Minnesota’s new top line was born out of necessity. Wednesday night at Xcel Energy Center it had the look of a keeper.
Taylor Heise, Kendall Coyne Schofield and the latest addition, Michela Cava, combined for three goals and five points as Minnesota beat Boston 4-0 before an announced crowd of 4,669.
Cava replaces Abby Boreen, who has played out her second 10-day contract and will not be available for the remainder of the regular season.
“I thought they had good chemistry,” coach Ken Klee said. “I’ve watched Michela Cava play, and she doesn’t have a lot of points but she makes good plays every night. So, to me, if I can get Kendall and Taylor with a player who can get them the puck and make plays, they’re going to get chances.
“And I thought they did. A couple of really nice plays.”
Minnesota goaltender Nicole Hensley made 20 saves to pick up her first shutout of the season and lower her goals-against average to 1.79.
The victory moves Minnesota into a tie for first place with Toronto and Montreal in the Professional Women’s Hockey League standings.
The 29-year-old Cava, who played her final two collegiate seasons at Minnesota Duluth, entered the game with one goal and one assist in 16 games. She said she felt comfortable playing alongside two of Minnesota’s most gifted players.
“We all use speed,” Cava said. “I felt like we supported each other really well. We were trying to move together, and got a lot of pucks to the net. It’s huge honor and awesome to play with the two of them.”
Boreen, who began the season on Minnesota’s reserve list while she attends pharmacy school, scored four goals in nine games and was one of Minnesota’s most effective forwards. Should Minnesota make the playoffs, the former Gophers star can sign one more 10-day contract.
In the meantime, she will be missed.
“She brings an element that we don’t have a lot of,” Klee said, “with that hard-nosed, gritty winger type of player. But at the time, when we were short two centers, it was the time to activate her.”
Coyne Schofield got the scoring started at 18:12 of the first period, taking a centering pass from Heise out of the right-wing corner and beating Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel on a wrist shot from the slot for her fifth goal of the season.
Cava scored at 6:43 of the second period. She corralled the puck near the Boston goal after a wide shot from the point caromed off the boards and banked it in off of Frankel from a sharp angle.
Grace Zumwinkle added a power-play goal at 14:43 of the third period, her team-leading eighth goal of the season. Heise closed out the scoring with an empty-net goal at 17:57.
Minnesota’s victory came in the second game of a four-game homestand that began with a 4-3 overtime win over Ottawa on March 5. The homestand will take Minnesota into a month-long break for the Women’s World Championship.
Minnesota will have only five regular-season games remaining following the break. Klee said there was no need to emphasize to the team how important this stretch of games will be.
“They know when you’re home you’ve got to win games,” he said. “Our last five, we play four out of five on the road. We’ve got a couple more games at home before the break and we just have to try to get as many points as we can.”
Offered Hensley; “We’re looking at a pretty long break, and obviously you want to go into that break with momentum. Enjoy today, but shift our focus to New York (on Saturday) here pretty quick.”
Related Articles
Elaine Chuli stays undefeated as Montreal holds off Minnesota 2-1 in battle of top teams
Women’s hockey: Boreen’s OT goal lifts Minnesota over New York
PWHL: Hilary Knight’s first goal earns Boston a 4-3 overtime win over Minnesota
Women’s pro hockey: Minnesota’s power-play struggles prove costly in 2-1 loss to Montreal
Letters: What will our new Professional Women’s Hockey League team be called?
Leave a Reply