The Minnesota Frost needed a regulation win to keep their PWHL playoff hopes alive, and they responded with a 3-0 shutout over the Ottawa Charge who could have clinched their own playoff spot with a win.

Minnesota looked sharp including netminder Nicole Hensley who stopped all 24-shots she faced. 

"We knew the situation. We knew we needed three points and had to get a win," said Minnesota head coach Ken Klee.

"We weren’t hiding from it; there’s no sense shying away and I know our players are great players and are used to that kind of pressure - and tonight they performed," he continued. "They’ve been in gold medal games, and obviously getting the Walter Cup last year, and elimination games - game five first round and game five second round. I think they draw on it but as a player you still get excited, and you get nervous, and you know it’s now or never."

Kendall Coyne Schofield got her team on the board first, followed by a pair of goals from defender Lee Stecklein.

On the other side of the puck, Ottawa looked sloppy relinquishing possession and struggling to complete passes everywhere on the ice. If not for the 30-save performance of netminder Gwyneth Philips, the score could have been far more lopsided.

Ottawa head coach Carla MacLeod acknowledged her team's inability to find their stride.

"It felt like a playoff game. We're playing an opponent whose backs are up against the wall and they're the reigning champions. They were able to manage the moment well," said MacLeod. "All the credit to them. Certainly, it was a great game on their part. We just didn't find our stride and just didn't look comfortable all game."  

Ottawa has one game remaining where they can still clinch their own playoff fate with a win over the Toronto Sceptres on the final day of the season. An hour later Boston and Minnesota face-off. If Ottawa wins their game, the winner of this game will earn a playoff spot. If Ottawa loses, a Boston win would put Ottawa in, while a Minnesota win would put Minnesota and Boston in.