PWHL Boston and PWHL Minnesota are set to open their PWHL final series with physicality, goaltending, and depth as keys to watch as they fight for the Walter Cup.
PWHL Boston and PWHL Minnesota are set to open their PWHL final series with physicality, goaltending, and depth as keys to watch as they fight for the Walter Cup.
PWHL Boston and PWHL Minnesota are set to drop the puck in the PWHL finals competing for the inaugural Walter Cup title.
Both teams upset their opponents in the opening round with Minnesota ousting first place Toronto in five games, and Boston sweeping Montreal. Now, it's an all American final between Boston and Minnesota that will come down to the details. Here are three keys to winning the Walter Cup.
Who will win the physical battles?
When PWHL Boston was most effective in their series against Montreal, it was when they were physical. They're about to meet their match in Minnesota however, as Minnesota's blueline was a wall against Toronto. Lee Stecklein, Maggie Flaherty, Mellissa Channell, Sophie Jaques, Natalie Buchbinder, and Emma Greco made themselves a difficult unit to play against. They owned the boards against Toronto as their forward groups funnelled players to the outside only to be met by Minnesota's defensive corps who quickly took away time and space, often ending in a punishing hit. Boston has size and strength as well, and the officials have certainly loosened the way they are calling body checking as the playoffs arrived. Board battles proved to be a difference maker for Minnesota in their opening series, and winning those 50/50 pucks whether it's through active sticks or pushing against their opponent, will be another key to this series.
Two Hot Netminders Enter The Finals
Maddie Rooney enters with a 0.45 GAA and .979 save percentage. Aerin Frankel enters with a 0.97 GAA and .972 save percentage. It doesn't bode well for fans looking for a high scoring series, which could turn into a series of bounces and breaks. Rooney and Frankel play a similar style that relies on reading the play and anticipating shots before the come. The duo are both small, and athletic often lunging or stretching themselves across the crease to make a stop. Both teams, as cliche as it is, will need to fill the front of the net with traffic and capitalize off special team situations, which for Minnesota was the difference in their fifth and deciding game against Toronto. If one of these goaltenders can't maintain their play, it could be the difference.
Deploying Depth Will Be Key
These teams are moving in different directions when it comes to depth. Boston got back Loren Gabel and Jamie Lee Rattray at the end of the opening series. PWHL Minnesota stayed healthy, but will lose top line winger Abby Boreen for the remainder of the playoffs as she was only eligible to play in one series according to league rules. In Boston's opening round series against Montreal, it was fourth line players like Amanda Pelkey and Taylor Wenczkowski who stepped up in big moments, along with top line center Susanna Tapani who scored a pair of overtime winners. Their offense came from both ends of the lineup, which outmatched Montreal's one line approach. Even in Minnesota's approach against Toronto, they ran four lines and three defensive pairings more evenly than Toronto. Both teams will likely do the same here, but it will turn into a head-to-head battle of whose depth is able to score rather than simply staying fresh.