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What to know ahead of PWHL Boston’s must-win Game 5, Walter Cup Finals
The best-of-five series returns to Lowell Wednesday as Boston looks to extend their luck versus Minnesota.
For the first time ever, the Professional Women’s Hockey League will crown a champion on Wednesday night.
Boston forced a Game 5 in the finals against Minnesota Sunday in a double-overtime victory, one of many dramatic moments to punctuate the inaugural Walter Cup Finals.
The best-of-five series returns to Lowell on Wednesday as Boston looks to extend their luck one last time. Here’s what you need to know before the must-win Game 5 of the PWHL Finals.
Müller forces Game 5
Around 13,000 Minnesota fans leapt to their feet, booing as they watched the first goal of the night be overturned in the second period of overtime in Sunday’s Game 4.
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The goal, netted by Minnesota’s Sophie Jaques, would’ve secured Minnesota’s championship title but was overturned for goalie interference.
“I think right away we just kinda hit the reset. We’ve been in overtime so much this year and we just stuck to the systems that have been working for us this year,” Boston forward Alina Müller said about their second chance.
A minute after the final puck drop — 97 minutes into the game — Müller netted the first official goal of the game, giving Boston the 1-0 win.
Alina Muller scores off a turnover to give Boston the win to a chorus of boos from Minnesota fans pic.twitter.com/hTEtTyj3fn
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) May 27, 2024
“She’s just a tremendous 200 foot hockey player who can just put the puck in the back of the net,” Boston’s coach Courtney Kessel said about Müller, noting that she wasn’t surprised by the forward’s big-time play.
Battle of the goalies
“It starts with Franks,” Kessel said about goalie Aerin Frankel following Sunday’s shutout.
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Frankel, who has received much of the credit for her team’s successful postseason run, had 33 saves on 33 shots in Game 4. Her 0.961 save percentage in the playoffs makes her one of the most dominant goalies in the league — and Boston’s key to the Cup.
“She’s the green monster, tremendous,” Kessel added. “I think it starts with our goaltending… Just her ability to stay calm through these ups and downs, her ability to keep us in games and win games for us.”
Meanwhile, Minnesota’s tandem goalies — Nicole Hensley and Maddie Rooney — have taken turns in the net. After Rooney gave up four shots to Boston in Game 1, Hensley tapped in. Rooney made 18 saves on 19 shots Sunday night.
Minnesota has yet to announce which goalie will start on Wednesday.
Boston embracing the physical play
Boston is playing their most physical series yet, especially when it comes to targeting Minnesota’s star Taylor Heise.
Jessica Digirolamo, one of Boston’s up-and-coming defenders, wrestled Heise to the ice after the Minnesota forward attempted a shot on Frankel in the first period Sunday.
Boston forward Kelly Babstock joined in on the action after the whistle, earning a roughing call alongside Heise and setting the tone for a chippy rivalry down the stretch.
Boston’s physicality is one of their strengths. And the more they embrace the grit of the playoffs, the better they seem to do.
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“I just tried to put my body against a wall, against another player, trying to break the puck out. And then somehow tried to get inside positioning and the puck bounced to me,” Müller said about scoring her game-winning goal.
Using her body and speed to her advantage, Müller said she was just focused on hitting the puck as fast and high as possible.
“I didn’t really see much,” she said after the matchup.
Former Northeastern teammates hunt for another championship
It’s not the first time Müller and Frankel have teamed up to win a championship. Their first came in 2018, when the pair won their first of four consecutive Hockey East titles for Northeastern University.
“We’ve had quite a history with championships together and it would be a dream come true to win at the pro level with her,” Müller said about the goalie.
“She became a really good friend of mine. We’re roommates on the road. I trust her so much. And I mean her abilities on the ice are unreal. Without her, we wouldn’t be here,” she added.
How to watch Boston in Game 5 of the PWHL finals
Tickets to watch Boston take on Minnesota at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell are sold out. But, fans can stream Game 5 on the league’s YouTube channel.
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The puck drops at 7 p.m.
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