The heated matchup between PWHL Boston and PWHL Montreal in the Walter Cup Playoff Semifinals continues. So far, neither of the games played between these two teams have ended in regulation, and neither has been won by Montreal. However, that does not mean they have not put up quite a fight against Boston. Game 2 of the series was placed at Place Bell in Montreal, Quebec on Saturday night, and ended 2-1 with Boston winning in 3OT.
Boston now has one game left to win in order to sweep and clinch the best-of-five series. While they managed to snag the Game 2 win Saturday night, why did it take them six periods of hockey?
Boston And Montreal Keeping It Low-Key
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Game 2 of the Walter Cup Playoff matchup between PWHL Boston and PWHL Montreal was a low-scoring one, as the final score was only 2-1. The low score did not reflect the high energy that was equipped by both teams, however.
Boston had a bit of a slow start in Game 1 in terms of shots on goal, where Montreal outshot them in the first period and for a majority of the game. It was not until the third period of Game 1 that Boston turned up the heat. This was not the case in Game 2. PWHL Boston doubled Montreal’s shots in the first period 10-5 and managed to score the opening goal of the game.
Amanda Pelkey struck first for Boston at 6 minutes and 48 seconds in the first period. Pelkey only had two points in 23 games during the regular PWHL season, but was clearly making a name for herself in the Walter Cup Playoffs and is showcasing the amount of offensive depth that this Boston team boasts.
Early in the second period, Montreal’s Kristin O’Neill scored the game-tying goal.
The scoreboard remained stagnant for four more periods.
Goalie Duels And Referee Calls
Le jeu en question, mais après révision le but n'est pas alloué…l'arbitre avait sifflé avant que le rondelle frachisse la ligne ☠️
This was the play in question, but after revision it is no goal…..the referee had whistled before the puck crossed the line pic.twitter.com/ozD4ebqukg
— Victoire de Montréal (@PWHL_Montreal) May 12, 2024
There was a masterclass in the crease once again, this time on both ends of the ice. Boston’s Aerin Frankel, who made a league-high 53 saves during Game 1, added three more to her record by stopping 56 of Montreal’s shots on goal in Game 2. On the other end, Montreal’s Ann-Renée Desbiens made it to the 50-save mark, stopping all but two of Boston’s shots on goal.
Frankel, who boasts an outstanding .982 save percentage and a 0.65 goals-against average in her first PWHL postseason, talked about the determination seen by both teams and how she’s handling it, saying:
“You can see that every player is putting everything on the line. Obviously, there is a little bit of a rivalry that has built over the year between us and Montreal. I think it goes to show that no one is going to give the other team an inch, because we both want it so badly.”
Apart from the goaltending, there was a questionable referee call that seemed to turn the tide of the game as a whole, and Montreal fans are not happy. The game could have ended three periods earlier than it actually did, however after Melodie Daoust seemed to score with 30 seconds left in the third period, the whistle was blown and the play was called dead. The puck was right over the goal line as the whistle blew.
Another Night Of Firsts
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One can always count on the newly formed PWHL and its games if they want to witness history in the making. Game 2 of the matchup between PWHL Boston and Montreal provided just that for fans. This was the first time a PWHL game went into triple overtime, and we saw a first-time OT winner.
Taylor Wenczkowski scored the triple-overtime winner for Boston at 11 minutes and 44 seconds of the period. Another example of incredible depth for this Boston team: Wenczkowski, who plays on the fourth line alongside Pelkey, the other goal-scorer, did not register a point in 16 games during the regular season. Her first goal and point as a PWHL Boston player just so happened to be the most important one of the team’s season.
It will be so exciting to see what records will be broken next in the coming games this series, in case Boston doesn’t close it out in Game 3.
Looking Forward
Game 3 of the PWHL Walter Cup Semifinals will be played on Tuesday, May 14 at 7 p.m. EST at Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts. The game will be locally broadcast on NESN for Boston fans and TSN for Montreal fans. The game will be nationally streamed on YouTube and the Women’s Sports Network. Boston currently leads the series 2-0.
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About the Author
River Caraballo (she/they) is a hockey writer for Total Apex Sports. Despite being based in Connecticut, she is a big fan of the New York Rangers and the Minnesota Wild. They host a weekly podcast and radio show, Round the Rink, where they discuss hockey from the NHL to the PWHL and college hockey. You can follow River on Twitter/X to keep up with her sports content.
