Achi news desk-
Irene Frankel made 53 saves and Susanna Taffani scored in overtime to lead Boston to a 2-1 win in Game 1 of the Women’s Professional Hockey League semifinal series on Thursday.
Tapani pounced on a loose puck in the blue at 14:25 of overtime for the first overtime goal in PWHL playoff history.
Lexi Adjia scored in regulation for Boston. The visitors entered the best-of-five semifinals with wins in four of their last five games, including a 4-3 victory over Montreal in the final game of the regular season to clinch a playoff spot.
Christine O’Neill scored and Anne-Rene Desvaines stopped 24 shots for Montreal before 9,135 fans gave up a towel at the Place Bell.
Montreal finished second in the PWHL regular season and six points ahead of third-place Boston.
Game 2 in the series is Saturday in Valvale.
The winner meets Toronto or Minnesota in the best-of-five final for the Walter Cup. Toronto leads the second semi-final 1-0.
Montreal, on fire on the power play late in the season, went 1-for-5 in a chippy game that could have seen a lot more penalties. Boston was 0-for-2.
Laura Stacey almost ended the game with a burst 10 minutes into added time, but missed high after chasing down a stretch pass from Melody Daoust.
Keller then put Montreal on the power play by cutting the stick out of Stacey’s hands. Montreal, however, was unable to bury a winner past Frankel.
With Boston trailing 1-0, Shirley cut inside and ripped a shot that hit Adzia’s stick and beat Desbiens to tie the game 1:48 into the third period.
Stacey received a pass from Montreal captain Marie-Philippe Poulin while floating down the wing, but couldn’t get her back past Frankel with six minutes left.
Moments later, the puck appeared to hit a player on the Montreal bench but play continued without a whistle.
Montreal goaltender Anne-Rene Desbiens (35) keeps her eye on the puck as Boston’s Therese Schaefer (37) goes for the rebound during PWHL third round playoff hockey game in Montreal on Thursday, May 9, 2024. The Canadian Press/Christine Moshi
Surprised by the odd sequence, Desvaines rushed to play the loose puck only for Tapani to intercept a pass. Tapani fired at an open net but Desvaines dived to get her stick and keep the game tied.
O’Neill opened the scoring with a power play goal 1:07 into the second period. Stacey’s one-timer hit Frankel on the shoulder and fell on the goal line before O’Neill knocked it into the net.
The home team nearly doubled the lead 12 minutes into the frame when Mikayla Grant-Mantis set up Gabriel David in the slot with Montreal again on the power play. David’s shot appeared to fool Frankel, who lost track of the puck, but didn’t hit the back of the net.
Montreal led the shots 25-10 after 40 minutes and 12-2 after 20.
Katie Tabin found Stacey alone in the offensive zone early. Stacey, however, couldn’t get her shot past the Boston net mind.
With 1:29 left, Poland danced around two Boston defenders on the rush before laying a pass to Stacey, but Frankel slid from post to post and made an acrobatic save at the sweet spot. Poland hit the post from a tight angle on the rebound.
Tabin’s point shot in the final minute trickled through Frankel and rolled just wide of the net. Frankel then scored Poland to put Montreal on the power play — which eventually led to O’Neal’s opener early in the second.
lineup changes
The PWHL has suspended Montreal forward Sara Laporte for one game before Game 1 for her open-ice hit on Boston forward Jamie Lee Rattray in the final game of the regular season on Saturday.
Rattray, Taylor Girard and Lauren Gable – all forwards – were out of Boston’s lineup.
Montreal activated reserve player Melody Daoust to play in the semi-finals. Therefore, the 2018 Olympics MVP is ineligible to play in the finals if Montreal advances, according to her reserve contract.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 9, 2024.
