ELMONT, NY (May 4, 2024) – New York scored three powerplay goals en route to a 5-2 victory over Minnesota at UBS Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Minnesota entered the game needing just one point to clinch a playoff berth and, with the regulation loss, they must now await the result of the PWHL’s final two games.
Boston and Ottawa both have the ability to overtake Minnesota in the standings with regulation victories.
Minnesota can still clinch a playoff spot if Boston records two or less points against Montréal this afternoon, or if Ottawa records two or less points against Toronto on Sunday.
Goaltender Lindsey Post made her first start of the season for New York, recording 30 saves to secure the victory.
Ella Shelton recorded her second straight three-point game and Jaime Bourbonnais added two goals to lead the way offensively for New York.
Bourbonnais got the offense started for New York just 2:44 into the game, scoring her fourth goal of the season. Brooke Hobson recorded the assist on the play and extends her point streak to four games.
Shelton gave New York the 2-0 lead at 10:09 of the first period with her seventh tally of the season, assisted by Jessie Eldridge, who had two helpers in the contest.
After Denisa Křižova made the game 2-1 at 13:51, New York’s powerplay took over.
New York’s powerplay — which finished the season with a 24.4% success rate— was 3-for-4, and provided the remainder of the team’s goals in the contest.
Bourbonnais scored her team’s first powerplay goal 3:47 into the second period — her second goal of the game. New York cycled the puck around the perimeter as Alex Carpenter found Shelton on the point. Shelton then fed the puck to Bourbonnais who one-timed it over Nicole Hensley’s shoulder to give her team a 3-1 lead.
Jade Downie-Landry made the game 4-1 with New York’s second-straight powerplay goal, her eighth tally of the season, at 8:56 of the second period. Downie-Landry won a battle on the boards, then took the puck to the slot, wiring a wrister top-corner over Hensley’s blocker.
Abby Roque put the game away for New York at 9:01 of the third period with her team’s third powerplay goal of the game. Eldridge passed the puck through the seam to Roque backdoor, who roofed it to make the score 5-2. Shelton recorded her third point of the contest on the play.
Grace Zumwinkle also scored for Minnesota, a shorthanded tally at 2:21 in the third period. Hensley made 27 saves in the loss.
The PWHL Playoffs begin on Wednesday, May 8 at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto. Playoff positions are still to be determined based on the final two regular-season games before Toronto will select its semifinal opponent.
New York will select first overall in the 2024 PWHL Draft which will take place in Minnesota in June.
Postgame Quotes:
PWHL Head Coach Howie Draper on Lindsey Post’s first PWHL start: “She was great. She didn’t look out of place at all, which speaks to the depth we have at goaltending. She’s a great goalie, and I know because I coached her for five years at the University of Alberta. She understands what it takes to learn, she understands how to set goals and she has an amazing ability to achieve them… So I wouldn’t doubt it if she finds her way into a top-2 goalie situation somewhere within this league in the future.”
PWHL New York goaltender Lindsey Post on her first PWHL start: “I was nervous at the start of the game, but I knew my teammates were going to go out and give it their best for me today because they know how much hard work I’ve put in over the season, and how much I’ve been improving. So they really wanted to go out there and play their best game for me, and I think it really showed— how they were blocking almost all the shots. I was really happy by the end of the game (thinking) we’re going to do it (win) — we had a lot of momentum.”
Minnesota forward Kelly Pannek on the losing streak: “It just seems to be the way these last five games have gone for us. It’s not a lack of effort by any means, it’s not a lack of intensity. It’s not a lack of compete, it just seems like there’s a balance that just isn’t going our way and when that happens it’s hard to fight against it. I was really proud of the way our team competed to try to stay in it and to try to get back into the game. It just wasn’t happening.”
Notes:
- Attendance: 1,563– UBS Arena, Elmont, NY.
- Three Stars: 1) Lindsey Post 2) Ella Shelton 3) Jaime Bourbonnais
- Shots ended 32-32 — They were even in first (11-11), New York led the second (12-11) and Minnesota led the third (10-9).
- Grace Zumwinkle led all players with six shots on goal — Sophie Jaques (MIN) and teammate Kelly Pannek finished second with five shots apiece.
- Bourbonnais, Alex Carpenter, and Abby Roque finished first on New York with four shots apiece.
- New York was 3/4 on the powerplay — Minnesota was 0/4.
- New York scores three powerplay goals for the third time this season (Mar. 6, Mar. 25).
- Jaques led all players in ice time with 30:58 — Shelton led all New York skaters with 24:42 TOI.
- Post becomes the 12th PWHL goaltender to record a win this season – She is the seventh goaltender to win in her first career start.
- Shelton extends her point streak to four games (3G, 5A) – Her seven goals on the season are first among defenders, two more than Bourbonnais, who moved into second in the category with a season-high of two goals on Saturday.
- Shelton moves into a tie for fourth in PWHL scoring with 21 points (7G, 14A) in 24 games played – She leads all defenders in scoring.
- Carpenter produced one assist to take sole possession of second in the league with 23 points in 24 games — She also moves into a tie for the league lead in the assist category with Emma Maltais (TOR) with 15 apiece.
- Carpenter (3G, 7A) and Shelton (2G, 8A) are tied for the league-lead with 10 powerplay points.
- Brooke Hobson ends the season on a four-game point streak (1G, 4A) – She recorded all five of her points in the final four games of the season.
- Zumwinkle moves into sole possession of second place in goals in the PWHL with her eleventh of the season — With two points in the game, she finishes with 19 (11G, 8A) on the season, tied with Maltais as the rookie points leader.
- Zumwinkle scored her second shorthanded goal of the season, tied with Maltais for the league lead.
- New York scores five goals for the first time all season.
- Minnesota surrenders five goals for the first all season.
- New York won all five games this season when Jade Downie-Landry scored.
- New York won two straight games in regulation for the only time this season.
- Minnesota has now lost a season-high five straight games in regulation – They were outscored 19-7 during the skid.
- Minnesota wins the season series 9-6 in points, winning three of five games.
- New York finishes the season with four wins and 12 points in 12 home games – They had three wins and eight points in six games at UBS Arena.
- Minnesota finishes the season with five wins and 14 points in 12 road games.
- New York’s final game of the season was deemed Fan Appreciation Day.
- New York (5-4-3-12) finishes the season in sixth place with 26 points — They will select first in the 2024 PWHL Draft.
- Minnesota (8-4-3-9) remains in third place with 35 points on the season — They automatically clinch a playoff position if Boston gets two points or less against Montréal or if Ottawa gets two points or less against Toronto.