What happened on Sunday is not new to hockey. Most recently in the NHL, Florida’s Carter Verhaeghe scored in overtime to beat Vegas in Game 3 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final. The previous year, Colorado’s Nazem Kadri did it against Tampa Bay in Game 4. And there have been many others.
Now you can include Boston’s Alina Müller to the list after her goal gave her team a 1-0, double-overtime victory over Minnesota in Game 4 of the PWHL’s Walter Cup finals.
The championship trophy of the PWHL is called the Walter Cup, named for league investors Mark and Kimbra Walter. The cup, made of sterling silver and built to drink out of, will end up a pontoon in one of Minnesota’s lakes this summer regardless of what happens in Game 5 on Wednesday. In addition to PWHL Minnesota’s homegrown players, there are five Minnesotans on Boston’s roster as well.
PWHL Minnesota was close to starting the cup tour as Sophie Jaques’ shot off a Taylor Heise feed went into the net with 2 minutes, 34 seconds left in the second OT. But Heise, while falling and sliding toward the net, interfered with Boston goalie Aerin Frankel on the play.
As Minnesota’s sticks, gloves and helmets were scattered through the Xcel Energy Center rink in celebration, the play was reviewed and overturned. And 70 seconds later, Müller scored to end the epic battle and force a winner-takes-Walter game in Lowell, Mass.
So it’s back to Beantown as Minnesota tries to clear the Green Monster that is Frankel. And Game 5 likely will be another one-goal game, possibly another OT classic as the visitors survived an elimination game on the road and won’t need a plane to fly back home. Minnesota won Game 2 of the series at Boston, and after losing its final five games of the regular season and the first two of the playoffs, Team Purple has rebounded. Coach Ken Klee, a steady defenseman during his playing days, has his team playing top notch hockey again.
Minnesota held the puck for lengthy stretches in Boston’s end on Sunday but could not produce the key pass or the right shot to score a goal. Players had several great chances, including five power plays. The top line of Heise, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Michela Cava were aggressive from puck drop. Coyne Schofield must be the fastest skater in the world. They never showed frustration, continuously trying to solve the problem while fighting off Boston defenders.
Different styles make for great fights, and it seemed like a couple could have broken out Sunday as Boston’s physical play tried to counter Minnesota’s speed. Midway through the first period, a charging Heise, who was called for roughing in the game, had the puck poked away by Frankel while Natalie Buchbinder rode Heise onto ice and would not get off her. The two rolled on the ice for a moment before officials separated them. In the second period, Boston’s Kaleigh Fratkin bodychecked Kelly Pannek but blamed Pannek.