ST. PAUL, MN (January 14, 2024) — Emma Woods’ goal with 59 seconds remaining in overtime officially completed the comeback for New York on Sunday, which saw the road team battle back from an early 2-0 deficit to beat Minnesota 3-2. The loss is Minnesota’s first of the season after the team had won its first three games, all in regulation.
Minnesota’s best opportunity in the extra frame came by way of a Grace Zumwinkle penalty shot after the forward was taken down on a breakaway by New York defender Brooke Hobson, but the attempt went high and wide to keep the game tied.
Goaltender Corinne Schroeder turned aside all four Minnesota shots on net in overtime, while New York was able to capitalize on their lone shot in the frame. Woods scored her second goal of the season, at the 4:01 mark, after a neutral zone turnover led to a one-on-one rush and ended with a wrister deflecting off the defender’s stick and over goaltender Maddie Rooney’s shoulder.
Defender Ella Shelton collected her third assist of the game on the winning-goal to take over the league’s scoring lead, while Jade Downie-Landry picked up the secondary assist, her second helper of the season.
Minnesota had a strong first period, outshooting New York 11-6 while scoring two goals in the frame.
At 7:14, defender Lee Stecklein scored her first goal of the season off a shot from the point as Michela Cava recorded her first PWHL point with the assist.
The home team added to its lead at 11:22 when alternate captain Kelly Pannek picked up her first PWHL goal. Susanna Tapani picked up her third assist of the season on the goal.
An Abby Cook penalty allowed New York to cut the deficit in half at 14:23 of the second period when, on the powerplay, Carpenter tapped the puck home off a backdoor feed from Shelton.
In the third period, New York once again capitalized on the powerplay when Jessie Eldridge tapped the puck into the net at 10:49—just 13 seconds into the advantage—tying the game 2-2. The overtime was the first of the season for both teams.
Schroeder made 39 saves to secure the win, her second of the season. Rooney turned aside 26 shots and now has one win and one overtime loss on the season.
Up next, New York visits Montréal at Place Bell on January 16, a rematch of the January 10 game in which New York fell by a score of 5-2. The next night, Minnesota’s back on the road after a three-game homestand when they visit Ottawa on January 17.
Notes:
- Total Attendance: 7,951 – Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota
- Three Stars: 1) Emma Woods 2) Lee Stecklein 3) Alex Carpenter
- Final shots were 41-29 in favor of Minnesota – This is the first game this season in which Minnesota has outshot their opponent.
- Minnesota led the shot tally in the 1st (11-6), 3rd (18-11), and OT (4-1) – New York led the 2nd period shot count 11-8.
- Grace Zumwinkle led all players with 7 shots on goal, followed by teammate Taylor Heise, who notched 6.
- Four players recorded 5 shots on goal: Kendall Coyne Schofield and Maggie Flaherty (Minnesota) — Jessie Eldridge and Alex Carpenter (New York).
- Minnesota’s 41 shots on goal is the highest by any team this season — Schroeder’s 39 saves is the most by any goaltender in a game thus far.
- Schroeder stopped 31 shots in a row after Minnesota’s second goal.
- Minnesota has scored the first goal in all four of their games this season.
- Minnesota has yet to allow a first period goal this season — The team is outscoring opponents 6-0 in first periods.
- New York was 2/2 on the powerplay – Minnesota was 0/4 with the advantage, including a 5-on-3 in the first period, and remains the only PWHL team without a powerplay goal.
- Zumwinkle took the second penalty shot of the season —The other, by Marie-Philip Poulin on Emerance Maschmeyer, was also denied.
- Road teams have now won 8 of the first 10 games played this season — Minnesota is the only team to win on home ice, with two wins at Xcel Energy Center.
- Shelton now stands alone atop the PWHL scoring race with 6 points (2 goals and 4 assists) — Shelton’s 3 assists on Sunday are the most in any single game by a player this season.
- Tonight’s result was the league’s second straight 3-2 overtime comeback, following Boston’s victory over Montreal on Saturday.
- The road team has won all three overtime games in the PWHL this season.