PWHL Boston Playoff Bound After 4-3 Win Over PWHL Montreal

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On Saturday afternoon, the final game of the regular season took place at Tsongas Center between PWHL Montreal (10-3-5-6, 41 points) and PWHL Boston (8-4-3-9, 35 points). A lot was at stake for both teams. For Montreal, an outside shot at finishing first in the league. For Boston, a chance to punch their playoff ticket on their last day in front of the home folks.

The starting goalies for this important game were, Ann-Renee Desbiens (7-4-2, 2.19 GAA, .929%) PWHL Montreal and for PWHL Boston it was Aerin Frankel (7-6-2, 1.94 GAA, 930%). PWHL Boston came out flying in the first period in front of the biggest crowd of the year 5,964, which was a sellout. There was only one powerplay in the period and it went to PWHL Montreal as PWHL Boston was caught with too many players on the ice at 6:18. PWHL Boston took care of that shorthanded situation, with PWHL Montreal getting four shots on net during it.

From there PWHL Boston went to work. At 15:19 they scored the game’s first goal. The captain, Hilary Knight scored her 6th of the season redirecting a pass from Keily Babstock between the right post and Desbiens pad. Hannah Brandt also assisted on the goal. PWHL Boston made it 2-0 on a goal from Alina Muller scoring her 5th of the year from Theresa Schafzahl and Susanna Tapani at 18:42. PWHL Boston outshot PWHL Montreal 12-11 in the period. A scary moment took place as Jamie Lee Rattray took a big hit in open ice in the PWHL Montreal zone from Sarah Lefort. Rattray did not come out for the start of the second period, or the rest of the game.

While PWHL Boston may have been down a forward, they kept up the pace of play in the second. They would kill off another PWHL Montreal power play. PWHL Boston has now killed 28-of-31 power plays. Their good work would pay off in a third goal. Megan Keller scored her 4th of the season at 6:23 of the second. The goal was set up by Brandt who took a hit along the left wing boards, fought off the hit, and made a cross ice pass to Keller who put the puck pass Desbiens for a 3-0 PWHL Boston lead. Knight also picked up an assist on the goal. Through two periods, both Knight and Brandt have two-point games. The teams went to the locker room with PWHL Boston in control. Shots in the second were 14-8 PWHL Boston, through two it was 26-19 PWHL Boston.

PWHL Boston was now twenty minutes away from a possible playoff spot. However, PWHL Montreal was not going down quietly. PWHL Boston’s Kelly Babstock went off for roughing at 3:23 of the third. PWHL Montreal went on the power play and scored their first goal of the game. Mikyla Grant-Mentis with her 1st of the season from Amanda Boulier and Melodie Daoust at 3:43, 3-1 PWHL Boston. The power play goal was PWHL Montreal’s 12th of the season and third on the road.

PWHL Montreal went back on the power play at 9:57 when Kaleigh Fratkin went off for roughing. They scored their second PPG of the period, 13th of the year and fourth on the road. Mariah Keopple scored her 1st of the season. The assists went to Boulier and Daoust. Both Boulier and Daoust have two-point games and now it was a 3-2 PWHL Boston lead. PWHL Montreal completed the comeback and tied the game at 3-3 at the 16:51 Marie-Phillip Poulin, her 10th of the year from Erin Ambrose and Laura Stacey.

ithin thirteen minutes of the third period, PWHL Boston lost a three-goal lead and were trying to hokd on or that playoff spot. But what they lost, they got back with 1:20 to go, Kaleigh Fratkin let go a wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle on the right side that beat Desbiens low to the far left post. The goal was her 2nd of the year and was assisted by Susanna Tapani and Jessica Digirolamo 4-3 PWHL Boston. Now it was all about holding on for PWHL Boston.

PWHL Montreal Poulin got off a rocket of a shot that PWHL Boston’s Frankel made a heck of a save on. From there, the clock wound down to zeroes and PWHL Boston won the game 4-3 and made the PWHL Playoffs.

After the game. a happy PWHL head coach Courtney Kessel called it “Absolutely Insane.” She thought “using our speed and bringing a physical game” was key. The captain, Hilary Knight said she loves “big games” and Saturday was definitely one of them. Megan Keller thought the team came out “ready to play”and she is excited to be playing playoff hockey.

PWHL Boston will not know their playoff opponent until after Sunday night’s game in Toronto is over. The good news is, their season is not over. Now it is on to the playoffs and the chase for a championship.