Minnesota Frost Drop Marathon Game Two in Triple Overtime
Minnesota and Montréal battled through three overtime periods before a decisive goal ended one of the longest games of the season.
By Robert Brent
The Minnesota Frost returned to the ice Tuesday evening for game two of their first-round matchup against the Montréal Victoire. The Frost emerged victorious in a thrilling game one overtime victory to take a 1-0 lead over a team that consistently got the better of their matchups in the regular season.
Minnesota played the style of game that benefited them in the first matchup, with Frost forward Katy Knoll speaking before the game about the team wanting to carry that momentum into game two.
“I think we really liked the way we started the game in game one, and we’re looking to play a full 60 minutes like that once more,” Knoll said. “We thought we played a great game, and we obviously know we’re going to get their best again too, so we’re looking to build off of what we did in Game 1.”
Recap
Maddie Rooney and Ann-Renée Desbiens reprised their roles as starting goaltenders from game one, with both goaltenders looking to play a bit tighter than they had in the first matchup.
That hope was fulfilled through much of the first period as both goaltenders kept the puck out of the net to maintain a 0-0 deadlock. The first frame was played at a relatively even pace with the Victoire outshooting Minnesota 13-9.
The Victoire had two chances with the extra attacker while the Frost produced just one power play. Still, both defenses stood tall to close out a scoreless first period.
Minnesota took over early in the second period, outproducing Montréal 9-2 in shots on goal in the first eight minutes. Despite the push, the Frost’s attack was still unable to solve Desbiens in a game that was proving to be much more tightly played.
Neither team was able to break the deadlock for the remainder of the period, with both Maddie Rooney and Desbiens playing excellently in net. That standout play continued from both goaltenders throughout the remainder of the period. When the buzzer sounded at the end of the third period, the score was still 0-0.
Like the score, shots on goal were also tied at 27 apiece. Both teams had two power play opportunities in the game as well. Game two featured essentially identical performances from two of the league’s top teams.
The two teams continued to play an even game in the first overtime period, but again, neither team broke the ice. With both goaltenders playing at such a high level, it seemed like something flukey would be needed to win the game from either side.
The Victoire took over the pace of play in the second overtime, producing six of the period’s first eight shots. Rooney stood tall for Minnesota as the marathon game continued.
The Minnesota netminder continued to turn away all Victoire chances, eclipsing the 50 saves mark for the first time in her professional career to carry the game to a third overtime period.
Despite the gallant effort from Rooney and the Frost defense, the Victoire finally broke through early in the third overtime when Marie-Philip Poulin scored the game-winning goal on a one-timer.
Key Takeaways
Marathon Game Ends in Heartbreak
The most striking thing about game two was just how different it was from game one. While both games went to overtime, one was a run-and-gun shootout, while tonight saw both teams struggling to find the net.
That fact can largely be attributed to the play of both goaltenders, who had experienced monumental rebounds in the second game. Desbiens made 38 saves in a shutout effort that included several big saves. As impressive as Desbiens was, Maddie Rooney played just as well for Minnesota.
Rooney’s 51 saves were a professional career mark, impressive for a goalie of her stature. Rooney has won Walter Cup Championships, Olympic medals and countless games as Minnesota-Duluth’s goaltender, but Tuesday night’s performance was one of the best of her career.
While the game was an exhilarating matchup, it’s the kind of game the Frost will likely seek to avoid as the series goes on. The Frost struggled to score against the Victoire during the regular season and won’t want to fall back into that pattern.
Physical Play Slows Down in Game Two
Game one of the series was one of the chippier games of the season for Minnesota. The matchup featured several penalties, dust-ups, and the ejection of Britta Curl-Salemme. The play that led to Curl-Salemme’s ejection also resulted in a one-game suspension, which she served in this game.
Curl-Salemme’s absence likely contributed to a far more sporting atmosphere. The forward is known for her ability to turn games into gritty, contentious affairs, but that was largely absent in game two.
In game two, the two teams combined for just five penalties, and they were a bit more tame. Minnesota was called for two tripping penalties and one interference penalty, while the Victoire was called for hooking and slashing.
It will be interesting to see how game three plays out now that the series is tied and Curl-Salemme rejoins the lineup.