In the dramatic finale of the 2024 PWHL playoffs, a shutout performance from Nicole Hensley led PWHL Minnesota to capture the inaugural Walter Cup, defeating PWHL Boston 3-0 in Lowell, Massachusetts.

The first ever PWHL playoffs did not disappoint, as Boston and Minnesota, who did not officially clinch playoff spots until the final day of the regular season, ended up in the finals as unexpected opponents, with Boston sweeping Montréal in three consecutive overtime wins, while Minnesota “reverse swept” top seed Toronto with three straight wins after falling 2-0 in their best of five series.

The stage was set for a dramatic, winner-take-all Game 5 after Minnesota and Boston traded wins back and forth, with Boston forcing the game in double overtime, following a controversial goaltender interference call on a Sophie Jaques goal that revoked Minnesota’s thought-to-be championship goal at the end of Game 4.

But Minnesota would not allow Boston to get redemption once again in Game 5, ensuring a regulation defeat to capture the Walter Cup. Minnesota peppered Boston keeper Aerin Frankel with 44 shots throughout the game, with Liz Schepers and Michela Cava beating Frankel, while Hensley turned away all 17 Boston attempts. It was captain Kendall Coyne, one of the biggest stars in the game, who sealed the 3-0 victory with an empty net goal with 2:06 remaining in regulation.

Minnesota saw twelve IHLC champions from three countries (Canada, Finland and the United States) on the roster hoist the Cup, including captain Coyne, playoff MVP Taylor Heise, and Hensley, who took over the crease in Game 2 of the finals and allowed just two goals over four games.

With the victory, five players now represent the new generation of the women’s unofficial Triple Gold Club, adding the Walter Cup to their already captured Olympic and World Championship titles, as part of capturing the top women’s club championship. All part of the 2018 U.S. Olympic championship squad, the Club now welcomes Coyne (World Champion, 2011), Hensley (2016), Lee Stecklein (2013), Kelly Pannek (2017) and Maddie Rooney (2017).

Our congratulations go out to the players, management and fans of PWHL Minnesota, with those on the roster that have also held the IHLC highlighted in bold:

Photo Credit: PWHL – IIHF – HHOF – IOC