We were down five points heading into that worlds break and I think the run we went on to get us where we’re at is an accomplishment for sure. I think we know what it’s like to fight back and we’re going to continue to fight.”
