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After goal erased on replay, Boston has no answer as Minnesota evens up Walter Cup finals
Minnesota tied up the playoff series 1-1 Tuesday night, securing a 3-0 win over Boston.
The PWHL’s inaugural season wouldn’t be complete without a hotly debated no-goal call, would it?
Welcome to playoff hockey.
While its power play loomed larger in its 3-0 defeat in Game 2 of the Walter Cup Finals on Tuesday, PWHL Boston was on the wrong end of a would-be goal.
Boston defender Jess Healey, who scored the winner in Game 1, looked to have another one at 2:20 of the second period. After she deposited a loose puck in front, an official behind the net pointed repeatedly at the ice — signaling “goal” — and Boston celebrated.
But a conference led to controversy.
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Before Healey had popped in the puck, Minnesota netminder Nicole Hensley seemingly had the puck under her blocker, waiting for a whistle. Four Minnesota skaters were standing by, too.
Boston’s Sophie Shirley kicked the puck loose when she was shoved down in the crease by Minnesota’s Sophia Kunin, and it went right to Healey who buried it.
But after officials conferred, and the call was changed to no goal, and then referees Jared Cummins and David Elford reviewed the video.
When Hensley apparently had the puck, there was no whistle audible in the arena, nor on the broadcast. So did she have it? Could the official see where it was? It’s unclear.
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A league official said the play was actually blown dead before Healey put the puck in the net. There was, apparently, no need for a video review. And no goaltender interference. Just a whistle that wasn’t, and an irritated Boston crowd.
The best-of-five series heads to Minnesota for Game 3 on Friday.
Say this for Boston: it was their lack of oomph on the power play that stunted their comeback hopes, not the contested call.
They went 0 for 4, with all four of those power plays coming after Healey’s non-goal. Shortly after their fourth chance expired, ex-Boston defender Sophie Jaques (two goals) iced the game with an empty-netter.
Boston was on it early, their quick passes and puck touches creating momentum in their attack. They had flow, no hesitation evident in their game.
But late in the first period, Minnesota got going off the rush, scored off a fortunate bounce and quickly doubled the lead. It remained 2-0 after 40 minutes.
The visitors opened the scoring at 14:25 of the first. Michela Cava cruised down the right wing after Mellissa Channell forced a Boston turnover inside the offensive blueline. Megan Keller was stick-down, playing the pass, and she took it away — almost.
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Cava’s feed to Kendall Coyne Schofield never arrived. It skipped off Keller’s stick and tapped down off the crossbar for a 1-0 lead.
It was the first Minnesota shot in nearly 11 minutes, and their third of the night. Their fourth also went in the net.
Jaques scored 1:56 later. Liz Schepers recovered a Frankel rebound and sent it to the point, where Jaques — drafted 10th overall by Boston and traded in February — sent a far-side wrister through heavy traffic. Ex-teammate Kaleigh Fratkin jumped out to contest the shot, but Jaques found space.
The power play, now scoreless on 14 tries in the playoffs, was a momentum killer.
Alina Müller drew an interference call at 14:20 of the second, but Boston came and went without a threat. Another late-second power play was only slightly more dangerous. Down by a pair of goals in the third period, they didn’t string much together.
They had their best looks after Müller drew another trip with 4:56 left, but could not break through.
Game 1 hero Aerin Frankel stopped 19 shots for Boston. Minnesota’s Hensley, her Team USA teammate, turned aside all 20 she saw.
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