Frankel makes 53 saves in Boston's Game 1 win
LAVAL, Quebec (AP) — Susanna Tapani scored in overtime and Aerin Frankel made 53 saves to lead Boston to a 2-1 win over Montreal in Game 1 of a Professional Women’s Hockey League semifinal series on Thursday night.
Tapani pounced on a loose puck in the blue paint at 14:25 of the extra period for the first overtime goal in PWHL playoff history.
Lexie Adzija scored in regulation for Boston. The visitors entered the best-of-five semifinal with wins in four of their final five games, including a 4-3 victory over Montreal in the final game of the regular season.
Kristin O’Neill scored and Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 24 shots for Montreal, which finished second in the PWHL regular season and six points ahead of third-place Boston.
Game 2 in the series is Saturday in Laval.
The winner meets Toronto or Minnesota in a best-of-five final for the Walter Cup. Toronto leads the other semifinal 1-0.
Montreal went 1 for 5 on the power play in a chippy game. Boston was 0 for 2.
Laura Stacey nearly ended the game on a breakaway 10 minutes into the extra period but missed high after chasing down a stretch pass from Mélodie Daoust.
Keller then put Montreal on the power play by slashing the stick out of Stacey’s hands. Montreal, however, couldn’t capiltalize.
With Boston trailing 1-0, Shirley cut to the inside and ripped a shot that hit Adzija’s stick and beat Desbiens to tie the game 1:48 into the third period.
O’Neill opened the scoring with a power-play goal 1:07 into the second period. Stacey’s one-timer hit Frankel’s shoulder and fell on the goal line before O’Neill knocked it into the net.
Montreal led the shots 25-10 after 40 minutes and 12-2 after 20.
Montreal played without forward Sarah Lefort, who was suspended for one game ahead of Game 1 for her open-ice hit on Boston forward Jamie Lee Rattray in the final game of the regular season Saturday.
Rattray, Taylor Girard and Loren Gabel — all forwards — were out of the lineup for Boston.
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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey