PWHL New York Season Recap
This game would be PWHL New York’s swan song for the 2023-24 season, as they came in eliminated from postseason play but also playing their best hockey of the season, fresh off a 4-3 win over PWHL Ottawa. Coach Draper mixed things up giving third string goalie #33 Lindsey Post her first ever PWHL start today. Without further ado, let's dive into what happened between PWHL New York and PWHL Minnesota in both teams' final game of the season at UBS Arena.
First Period
The New Yorkers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when forechecking led to the puck being turned over into the high slot inside Minnesota’s zone. #44 Jill Saulnier picked up the puck and made a drop-pass to #14 Jaime Bourbonnais. Bourbonnais took a quick wrister that beat Minnesota’s goaltender, #29 Nicole Hensley to give New York a 1-0 lead at 2:44 gone by in the first period.
Things we like to see: https://t.co/6vKsoiCfOM pic.twitter.com/xvYRkwnr1t
— PWHL New York (@PWHL_NewYork) May 4, 2024
This was a revitalized PWHL New York that suited up on Saturday and it showed early in this game. They were skating well as a team, and this led to few opportunities for PWHL Minnesota as Draper’s team forechecked relentlessly. However, six minutes into the period, Post was called on to make four saves. It started when New York’s #12 Chloe Aurard lost her stick. Minnesota took advantage by passing the puck around like it was a power play. At one point, a shot from the point came in and the rebound was turned aside by Post.
Halfway through the first period, the New York renaissance continued when the puck was turned over to #17 Ella Shelton getting the puck at the half-boards. The New York defenseman then let loose a high wrist shot that beat Hensley clean over her blocker for her seventh goal of the season. The play was reviewed to see if either of the two PWHL NY players who were screening Minnesota’s goalie touched the shot with a high stick but the call stood, and New York had a 2-0 lead halfway through the first period.
At 13:51, Minnesota got on the board when #12 Kelly Pannek carried the puck below the goal-line inside New York’s zone and sent a pass to the near side of New York’s net for #13 Grace Zumwinkle. Zumwinkle’s snapshot was turned aside by Post but the rebound came to #41 Denisa Krizova who punched in her third of the year to cut New York’s lead to 2-1.
The last few minutes of the first period were exciting as New York registered three shots on goal. When a point shot missed the net and caromed off the boards behind Minnesota’s goal, #27 Jade Downie Landry was there to corral the puck and flip a backhand. Hensley had trouble locating where the puck was and as it bounced off her body and near the backdoor of the net, there was a nervy moment or two for PWHL Minnesota. After a very well-played first period, New York emerged with a 2-1 lead. Both teams had 11 shots on goal in the first period.
Second Period
Just two minutes into the second period, Minnesota was called for hooking, which gave the Big Apple squad a chance to put their league second-best power play to work. Work it did, at 3:47, Shelton passed it to Bourbonnais who scored her second of the game on a one-timer from the point. That gave New York a 3-1 lead.
Jaime's second was a BEAUTYYY! https://t.co/V007XJuaXz pic.twitter.com/HlX7m17HeN
— PWHL New York (@PWHL_NewYork) May 4, 2024
New York had to kill off two penalties following this goal. Then, at about eight minutes into the period, they got another man advantage against Minnesota. On the ensuing power play, Downie-Landry won a battle on the half-boards before carrying towards the slot. Downie-Landry squared up a wrister and beat Hensley to the bottom left corner of the net for her eighth goal of the season, which tied the team lead.
That concluded the events for the third period, and it was a good period for New York who went ahead 4-1 on two power play goals and outshot Minnesota 12-11.
Third Period
Shortly after the third period began, it was “heigh-ho” back to the power play we go for New York. However, New York would not come out with another chunk of goal-d on this one. The play started with Minnesota’s Kelly Pannek driving to New York’s net with the puck. After being checked, Pannek stayed at the front of the net, digging at the puck which had become loose under Post’s pads. Eventually, the puck trickled through Post and into the crease where it was slammed home by Zumwinkle to cut Minnesota’s deficit down to two goals (4-2).
At 5:42, New York started to run into trouble. First, Saulnier was flagged for tripping at 5:42 then #6 Brooke Hobson for the controversial penalty of body checking. Minnesota had a 5-on-3 for 57 seconds, but New York weren’t about to let this game slip away from them. New York blocked shots, fought through the burn to get to loose pucks and did everything they could to make sure that Minnesota came away with “nothing!” as Michael Corleone said in the Godfather Part II.
Then, at 8:39 Minnesota took a bench minor for too many players on the ice and New York’s vaunted power play went back to work. Minnesota looked tired on the ensuing power play because they allowed the Big Apple squad to set up their power play, easily. Eventually at nine minutes gone by in the third period, Ella Shelton passed form the point down to #9 Jessie Eldridge who then picked out #11 Abby Roque at the far side of the ice, who then lifted the puck over Hensley who slid over in vain to stop Roque’s shot and save this game for her team.
Tutorial on how to Roque: Season finale edition https://t.co/L7A6LvbVRz pic.twitter.com/mCIbCALxVO
— PWHL New York (@PWHL_NewYork) May 4, 2024
New York cruised for the rest of the third period to a resounding 5-2 victory in their final game of the PWHL season. New York already had secured the first-overall pick in this off-season’s draft but for the record, they finished the season with six draft order points.
Reflections
The three stars of the game were as follows:
Finale stars ⭐️ With a very special shout out to our girl Posty‼️ pic.twitter.com/em5ylzOumj
— PWHL New York (@PWHL_NewYork) May 4, 2024
It was a special win for the future because Post put in a good audition for next season, steering aside 30/32 shots in her first start of the season. Defender Ella Shelton had a mammoth year which saw her finish with the fifth-most points among all PWHL Skaters with 21 and finish second on her team with 14 assists. #25 Alex Carpenter led PWHL NY with 23 points but faded in the final 12 games of the season during which she failed to score a single goal.
Howie Draper’s team saved their best for last, winning two of the five games they won all season in the final two games of the year. New York also finished with the second-best power play percentage (24.4 %) in the PWHL after they were able to convert on three-of-four opportunities in this game. Unfortunately, PWHL New York won’t be competing in the playoffs but they may be a much-improved team next season after they make a few roster moves and add an PWHL-ready player with the first-overall pick in the draft.
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