Andover's Butorac, Rooney lift PWHL Minnesota, Blaine's Brown helps Boston to championship series clash

With the team’s season on the line, Andover’s Claire Butorac powered home a rebound to give PWHL Minnesota a 1-0 double overtime win over Toronto in Game 4 of the Professional Women’s Hockey League semifinals at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul May 15.

Minnesota went on to win the decisive fifth game of the series 4-1 May 17 to advance to the inaugural PWHL championship series against Boston.

Toronto, the top seed in the playoffs, won the first two games of the best-of-five series, a pair of 2-0 shutouts, before Minnesota got on the board in the series with a 2-0 win in Game 3 May 13, an 18-save shutout by Andover’s Maddie Rooney. Rooney went on to save all 19 shots faced in the Game 4 thriller, and made 27 saves in the deciding fifth game victory.

Boston took game one of the finals by a 4-3 margin May 19, with Blaine’s Emily Brown getting the start along the blue line and tallying a pair of assists for Boston. Minnesota responded with a 3-0 win in Game 2 May 21 to level the best-of-five-series at a game apiece.

Game 3 of the series is May 24, and Game 4 is May 26, both at the Xcel Energy Center. If necessary, Game 5 is May 29 back in Boston.