Boston Clinches Playoff Spot On Late Third Period Winner

Kaleigh Fratkin scored the playoff clinching game winning goal with only 1:20 to go in PWHL Boston's season. It was a must win game, and Boston won.

LOWELL, MA — PWHL Boston had just over a minute to light the lamp to clinch a playoff berth.

After a 3-0 lead evaporated in the third period amidst a three-goal salvo from Montreal, Boston needed to find twine in regulation to solidify their spot in the playoffs.

The 5,964 on hand at the Tsongas Center were anxious. On the edge of their seats, they awaited the fate of their hometown team while trying to comprehend the events that just unfolded in the third period.

Meanwhile, Boston’s Kelly Babstock remained calm. She knew her team would pull through.

“I was standing next to (Babstock) and she just called it,” Hilary Knight said after the game. “She’s like, ‘we’re going to score.’”

Seconds later, Kaleigh Fratkin sailed a wrist shot over the shoulder of Ann-Renée Desbiens and into the mesh. The sell-out crowd exploded from their seats as the veteran blueliner embraced her teammates.

Just what the doctor ordered.

Knight notched a goal and a helper as Alina Müller and Megan Keller found the back of the net, pushing the ever-so-desperate Boston past Montreal and into the postseason by a score of 4-3. Aerin Frankel made 28 saves in goal.

“Really exciting for the fans,” said Boston head coach Courtney Kessel. “That’s what they come here for, and at the end of the day we wanted to clinch so we’re excited.”

Holding a 3-0 lead on home ice, it looked like the hosts had it in the bag. Montreal was hamstrung from sparking a comeback. But after a pair of penalties made way for a high-octane power play, momentum began to shift. Montreal’s Mikyla Grant-Mentis scored both goals on the advantage before Marie-Philip Poulin tied the game with the goalie pulled to stun Boston while pushing them to the brink of elimination.

But before Fratkin was the hero on Saturday night, it was all Boston in the first two periods. After Boston killed a Montreal power play early in the frame after committing a too many players on the ice infraction, their star power went to work.

It all started when Hannah Brandt caused a turnover in the neutral zone, breaking up a breakout pass to send Boston on the attack. She laid a drop pass for Babstock, who drove hard to the net until Knight batted home a rebound into the back of the net. Babstock’s assist on the play was her first PWHL point in her fourth game of the season after arriving to the club on a short-term contract.

“She’s awesome,” Knight said of her teammate. “She’s a ball of energy and a fireball for us. She’s the one that’s cheering on the bench and getting the girls going in the locker room. She’s just always on, and I don’t know how she has that much energy, but we gladly receive that.”

Just over three minutes later, Müller doubled Boston’s lead on a one-timer from Theresa Schafzahl in the slot.

Boston continued to dominate the period, holing a 14-8 shots on goal advantage to suffocate any Montreal momentum.

Boston didn’t let up in the second period. Knight secured her second multi-point game of the season on an assist to Keller to take a 3-0 lead at 6:23. Knight picked up a loose puck along the left boards, threading the needle to a driving Keller on the back door for the tap in tally.

But that’s when Montreal began their push, scoring a pair of power play goals before Poulin silenced the crowd with her late goal to knot the contest.

“I feel like we’ve been in this situation far too many times, but I guess it prepared us for today. I think for myself, just settling myself on the bench,” Kessel said. “You can’t really control the refs, but what you can control is your habits and sticking to the game plan.”

So Boston beared down and refocused at the task at hand. When Fratkin scored with just 1:20 left in the game, you could almost hear the sigh of relief from the Boston bench.

“It’s nice that we don’t have to worry about what tomorrow brings,” said Kessel. “We have our own fate.

“The way that our group stuck together, it’s the type of team that we are,” Keller said.