Hensley posts shutout, Minnesota evens PWHL Finals with Game 2 win

The best-of-five is down to a best-of-three.

Thanks to excellent defensive execution, solid goaltending and a couple of timely goals, Minnesota came away with a 3-0 win on the road over Boston in Game 2 of the PWHL Finals, tying the series 1-1.

Minnesota head coach Ken Klee knows how important it was to win one of the first two games in Lowell, but also keeping the team focused as the series heads to St. Paul.

“We came in knowing we wanted to get a split,” Klee said after the win. “We got that, but that doesn’t mean that we can let off the gas. [Boston’s] a good team. We know they’re going to push back. Just because we are going doesn’t mean we can relax.”

The loss was Boston’s first of the playoffs, as they swept Montreal in the semifinals before taking Game 1 on Sunday. Head coach Courtney Kessel says the team is not fretting after just one loss.

“It could be a reset,” Kessel said. “Just a reminder that we faced adversity all season. Here we are again, it’s 1-1. This is what everyone looks forward to…good hockey in the playoffs.”

After a high-scoring and wild series opener, Minnesota put together a game plan in their own end that suffocated Boston’s top offensive weapons. When Boston did break through, they were turned away by Nicole Hensley, who was making her first start since losing Game 1 of the semifinals against Toronto.

“It feels amazing,” Hensley said after the game. “Maddie Rooney’s been carrying our team. It was nice to be able to help out the team.”

Hensley turned away all 20 shots she faced on Tuesday night, including eight in the final 20 minutes. Klee admitted having two good goaltenders was the reason he was confident in putting Hensley in net after Rooney had played the last five games.

“Obviously, Maddie got hot in the first round,” Klee said. “So, it was tough to take her out, but we knew we could go back to Nicole at any point, and that she would be ready to go at any point. She played fantastic for us tonight.”

The star of the game was Sophie Jaques. Last year’s Patty Kazmaier Award winner was pretty quiet in the first few games against Toronto, but has picked up her play over the last few contests, including scoring her first two goals of the postseason in Game 2.

Jaques’ first goal was a dandy. Late in the first period, the former Ohio State standout made a nice move near the top of the circles to find some room, sneaking a wrister by Frankel to put Minnesota up by two at that point.

Jaques also scored an empty-net goal in the third to secure the victory.

On top of playing excellent on the defensive, Minnesota shut down Boston’s power play, as the home team went 0-for-4 on the player advantage, registering just one shot on goal. Kessel admits the power play, which is now 0-for-10 in the playoffs, needs to start converting.

“Obviously, something has to change,” Kessel said. “At the end of the day it’s going to be the death of us if we can’t put the puck in the net on the power play.”

Minnesota went 0-for-2 on the power play on Tuesday.

Boston had a good start early on, but Minnesota got a couple of quick ones later in the first period. Michela Cava got a lucky bounce, as her pass intended for captain Kendall Coyne Schofield deflected off Megan Keller and into the net for her second of the series.

Cava now has four points so far in the finals.

It looked like Boston cut the deficit in half just a couple of minutes into the second period. A mad scramble in front of the net led to Jess Healey scoring on an unsuspecting Hensley. However, despite the call on the ice being initially ruled a goal, the officials changed their mind and waved it off. A video review confirmed the call, keeping the home side off the board.

The explanation given by the league was that the whistle had blown before Healey shot the puck into the empty net.

“I think the whistle blew too early,” Kessel said briefly.

Minnesota outshot Boston, 23-20, with Aerin Frankel making 20 saves. Boston has been outshot in each of its five playoff games.

The teams have an extra day off as they head back to St. Paul for Game 3 on Friday night. Minnesota won both games at home against Toronto in the semifinals, while Boston is undefeated on the road after winning the first two games against Montreal.

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET.

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