Sophie Jacques scores twice as Minnesota evens PWHL finals

Sophie Jaques scored twice against her former team as Minnesota beat host Boston 3-0 in Lowell, Mass., on Tuesday night to even the inaugural PWHL finals at one game apiece.

With the Game 2 win, Minnesota takes home-ice advantage as the best-of-five series heads to Saint Paul, Minn., for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday. Game 5, if needed, would be in Lowell on May 29.

Nicole Hensley made 20 saves to get the shutout for Minnesota. It was her second game in net this postseason. She surrendered four goals in a 4-0 loss at Toronto on May 8 in the first game of the PWHL playoffs.

Michela Cava netted the game winner, opening the scoring at 14:25 of the first period on an assist from Mellissa Channell. It was Cava's second goal in as many nights after going scoreless in her first five playoff games.

Jaques scored her first goal of the postseason 1:56 later to give the visitors a 2-0 cushion. Liz Schepers and Claire Butorac assisted on the score.

Jaques, who won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award -- the NCAA women's hockey equivalent of the Heisman Trophy -- while at Ohio State in 2023, spent her first season in the PWHL with Boston.

After playing in seven games and not registering a point last season, the defender was sent to Minnesota on Feb. 11 in the first trade in PWHL history. She scored two goals and added eight assists in 15 regular-season games this season.

Jaques added an unassisted empty-netter at 17:31 of the third, finishing as the only player with a plus-3 rating in the game.

Neither team was able to score on the power play, with Minnesota finishing 0-for-2 and Boston going 0-for-4.

Aerin Frankel stopped 20 of 22 shots in the loss.

--Field Level Media