3 Keys To The PWHL Boston and PWHL Montreal's Playoff Series

PWHL Boston and PWHL Montreal are set to drop the puck on their PWHL semi-final playoff series. Here are three keys to the series.

PWHL Boston and PWHL Montreal are set to drop the puck on their inaugural PWHL playoff series. The two teams are no strangers to one another, nor are the hockey cities. This year PWHL Boston and Montreal met four times, splitting the series with Boston beating Montreal 4-3 on the final day of the year to earn their playoff spot, Montreal beating Boston 3-1, and the two teams splitting overtime decisions early in the year. 

This could be a nailbiter series that goes to a fifth and deciding game. Here's a look at three keys to this series.

No goalie turned it on late in the year like Aerin Frankel. She was spectacular for Boston following the international break for the World Championships posting a 0.943 save percentage in four starts. Desbiens has been her predictable self providing steady netminding all season...except against Boston.

Facing Boston, Desbiens posted a very pedestrian 0.875 save percentage in two games, losing both. 

In international play, the last game these two faced each other in was a 6-5 overtime gold medal win for Canada and Desbiens. In PWHL play it was a 4-3 regulation win for Boston and Frankel to close out the season.

Elaine Chuli won both of her games this year against Boston. It would not be out of the question to see Chuli start game two of Desbiens and Montreal don't get it done in game one.

Few expected it to be an issue at the beginning of the season, but PWHL Boston struggled mightily to score this season. If there's any hope, it's that Hilary Knight's disastrous start to the season seemed to see a turnaround begin following Worlds. She'll need to score in this series for Boston to win. With Loren Gabel and Taylor Girard sidelined with injuries, Boston's scoring depth is even shallower heading into playoffs. It will not be surprising if we see Alina Muller shooting first and passing later more in this series as she's been Boston's best forward all season, but often plays distributor more than shooter. Without home ice advantage, Boston will need to get creative to find favorable match ups as Montreal's defensive depth isn't great, but with last change going to Montreal, they should be able to match lines at will. Montreal has injury issues right now which could impact that depth further, but the availability of Melodie Daoust in Montreal gives them another look offensively that Boston will need to watch.

No one will forget the popular video showing Marie-Philip Poulin starring down Hilary Knight during the gold medal game of the IIHF World Championships this April. Nearing the midway mark in the third period, Knight had just scored a powerplay goal with Poulin in the box. With Knight celebrating, cameras zoomed in to Poulin, shooting lasers from her eyes. Fans who know Poulin, knew what that meant. It was time for Captain Clutch. Less than four minutes later, Poulin scored her second goal of the game to make it 5-4 Canada, and the Canadians would go on to win 6-5 with a jubilant Poulin flying off the bench to celebrate. Don't believe for a second those moments, and the rivalry that exists between these players will not factor in as motivation in this series. Poulin has been a dominant force for Montreal this season. She's the center of their attack and alongside Natalie Spooner of Toronto, the leading candidate for MVP in the league. Knight has struggled, and despite her success individually at Worlds, this is her chance for vengeance. Watch for the head to head battle between these two stars, and whoever wins this 1-on-1 will likely lead their team to a series win as well.