PWHL Inaugural Season Ends with a Dominant PWHL Minnesota Walter Cup Victory

I would not blame some of you for asking why a site dedicated to the PWHL that just launched, took until the next day to write about the historic championship victory by PWHL Minnesota. I think the reason behind it is pretty awesome, but I will save that for the end of the post. I also did not want to rush this last night.

That said, history indeed would be made at the end of Game 5, where the inaugural Walter Cup champions would be crowned. Like all Game 7's (or Game 5's in this case), there's an air of anticipation, even when one is just watching at home. The anxiety, excitement, determination, is all palpable. But this was different.

There's only one first time. Your team and names will be cemented in history as the first Walter Cup champions. Again, this is different than when other championships, like the Isobel Cup, was handed out. The PWHL is different, in all the best ways. This is the new standard of excellence in women's hockey. Period.

So let's get to the analysis of the game.

1st Period

Both teams had all kinds of great motivation beyond the obvious for coming out flying. The insane ending of Game 4 where the apparent Walter Cup winning goal was overturned, and then Boston won the game minutes later presented plenty of motivation if, you know, HISTORY wasn't enough.

Boston had the early upper hand, setting the tone and appeasing the ravenous home crowd with plenty of physical play, early chances, and near misses. Nicole Hensley stood tall on the early tests to keep Boston off the board.

Minnesota countered with their trademark speed and off the rush attacks, generating plenty of chances, but as she's done all playoffs, Boston goalie Aerin Frankel shut the door.

As the period wore on, the teams continued to trade one-and-done chances without really generating any sustained zone time. The pace settled in from the early frenzy as the teams played to a stalemate after one period.

2nd Period

The second period started in similar fashion to the first, with both teams trading rushes and chances. Both goalies continued to stand firm and keep the score knotted at zero. A big hit occurred on Minnesota forward Liz Shepers, when she was sandwiched between a backchecker and defender from Boston. After a whistle, the referees huddled to review the play for the potential of a major penalty. Any penalty, let alone a major, would've been a big opportunity for Minnesota. Looking at the replay, the hit wound up looking really bad due to the backchecking forward unintentionally contributing to the hit. The Boston defender delivered a very hard hit which, to me, looked close to head contact. However, after review, no penalty was assessed, and we played on.

About six minutes into the period, the ice was finally broken by none other than Liz Shepers. Sydney Brodt started the chance by carrying puck across the front of the crease. She fumbled control of the puck but managed to stay with it while gliding towards the corner. Aerin Frankel overcommitted to the play and wound up far out of her net and Brodt took advantage of this by getting the puck behind Frankel and into the crease, where Shepers was able to bang home her very first PWHL goal.

Minnesota continued to control play with stiff defense, clogging up the neutral zone, and not really allowing Boston to create any momentum. On the other end of the ice, Minnesota continued to generate sustained pressure with extended offensive zone time.

Boston began trying to stretch the Minnesota defense and remove the neutral zone logjam by flying the zone early and looking for long stretch passes. Minnesota hung back and stayed above the puck defensively, not letting anyone behind them. Their forechecking forced these stretch passes to be rushed, and they missed their marks most of the time.

3rd Period

Early in the third, Boston came out with all the urgency you would expect out of this situation. Minnesota did not look prepared initially for the effort that Boston came with. After a couple of early chances, Minnesota settled back in and returned to their stingy defense and offensive cycling. Even with the effort and pressure from Boston, Minnesota allowed ZERO shots in the first half of the period get through to Nicole Hensley.

Eight minutes into the period, after about two minutes of sustained pressure in Boston's zone, Michela Cava put Minnesota up 2-0 after a backhand wraparound got in the feet of Aerin Frankel and wound up in the back of the net.

Minnesota continued to dominate play throughout the remainder of the period. Boston pulled the goalie with about 4:30 remaining as a final push. Minnesota continued to keep Boston at bay with minimal chances against.

The final notable play came with 2:08 left, when Kendall Coyne Schofield finally put her stamp on the Walter Cup Final. Coyne pounced on an opportunity for a 50-50 puck. This moment encompassed the entire game, with Coyne's speed and effort just overwhelming the Boston defender, to gain possession and punch in an empty net goal to seal a 3-0 victory, and inaugural Walter Cup for PWHL Minnesota.

Wrap Up

Watching this all go down was an amazing experience. Part of why this write up was delayed by a whole day, is because Erin (my wife) & I were playing hockey last night. We actually watched the end of the game in our car, in the parking lot before heading into the rink. It was emotional, not only just to see Erin experience the catharsis of the moment, but the additional context around us being together, about to go play hockey just amplified the emotions.

We both cried happy tears together, not because we're both PWHL Minnesota fans, but because these athletes, these women, finally accomplished something in the hockey world that hasn't been accomplished through several failed attempts. A new pinnacle of women's hockey has been created. A truly professional league, where these women are treated as professionals is finally here.

Watching Kendall Coyne Schofield be the first person to lift the Walter Cup was incredible. A woman that has given so much for the sport, the league, her fellow athletes, and the fans gets to have this historic moment with the spotlight fully on her. Someone so selfless getting the recognition she so richly deserved.

I am so thrilled at the success the league has had, and am so excited to see where it goes.

This was an incredible end to an incredible season. Here's to many, many more.

Congrats to the PWHL, to PWHL Minnesota, and to all the athletes. What an incredible show you've started.