LOWELL — Boston entered its first regular-season game in the Professional Women’s Hockey League feeling secure about its offensive chances. What Boston was less confident in was knowing exactly what it was going to see out of Minnesota.
Just a week ago, original Minnesota coach Charlie Burggraf suddenly resigned. He was replaced by former US national team coach and 14-year NHL defenseman Ken Klee. The coaching change added an additional layer of unfamiliarity onto what was already a brand-new situation.
“‘It was tough,” Boston coach Courtney Kessel said. “It’s tough across the board right now to head in with a really strict game plan because we saw each other in [preseason in] Utica real quick and that was with different, bigger rosters.”
What Boston ended up seeing in Minnesota was a fast-paced team led by a goaltender — two-time US Olympian Nicole Hensley — looking to make a statement.
Boston’s talented offense and two-way defenders struggled to get pucks past Hensley, whose 33 saves allowed Minnesota to post a 3-2 opening-night victory Wednesday night at the Tsongas Center despite the last-minute leadership change.
“I had experience coming from the national team,” Klee said. “You have a week with the team and then you’re playing the tournament. If you drop a game, you might lose a medal. I’m used to that kind of pressure where I’ve got a week to get them up to speed.”
The game began with a fitting amount of fanfare in front of the crowd of 4,012. From the introduction of the entire team, to members of the East Coast Wizards youth program standing with the teams during the national anthem, to Bruins great Patrice Bergeron dropping the ceremonial puck, it conveyed the support needed from and integration into the hockey community that the PWHL is hoping will make this the women’s league that sticks.
Once the puck was dropped for real, Boston seemed to be caught off guard by the reckless nature of Minnesota’s play. Not holding back, Taylor Heise rang a shot off the post and in behind Boston goalie Aerin Frankel (13 saves), the former Northeastern standout, to put Minnesota ahead 3:58 into the game. Heise, the league’s first overall pick in the September draft, was a fitting first goal scorer.
One aspect of the game where the PWHL differs from past leagues and the current college game is increased leeway in physicality. When Boston’s Loren Gabel sprung up ice on a rush, only to be taken down by a Minnesota defender midway through the first period, the crowd expressed a mix of displeasure and confusion. Minnesota seemed to have a greater handle on how far it could push contact earlier in the game than Boston.
Seconds after Gabel was stopped, Minnesota’s Sophia Kunin dodged a defender and sent a slapper past Frankel to double the visitors’ lead at 2-0.
Late in the first period, Alina Muller, the team’s top pick in the draft and Northeastern’s all-time leading goal scorer, dazzled with three Grade A opportunities. All three were stopped by Hensley, a foe Muller knows well from international play.
Experienced and focused, Hensley’s 22 saves through the first two periods showcased every style of stop a netminder could make — flashy glove saves, sprawling saves, and diving grabs.
“She’s so good between the pipes and really good in the paint there,” Boston captain Hilary Knight said. “She’s one of the best for a reason, but made our job a lot harder.”
At the start of the second period, Boston successfully killed off Minnesota’s first power play, and the kill sparked the offense. With Minnesota’s defense swirling in its zone, Theresa Schafzahl spotted an opening and sent the puck sailing narrowly past Hensley to put Boston on the board at 7:59.
Schafzahl, a University of Vermont product, was greeted with the loudest ovation of the night for scoring the team’s first-ever goal.
But the excitement was short-lived, as Minnesota’s Mellissa Channell connected with Grace Zumwinkle, who sailed a third goal by Frankel to reestablish a two-goal lead.
Boston’s top line came out for the third period with a swiftness. Thirty seconds in, Knight and Muller connected for a shot that appeared to go over the goal line after Hensley was tripped by a teammate, but the goal was overturned upon review.
The opportunities for Boston continued. Two power plays early in the third were stymied by blocks by Minnesota’s defense and yet another slate of saves by Hensley. Boston’s defense played stronger in the third, keeping Minnesota to just two shots on goal.
With 2:55 left, Boston went on its fourth power play and finally converted. Defender Megan Keller scored on a slapper from the blue line to bring Boston within one.
Boston pulled Frankel for the extra attacker and peppered Hensley with four more shots in the final two minutes, but was denied in what ended as a losing debut.
“I really liked our fight at the end,” Knight said. “It just needs to come sooner. The last three minutes were extremely encouraging.”
Game 2 for Boston is Monday night, back at the Tsongas Center, against Ottawa.
Kat Cornetta can be reached at sportsgirlkat@gmail.com.