SAINT PAUL, MN – Alina Müller scored the game-winning-goal at 18:36 of the second overtime to lift Boston to a 1-0 victory over Minnesota at Xcel Energy Arena on Sunday.
With the victory, Boston evens the best-of-five series 2-2. A decisive Game 5 for The Walter Cup will take place on Wednesday at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Müller’s goal came less than a minute after Minnesota had the would-be series winner overturned. At 17:25 of the second overtime, Minnesota defender Sophie Jaques put the puck in the net but after video review, it was deemed there had been goaltender interference on the play.
Shortly after play resumed, Müller won a board battle, which led to a turnover in the offensive zone.
Theresa Schafzahl recovered the puck and found Müller, who was charging towards the high slot. Müller then fired a wrist shot from the hash marks which sailed over Nicole Hensley’s glove to send the series back to Boston for Game 5.
The goal was Müller’s second of the postseason and first game-winner. She also scored Boston’s lone goal in Game 3.
Aerin Frankel made 33 saves to record the shutout, her first of the playoffs. She leads all goaltenders in the postseason in wins (5), shots against (257), saves (245) and minutes played (523:33). The goaltender has started all seven games for her team this postseason.
Boston is now a perfect 4-for-4 in overtime in the playoffs.
Hensley made 32 saves in the loss, her first since Game 1 of Minnesota’s semifinal series against Toronto. After Maddie Rooney took over in Game 2 of the semifinals, Hensley was named starter in Game 2 of the PWHL Finals ––she had won two straight heading into Game 4.
