LOWELL, MASS. — It was a night of firsts at the Tsongas Center Wednesday night. 4,012 people passed through the gates of the long-time home of the UMass Lowell River Hawks men’s ice hockey team to witness a historic moment in the history of the women’s game.
With former Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron in attendance, the newly formed Professional Women’s Hockey League took center stage in the Mill City as the PWHL’s Boston franchise played host to Minnesota.
“Let’s go Boston,” chants rang throughout the Tsongas Center almost from the opening puck drop. The energy would seldom waver throughout the night. Every time Boston completed a pass, took a shot, won a draw, forced a turnover, or made a save, the crowd roared their approval.
“It was unreal,” said PWHL Boston’s maiden goalscorer and Swiss international, Theresa Schafzahl. “To play with players like Hillary [Knight] and to see all the little girls at the rink. It’s something I’ve never been apart of. I played in college and for the national team, but this is a whole new level. This is something I’ve drempt of since I was little, but to see it happening is surreal.”
First Shot: First Score
The Bostonians had the puck early, but Minnesota was able to capitalize on some sloppy play by the hosts in the neutral zone. Minnesota was able to mound a rapid counterattack to put pressure on the Boston net. Minnesota’s Taylor Hise opened the scoring for the visitors, going back bar on the first shot-on-goal in club history 3:59 into the first period.
“We just need to get pucks on net,” said Hise in the postgame press conference. “That’s a shot I like to practice, going to my forehand. It just ended up working out.”
Sophi Kunin fired home Minnesota’s second on a shot over Aerin Frankel’s blocker side shoulder less than four minutes later, quieting the raucous Tsongas Center crowd.
A hooking minor to Minnesota’s Lee Stecklein would send Boston to the power play for the first time in club history. Boston would have some solid zone time but would end up chasing the puck back into their zone in the latter half of the man-advantage period.
Minnesota’s two-goal lead would hold going into the first intermission, but Boston would end up out-shooting them 11-7.
Second Period Stalemate
Boston took their first penalty after Jessica DiGirolamo put the puck over the glass. The Minnesota power play seemed much more structured than their opponents. The Boston penalty killers, however, put up a stout defense to keep the hosts in the game.
Midway through the second, former Northeastern Husky, Teresa Schafzal, sent the crowd into a frenzy with a low glove snipe past Nicole Hensley to bring the game within one.
“I kind of blacked out, honestly,” said Schafzal postgame. “[Jamie Lee] Rattery shot it and the puck went up in the air. I was just looking for it and I was able to glove it down. I just put it on net and thankfully it went in.
It would not take long for Minnesota to respond. Grace Zumwinkle rocketed a slap shot from the hash marks on a cross-ice feed from Mellissa Channell to return the visitor’s lead to two.
Hensley foiled a last-second rush by Boston with a spectacular windmill save to keep the score 3-1. In the second frame, Boston again outshot Minnesota 11 to 7.
Boston appeared to score just 30 seconds into the third period on a strange play that saw Hensley being shoved into her own net by teammate Maggie Flaherty. Alina Müller shot the puck while Hensley was lying on her side. However, after video review, it was determined that Müller’s drive had not entirely crossed the goal line.
Boston took to the power play for a second time after Minnesota’s Liz Schepers was called for interference. Boston’s man-advantage unit would show some teeth, but would again come up empty-handed. Hensley continued to show why she is one of the best goalies in the world, stopping multiple promising attacks while Minnesota played shorthanded.
Lee Stecklein was sent to the box for the second time for interference with just over nine minutes remaining in the period. Hensley’s stellar run of form in the blue paint continued, stopping an offensive onslaught from the hosts with a flurry of loud pad saves to keep Minnesota’s lead at two.
Horseshoes and Handgrenades
Down two, Boston pulled their goalie with three-and-a-half minutes to play. A late power play would give the hosts another lease on life. The Bostonians would finally capitalize with a 6-on-4 advantage to cut the deficit to one.
Megan Keller ripped a slap shot from the point off of a goal-line feed from Alina Müller. A screen from Boston captain, Hillary Knight, took away Hensley’s eyes. The Team USA netminder got a piece of the puck with her trapper, but it was not enough to keep it out of the net. Keller’s goal would give a glimmer of hope to the hometown crowd that a third-period comeback could be possible.
Boston had the lion’s share of possession in the final three minutes of play, but once again the Minnesota defense would come up big in crunch time. A slew of last-second chances for Boston were halted by Hensley and the rest of Minnesota’s defensive unit. Hensley would be the goalie of record in PWHL Minnesota’s first win in franchise history, leading the visitors to a 3-2 victory.
Postgame Comments
Ken Klee was named PWHL Minnesota’s head coach just last week. However, the speed at which the team was able to adapt to his style did not come as much of a surprise.
“They’re great players, no doubt” Klee said postgame. “It’s just about getting them to play the way they need to to be at their best. I have experience coaching the national team. You have a week and then you’re playing the tournament. If you drop a game, you might lose a medal. I’m used to the pressure of having a week to get everyone up to speed. Some of it sticks, some of it doesn’t. At the end of the day, I wanted them to compete and make plays and that’s what they did tonight.
PWHL Boston head coach, Courtney Kessel, had clear takeaways from the loss.
“We need to stop more pucks and play a little more aggressively,” said Kessel. “I think from the first period to the second to the third, we continued to get better and better. If we can continue to improve each period, we’re going to be a very hard team to beat. We have so much offensive talent, but I think we need to stick to basics and make sure we defend our end first.”
“If you can see it, you can dream it.”
Boston captain and Team USA legend, Hillary Knight, was clearly emotional following the game. While she has played in three other professional leagues, including both of the PWHL’s predecessors (the PWHPA and the PHF), there seems to be a very different feeling surrounding the strength of the new league.
“It feels magical. It’s surreal,” Knight said. “Visibility is so important. With the growth of the game and how it’s evolved, this is the perfect time to have a professional league. To be a part of the first few shifts… you can’t really put it into words. This is so overdue and where this league is going to go is so exciting.
Kessel said that she realized just how special the PWHL is a few days before her club made its debut.
“I think it hit me when the puck dropped at Mattamy [Athletic Centre],” she said after the game. “It was emotional just watching those two teams. I know a bunch of the players and the staff members who have been involved. I think at that point, there was a sigh of relief that this was really happening.”
PWHL Boston will go up against PWHL Ottawa next Monday at 6:00 PM at the Tsongas Center. PWHL Minnesota faces off against PWHL Montreal at the Xcel Energy Center this Saturday at 2:30 PM (CST). All PWHL games can be viewed on the official PWHL YouTube channel.
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