Minnesota Beats Boston in 2024 PWHL Finals to Win League’s Inaugural Walter Cup
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVMay 30, 2024
Troy Parla/Getty Images
Minnesota is the first champion of the PWHL.
PWHL Minnesota defeated PWHL Boston 3-0 to win the inaugural Walter Cup. Taylor Heise was named the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP.
B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIceTHE STATE OF HOCKEY š@PWHL_Minnesota wins the first ever Walter Cup š pic.twitter.com/6LNFPasrbQ
PWHL @thepwhlofficialFirst-ever Draft pick and now your inaugural Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP.
Congratulations, Taylor Heise! š pic.twitter.com/tEcSiNgbGv
The two teams went the distance in the best-of-five series. Boston took Game 1 before Minnesota won the next two. Boston then won in dramatic, somewhat controversial fashion in Game 4, setting up the winner-take-all Game 5.
Goals from Liz Schepers, Michela Cava and Kendall Coyne Schofield sealed the title for Minnesota, while goalie Nicole Hensley pitched a shutout. She didn’t have the busiest of nightsāMinnesota outshot Boston 44-17.
PWHL Minnesota @PWHL_MinnesotaLiz Schepers gets us on the board first with her first PWHL goal! š„ https://t.co/HR7g4ZXKvM pic.twitter.com/pWMRaGiECq
PWHL Minnesota @PWHL_MinnesotaMICHELA CAVA WITH INSURANCE! š pic.twitter.com/6TKAyqmkvU
“Our team battled every game,” Cava told Rachael Blount of the Star Tribune. “We all grinded it out and stuck together. I’m proud of everyone. It’s been an amazing journey.”
Heise didn’t score on Wednesday but was excellent throughout the postseason, finishing with a PWHL-best five goals to go along with eight overall points.
“People believed in each other every single shift,” she told Blount. “I’m really proud of the group.”
PWHL @thepwhlofficialTHE WALTER CUP HAS BEEN LIFTED!š pic.twitter.com/QN8Ct1A3Vt
Minnesota thought it had won the title in Game 4 after Sophie Jaques scored a double-overtime goal. But it was disallowed due to Heise falling into Boston goalie Aerin Frankel during the play, and just a minute later Alina MĆ¼ller scored the winner in the 1-0 result.
That sort of loss would have deflated a lesser team. But Minnesota saw it as an opportunity deferred.
“We had lots of chances to win [Sunday’s] game. So, for us, we get to play another game and that’s the way we have to look at it,” Minnesota head coach Ken Kleesaid told reporters after the heartbreaking loss. “It wasn’t a do-or-die for us. [Losing at home] hurt but now we go back to work.”
They certainly got back to work in Wednesday’s dominant showing, and now they’ll forever be etched in the PWHL’s record-books as the league’s first champions. The first season exceeded expectations, culminating in a fantastic Walter Cup.
