LOWELL, MA (May 14, 2024) – Susanna Tapani scored 1:02 into overtime to lift Boston to a 3-2 win to sweep their playoff series over Montréal at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell on Tuesday.
Boston wins the best-of-five semifinal series 3-0 with all three games won in overtime. They become the first team in PWHL history to win a playoff series and will now have a chance at the first-ever battle for the Walter Cup in the PWHL Finals.
Tapani’s goal was her second overtime winner in the series— she also scored in extra time in Game 1 to give Boston a 2-1 win.
On the play, Alina Müller rushed up the ice with the puck and into the offensive zone, weaving past a Montréal defender before putting the puck on net. Ann-Renée Desbiens made the original save, but the shot created a rebound, which Tapani put into the back of the net.
The winner completed a comeback for the home team, as they entered the third period down 2-0.
Sophie Shirley got Boston on the board first, notching a goal 7:06 into the third period to cut Montréal’s lead in half, making the score 2-1.
Then, with 3:43 remaining in the third period, Amanda Pelkey scored the first shorthanded tally in PWHL playoff history, which not only tied the game 2-2, but ended Montréal’s powerplay by way of the PWHL’s ‘jailbreak’ rule.
Montréal entered the game needing to win to extend the series after losing the first two games at home in overtime.
They put 18 shots on net in the first frame, but Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel — who made 109 saves through the first two games of the series— once again kept the game close for her team.
Marie-Philip Poulin got her first of the playoffs at 15:39 of the first period, which gave Montréal a 1-0 lead. Maureen Murphy doubled Montréal’s lead with a powerplay tally at 13:35 of the second period, deflecting Poulin’s shot past Frankel.
Frankel made 32 saves in her third straight overtime victory. Desbiens stopped 21 in the loss.
Boston will now await their opponent for the PWHL Finals between the winner of the Toronto-Minnesota semifinal series. Toronto currently leads 2-1 with Game 4 set for Wednesday night.
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Postgame Quotes:
Boston forward Amanda Pelkey on capitalizing on chances: “I think we were happy that it didn’t last longer than that and I think many fans watching were glad it was quick and short too. It’s just a feeling you get when you go into overtime, and everyone is buzzing and excited. I don’t think we were shocked by it.”
Boston Head Coach Courtney Kessel on the result: “I think it took us a little bit to get our legs going. Obviously, didn’t have the start we wanted to, but it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish… Here we are, we’re heading on to the championship.”
Montréal Head Coach Kori Cheverie: “[We’re] just trying to process everything. I think it’s important for our group to know how well they played over the last three games, and it’s okay to feel the emotion — it’s important to feel the emotion right now. It’s one of those things where I don’t know if you do too much different.”
Notes:
- Attendance: 2,781– Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA.
- Three Stars: 1) Susanna Tapani 2) Marie-Philip Poulin 3) Amanda Pelkey
- Shots ended 34-24 in favour of Montréal – They led 18-4 in the first period, tied 7-7 in the second period, Boston led 11-9 in the third period, and 2-0 in overtime.
- Montréal outshot Boston in each of the series’ three games and 145-102 overall.
- Kati Tabin (MTL) led all players with seven shots on goal – Poulin and Boston’s Hilary Knight finished second with five shots apiece.
- Boston was 0/2 on the powerplay – Montréal was 1/3.
- Tapani led all players in ice time with 34:06 – Kristin O’Neill led all Montréal players with 28:28 TOI.
- Frankel made 141 saves in the series – She finished the series with a .972 save percentage and a 0.97 goals-against average.
- Megan Keller (BOS) led all players with a plus-2 rating – She finishes the series with a league-best plus-5 rating.
- Pelkey (2G, 1A) and Maureen Murphy (1G, 2A) were the leading scorers in the series with three points each – Murphy had a three-game playoff point streak.
- Pelkey and Poulin recorded the only multi-point games (1G, 1A) of the series.
- Poulin won 68.0% of her face-offs in the series.
- Montréal scored a powerplay goal in each of the series’ three games and remain the only team thus far in the playoffs to score on the advantage.
- Pelkey has scored three goals this season, all against Montréal.
- Including tonight’s match, five of seven games played between the two teams this season have gone to extra time – Boston is now 4-1 in overtime victories over Montréal.
- Counting the first three games of the series, Montréal has now played an additional 91:51 in 11 games and Boston has played 83:44 in 10 games past regulation.
- Boston has won five straight games at Tsongas Center.
- Montréal lost for the third time this season after leading the game 2-0 – They lost to Boston 3-2 in overtime on Jan. 13 after leading 2-0 in the first period.
- This was Montréal’s first loss when leading 2-0 in the third period – They had a 1-0 third period lead against Boston in Game 1.
- Boston enters the PWHL Finals with five straight wins between the regular-season and playoffs and seven wins in eight games since the International Break.
- Game Center | Playoff Schedule | Playoff Stats
