Aerin Frankel made 53 saves and Susanna Tapani scored in additional time to guide Boston to a 2-1 win in Recreation 1 of their Skilled Ladies’s Hockey League semifinal collection on Thursday.
Tapani pounced on a unfastened puck within the blue paint at 14:25 of the additional interval for the primary additional time purpose in PWHL playoff historical past.
Lexie Adzija scored in regulation for Boston. The guests entered the best-of-five semifinal with wins in 4 of their ultimate 5 video games, together with a 4-3 victory over Montreal within the ultimate sport of the common season to clinch a playoff berth.
Kristin O’Neill scored and Ann-Renee Desbiens stopped 24 pictures for Montreal earlier than 9,135 towel-waiving followers at Place Bell.
WATCH | Tapani’s winner helps Boston safe Recreation 1 in opposition to Montreal:
Montreal completed second within the PWHL common season and 6 factors forward of third-place Boston.
Recreation 2 within the collection is Saturday in Laval.
The winner meets Toronto or Minnesota in a best-of-five ultimate for the Walter Cup. Toronto leads the opposite semifinal 1-0.
Montreal, which caught fireplace on the facility play late within the season, went 1-for-5 in a chippy sport that would have seen many extra penalties. Boston was 0-for-2.
Laura Stacey practically ended the sport on a breakaway 10 minutes into the additional interval however missed excessive after chasing down a stretch cross from Melodie Daoust.
Keller then put Montreal on the facility play by slashing the stick out of Stacey’s fingers. Montreal, nonetheless, could not bury a winner previous Frankel.
With Boston trailing 1-0, Shirley lower to the within and ripped a shot that hit Adzija’s stick and beat Desbiens to tie the sport 1:48 into the third interval.
WATCH | Frankel denies Stacey in incredible Recreation 1 efficiency:
Stacey acquired a cross from Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin whereas streaking down the wing, however could not tuck her backhand previous Frankel with six minutes left.
Moments later, the puck appeared to hit a participant on Montreal’s bench however the play continued with no whistle.
Shocked by the unusual sequence, Desbiens rushed to play the unfastened puck just for Tapani to intercept a cross. Tapani shot towards an open internet however Desbiens dove to get her stick on it and hold the sport tied.
The house crew practically doubled the lead 12 minutes into the body when Mikyla Grant-Mentis arrange Gabrielle David within the slot with Montreal as soon as once more on the facility play. David’s shot appeared to idiot Frankel, who misplaced monitor of the puck, however did not hit the again of the web.
Montreal led the pictures 25-10 after 40 minutes and 12-2 after 20.
Kati Tabin discovered Stacey on their lonesome within the offensive zone early. Stacey, nonetheless, could not get her shot previous Boston’s netminder.
WATCH | Inspecting the PWHL playoff format:
With 1:29 left within the interval, Poulin danced round two Boston defenders on the push earlier than laying a cross to Stacey, however Frankel slid from submit to submit for an acrobatic toe save on the one-timer. Poulin hit the submit from a good angle on the rebound.
Tabin’s level shot within the ultimate minute trickled by means of Frankel and rolled simply large of the web. Frankel then hooked Poulin to place Montreal on the facility play — in the end resulting in O’Neill’s opener early within the second.
The PWHL suspended Montreal ahead Sarah Lefort for one sport forward of Recreation 1 for her open-ice hit on Boston ahead Jamie Lee Rattray within the ultimate sport of the common season Saturday.
Rattray, Taylor Girard and Loren Gabel — all forwards — have been out of the lineup for Boston.
Montreal activated reserve participant Melodie Daoust to play within the semifinals. The 2018 Olympics MVP is subsequently ineligible to play within the ultimate ought to Montreal advance, in line with her reserve participant contract.