Boston takes a 1-0 series lead with a 2-1 overtime win over Montreal despite facing 53 shots
Boston takes a 1-0 series lead with a 2-1 overtime win over Montreal despite facing 53 shots
In the overtime of game one between PWHL Boston and Montreal, 9, 216 Place Bell attendees held their breath.
In what appeared to be Montreal’s game to lose, the momentum shifted from an all-out offensive onslaught to booming collisions and rising tension.
Then, it happened. With roughly five minutes left to play, Boston’s Susanna Tapani buried a loose puck in the back of Montreal’s goal, giving her team the 2-1 win and 1-0 series lead.
“You’re going to have to weather the storm because the energy in this rink was loud from warmups to the end of that game,” said Boston head coach Courtney Kessel. “In the playoffs, anything can happen. Weathering that storm and comin gout of that first period 0-0 was huge.”
The real hero for Boston was starting goaltender Aerin Frankel, who’s 52 saves kept her team in the game throughout.
“Obviously it tires you out as the game goes on,” Frankel said post-game. “You got to stay mentally focused.”
“We can’t dwell on it,” said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie on the loss. “We now that it’s going to be a long series [...] It’s disappointing, but for us, I’m happy as a coach with that effort and other than that, aside from the outcome.”
Montreal came out of the starting gate with a surge of energy. The home team mustered twelve shots in the opening 20 minutes while holding their opponents to just two (non-threatening) shots toward netminder Ann-Renée Desbiens.
Boston made up for the lack of offence with some brutal body-checking. The physicality sent burgundy jerseys sprawling on the ice throughout the frame. The upside for Montreal was the two penalties they drew: one on Megan Keller for interference, and one on Hannah Brandt for hooking. The latter penalty was still active heading into the first intermission in a 0-0 hockey game.
That remaining power play favoured Montreal. Just over a minute into the second period forward, Laura Stacey rifled a one-timer off Aerin Frankel's shoulder pad. While the initial shot was stopped, the rebound was nudged past the goal line by forward Kristin O’Neill for the first PWHL playoff goal in Montreal history.
Following the marker, the game stayed the same. Montreal controlled the pace of play, while Boston continued to deal out hard hit after hard hit. Montreal’s offence thrived, and if not for Frankel stopping 23 of 24 shots through 40 minutes of play, Montreal would have a larger lead than 1-0 after two periods.
Boston attempted to flip the script in the third period. Four minutes into the frame, Boston forward Lexie Adzija laced a shot glove side on Desbiens, tying up the game at 1-1. Boston then drew a penalty when Montreal’s Maureen Murphy was assessed a slash. Not two minutes later, however, Kelly Babstock interfered with Desbiens, sending her to the box. The game turned on a dime, Much like their previous four matchups, the game turned into a down-to-the-wire affair. Montreal held the advantage in shot totals, leading 43-18 after regulation.
After nothing was settled in regulation, both teams returned to their dressing rooms to strategize for overtime. After a penalty to Keller for slashing and a breakaway from Laura Stacey, the ultimate moment finally came. After a shot hit off of the chest protector of Desbiens, a scrum ensued to bury the puck. Susanna Tapani was successful, sealing the comeback for Boston, who now take a 1-0 series lead.
“Relief,” was the word used by Tapani to describe the feeling. “We had a couple of good chances before. I had a good feeling that we were going to score.”
Place Bell will host game two on Saturday, May 11. Puck-drop is set for 7 p.m.