Minnesota beats Boston 4-1 to take 2-1 lead in inaugural PWHL championship series

Michela Cava and Taylor Heise had a goal and an assist to lead Minnesota to a 4-1 victory over Boston, giving their team a 2-1 lead in the inaugural Women’s Professional Hockey League championship series.

ST. PAULO, Minnesota – Michela Cava and Taylor Heise had a goal and an assist to lead Minnesota to a 4-1 victory over Boston on Friday night, giving their team a 2-1 lead in the inaugural Women’s Professional League championship series. of Hockey.

Minnesota will host Game 4 of the best-of-five series on Sunday. Game 5, if necessary, would be played in Boston on Wednesday.

It took just 59 seconds for Heise to sink a shot past Boston goalie Aerin Frankel and give Minnesota the lead for good. Cava assisted on Heise’s fifth goal in eight postseason games. Heise recorded four goals and nine assists during the regular season.

Minnesota took a 2-0 lead with 2:22 left in the first period when Sydney Brodt used assists from Brittyn Fleming and Kelly Pannek to score her first goal this season.

Boston’s goal came with two seconds remaining in the second period, when Alina Müller found the net. Susanna Tapani and Jamie Lee Rattray had assists. It was Müller’s first goal of the postseason after scoring five times in the regular season.

Minnesota regained a two-goal lead 3:29 into the final period when Cava scored his third goal of the postseason — off an assist from Heise. Grace Zumwinkle scored into an empty net after Boston pulled Frankel for an extra skater with 3:50 remaining. Zumwinkle’s goal was his first this postseason.

Minnesota goalkeeper Nicole Hensley finished with 18 saves. Frankel saved 21 shots for Boston.

Minnesota, the fourth seed, beat Toronto 3-2 in the first-round series. Toronto had to choose who would play between Minnesota and Boston after finishing in first place during the regular season. Boston swept second-seeded Montreal to advance to the final.

Minnesota boasted the best record in the league before a nearly month-long break from international play. The club lost all five matches after returning, but still managed to secure the final playoff spot.

Boston split two home games to start the series, winning the opener 4-3 before losing 3-0.

___

AP Women’s Hockey: