After playing three-years with Harvard University and finishing up her NCAA college playing career with a season at Clarkson University, Petrie took a giant step toward that desire of playing in the PWHL.

That giant step occurred on June 10 when this talented 23- year-old forward from Hermosa Beach, Calif. was picked in the fifth round, 27th overall, by the Minnesota Frost.

“I was at home in California where we had a watch party,” Petrie said. “We had the draft live streamed on YouTube.”

In reflecting on that moment when Minnesota selected her, Petrie said: “There were tears, sighs of relief, excitement, smiles and lots of high fives.”

Dominique Petrie scored the tying goal to force overtime in the season opener against New York. (MHM Photo / Jeff Wegge)

A big highlight in the early going of the season has been the home fans which drew lots of strong praise from Petrie.

“Minnesota has an amazing fan base,” Petrie said. “Minnesota is the state of hockey. I’m really excited to have been drafted by Minnesota. It’s (playing for the Frost) an awesome cool experience.”

The biggest electrifying on-ice highlight which Petrie described as being “on top of the list for one of my greatest hockey moments,” occurred in the Frost’s first regular-season game of the year.

Leaving her mark early
Playing on Dec. 1 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Petrie was absolutely pumped when at 15:47 of the third period she scored and celebrated her first PWHL goal, which at the time tied things up 3-3 of an eventual 4-3 overtime loss against the New York Sirens.

“I couldn’t have written a better story,” Petrie said about the goal. “It was a two-on-one (with Denisa Křížová), just like we’ve worked on in practice. I got in on my stick and let it rip.

PWHL players and fans watched as the Walter Cup Champions banner was unveiled before the season opener on Dec. 1 at Xcel Energy Center. (MHM Photo / Jeff Wegge)

“The fans erupted and my teammates were celebrating, and it was a cool moment. It’s at the top of my list for great hockey moments.”

Naturally, Petrie was presented with that milestone puck which she still has.

“Right now, it’s sitting on a shelf. I will take it back home at some point,” Petrie said.

In talking about that regular-season opener, Petrie couldn’t help but to once again deliver more praise toward the Minnesota fans.

“The fans were decked out in our paraphernalia,” Petrie said. “When we scored, the fans got really loud. It’s definitely a special market and the fans pump us up.”

Prior to Minnesota’s season opener, fans got to experience PWHL history as the Minnesota had their Walter Cup championship banner raised to the Xcel Energy Center rafters.

“The banner ceremony was a cool experience,” Petrie said. “To look around and take it all in was a cool moment.”

In putting on the Minnesota Frost jersey for her PWHL debut, Petrie called it “a surreal moment.”

“I felt blessed and thankful,” Petrie added.

During that much anticipated debut against New York, Petrie had three shots on goal and was a plus-one.

Petrie played at Harvard, then Clarkson
Before embarking on her PWHL career, Petrie played three years of college hockey at Harvard University where she graduated with a degree in economics and a minor in psychology. In looking to continue her education and college hockey career, Petrie transferred to Clarkson for a Masters of business administration.

Her three-year playing career at Harvard saw her play 76 games where she produced 30 goals and 71 points. In her time with Clarkson last season, she scored 15 goals and 35 points in 40 games.

“It was an amazing opportunity,” Petrie said. “I enjoy challenging myself, and I was fortunate to be able to play hockey and get an education.”

Without question, Petrie’s greatest moment playing for Clarkson occurred in March 2024 when playing at home in front of a sold-out Cheel Arena. She made history by scoring in quadruple-overtime for a 3-2 win against the University of Minnesota Gophers. The win sent fourth-ranked Clarkson to their first Frozen Four since 2019, though they lost to Ohio State in the semifinal.

In making that jump from college hockey to the PWHL, Petrie said a big difference is how much more physical the pro league is. However, Petrie referred to herself as a physical player, so it’s something she isn’t bothered about.

From an early age, Petrie’s passion to play hockey was inspired by her brother, Guy, who played college hockey at the University of Utah.

On the international stage, Petrie has also had success in helping the U.S. Women’s National U-18 team take home gold at the 2017 and 2018 IIHF World Women’s U18 Championships. A year later, she captained the squad to a silver.

In her first three games as a Frost player, Petrie has three goals and is a +2.

“I’m happy Minnesota took a chance on me,” she said. “I just want to show what I can do.”

It might be extremely early, but chances are Petrie has definitely made a loud statement to the Frost organization that she can play in the PWHL.

The post Dominant Dominque appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

PWHL Minnesota put a bow on its remarkable playoff run by defeating PWHL Boston 3-0 on Wednesday in the deciding game five of the PWHL Finals. Minnesota became the inaugural Walter Cup Champion, with captain Coyne Schofield hoisting the Cup first after the postgame celebration.

The brand-new league officially got going with training camp starting in mid-November last fall. When Coyne Schofield was asked at that time about what she hoped to accomplish this season, she was very clear.

“Win a championship,” Coyne Schofield said. “That’s the goal of any professional athlete, is to bring home a championship trophy to the city.”

Kendall Coyne Schofield is the first champion to lift the Walter Cup. (Photo courtesy of PWHL)

Accomplishment achieved.

Minnesota dominated Boston in the winner-take-all game five in Boston, outshooting them 44-17 in the game, including 19-3 in the third period. Minnesota’s play was suffocating, with no better example than just before Michela Cava’s goal in the third period for a 2-0 lead. Before she buried the wraparound tally, Minnesota skated around the offensive zone with ease, cycling the puck, passing it around and even changing out players on the fly.

Liz Schepers, who had a solid playoff run with four assists, scored her only goal of the season for a 1-0 lead in the second period. Melissa Channell also recorded three assists in the game. The final Minnesota goal of the game? That was all Coyne Schofield, using her speed to get to a loose puck and bury an empty netter with 2:06 to play in regulation. Talk about a storybook ending.

In goal, Nicole Hensley earned her second shutout of the Finals with 17 saves. In four starts in the final series, she made 87 saves on 89 shots. The goaltending tandem with Hensley and Maddie Rooney shined throughout the season but especially in the playoffs. Rooney was a big reason for their success against Toronto in the semifinals, when she put up similar stats with 92 saves on 94 shots across four starts and two shutout victories.

Minnesota coach Ken Klee rotated between the two netminders all season.

“Maddie was an absolute rock star in the first round, and Nicole got in and she started pitching shutouts,” Klee said.

A long, winding road to the championship
What’s perhaps the most intriguing about Minnesota’s championship season are all of the obstacles it overcame to reach the pinnacle. Starting from the beginning, there were rumors that this new women’s hockey league wouldn’t even place a team in Minnesota.

Even before the historic puck drop on PWHL Minnesota’s season – which was bookended with victories at Tsongas Center on Boston’s home ice – the team made a coaching change on Dec. 27. Charlie Burgraff stepped away from the position, and Klee stepped in about a week before games started. Klee had familiarity with some players, like Coyne Schofield, blue liner Lee Stecklein and Hensley, from his work on the national team, but he still had to find a quick learning curve with his new team.

Lee Stecklein added another championship to her extensive hockey resume. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

Minnesota started and ended this season well, winning their first three games in early January. They broke an attendance record (at the time) with more than 13,000 fans at Xcel Energy Center for the home opener, a 3-0 victory over Montreal which included a Grace Zumwinkle hat trick and the first of multiple shutouts this season for Rooney.

They rolled along near the top of the league, going 5-0 in March before the international break. But Minnesota could not buy a victory in the final five regular-season games. As Klee put it, they were “finding ways to lose hockey games,” even though he said they played well. But they weren’t necessarily at their best, with normally crisp passes finding skate blades instead, the offense drying up and special teams stats continuing to spiral.

Minnesota had multiple chances to clinch a playoff spot and didn’t. They needed help on the final day of the regular season to get in as the No. 4 seed. Yes, this championship team almost missed the playoffs in what would have been considered a huge collapse down the stretch.

Top-seeded Toronto waited nearly a full day to choose Minnesota as its opponent in the semifinals. So, Minnesota stayed on the road and played the first two games of the best-of-five series in Toronto, getting shut out 4-0 and 2-0 and facing a must-win game at home for game three. Their losing streak reached seven games.

From the brink of elimination to jubliation
Forget a victory; would Minnesota even score a playoff goal? But the turnaround was about to get started. It took an entire team effort from start to finish, Coyne Schofield said.

“You look at the way that we won,” Coyne Schofield said, after winning the championship. “We were almost out. And as soon as we knew we weren’t out, there were times we got down, but we were never out. And that group in there believed that we could be champions.

“We never lost sight of that.”

Minnesota evened the series with two shutouts behind Rooney, including one in double overtime. Then in game five back in Toronto, Minnesota found their offensive game again, and a 4-1 win sent them to the PWHL Finals to face 3-seed Boston.

“There were moments this year, unfortunately, especially at the end, where we were pretty down,” Stecklein said. “But we were able to pull it together. Just really proud of this group.

“Again, it wouldn’t be possible without Kendall Coyne and her leadership.”

Minnesota grabbed a series lead and thought they won the Cup in game four during double overtime. Sophie Jaques put the puck in the net late in the second OT session, sending the Minnesota team and its fans into a celebratory frenzy. But the celebration was short-lived after a review of the play determined goaltender interference as Taylor Heise slid into the crease and made contact with goalie Aerin Frankel.

A little more than a minute later, Alina Muller scored the winner for Boston, leaving Minnesota and fans stunned.

Taylor Heise was the first overall pick at the PWHL Draft last fall. She added PWHL Playoffs MVP and Walter Cup Champion to her list of accolades in her rookie season. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

“I think they robbed us in game four,” Heise said. “And we all felt that very much. So I think to have the feeling of being a champion taken from you is one of the worst things ever. I can’t say that it’s happened to me before.”

So, once Minnesota actually won the Walter Cup on Wednesday, Hensley shared the team’s celebration graphic on X with her comment: “So nice we won it twice.”

Oh, and about those special teams? Minnesota had a league-worst penalty kill (67.2%), allowing 20 goals against. But their PK was a perfect 19-for-19 in the playoffs. Quite the reversal, indeed.

Minnesota wins the Cup
Once the final buzzer sounded in game five, Minnesota players in their white jerseys with purple lettering rushed on the ice for hugs, smiles and maybe even some happy tears. The Walter Cup was presented in a similar fashion that hockey fans see with the Stanley Cup in the NHL, with music and a walk out to the ice.

Coyne Schofield hoisted the Walter Cup first, pumping it into the air with a giant smile as she skated over to her crowd of teammates. A few minutes later, she choked up during an on-ice broadcast interview, emotions that seemed to spill over to her 10-month-old son, Drew, who burst into tears as he was placed in the Cup during the team photo.

Alternate captain Stecklein was the first to get the Cup hand-off from Coyne Schofield, followed by Pannek, the other alternate captain and a Minnesota native. From there, players took turns skating with the Walter Cup: Hensley, Rooney, Sophia Kunin, Cava, Emma Greco, Channell, Denisa Krizova, Clair DeGeoge, Schepers, Natalie Buchbinder and Sydney Brodt, among others.

The other piece of business was honoring Heise, who was voted the recipient of the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP award. Heise scored five goals in 10 playoff games after scoring four in 19 regular season games. Heise said “it’s awesome” that the PWHL is the only professional women’s hockey league she knows, coming right out of college.

“Not quite sure where I was going to go,” Heise said. “But this league came at an amazing time. … and I’m very honored to be a part of it.”

This championship marks the second time in five years that a Minnesota women’s professional hockey team won it all in their first season in a league. In 2018-19, the Minnesota Whitecaps won the Isobel Cup in their first year in the National Women’s Hockey League (later renamed PHF). That Whitecaps team included Coyne Schofield, Stecklein and Amanda Leveille.

Minnesota players celebrated a championship twice, this one on home ice after what turned out to be an overturned goal for goaltender interference in game four. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

That championship celebration happened after an overtime goal from Stecklein for a victory against the Buffalo Beauts in front of a sold-out crowd at TRIA Rink in St. Paul. Coyne Schofield, Stecklein and Leveille had another chance to celebrate a first in women’s hockey this week, too.

“There’s something very special about being the first to do something in life,” Coyne Schofield said, following game five. “And for us to be the first Walter Cup champions is something that is extremely special that will be part of this league’s legacy forever.

“I’ve been a part of a lot of teams that have won and that haven’t won. For whatever reason, you remember the teams that win.”

Klee shared a perfect example of that with his players before the final game. Klee received a text message from an old teammate, “not somebody that I talk to very often,” Klee said, with a reminder that 30 years ago to the day, Klee won the Calder Cup in the American Hockey League.

Klee told his Minnesota team ‘this is what you want.’

“It’s not about the trophy or a ring or anything like that,” Klee said. “It’s about having the connection with the people that you’re going to have 30 years from now.”

Photo galleries from the PWHL Playoffs: 

Gallery: PWHL Semifinals Game 3, Toronto vs. Minnesota
Gallery: PWHL Finals Game 3, Boston vs. Minnesota
Gallery: PWHL Finals Game 4, Boston vs. Minnesota

The post Cup Champions appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Who believed PWHL Minnesota would make it to the PWHL finals in the inaugural season?

Everyone in the PWHL Minnesota locker room.

“I think our group never lost faith,” said Minnesota captain Kendall Coyne Schofield. “I think it’s easy to lose faith when things aren’t going well. But I think, the energy in the room, the energy at practice, was never lost based on the results we had toward the end of the season.”

In a complete turn of events, PWHL Minnesota advanced to the league’s championship round with a 4-1 victory over PWHL Toronto in the deciding game five in front of a sold-out crowd at Coca-Cola Coliseum Friday night in Toronto. No. 4 seed Minnesota erased a two-games-to-none series deficit after losing the first two games on the road before rattling off three-straight wins to complete the upset of top-seeded Toronto.

Minnesota blue liner Lee Stecklein recorded two of her three PWHL Playoffs assists in the series-deciding game in Toronto. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

“Definitely proud of our group and the way we battled back,” said Minnesota defenseman Lee Stecklein. “Not just in this series but in each game with the ebbs and flows. The group didn’t quit. We knew what we needed to do, and we were committed to sticking to that.”

Minnesota moves on to face No. 3 seed Boston, which swept No. 2 seed Montreal behind three overtime victories. The best-of-five PWHL Finals start at 4 p.m. CT Sunday. While Minnesota has won three in a row, Boston has a five-game winning streak overall. Their momentum started on April 27 when Minnesota native Hannah Brandt scored the game-winning goal with 2.7 seconds left in regulation to keep Boston’s playoff hopes alive.

Friday’s Game 5 victory was Minnesota’s first on the road since March 3, snapping a six-game skid away from St. Paul. They also handed Toronto its first loss on home ice since Jan. 17; Toronto was riding an 11-0 streak at home. Minnesota used a pair of power-play goals to help seal the victory.

Special teams have plagued Minnesota all season. They finished the regular season with an 8.2% power play (5-for-61 in 24 games). Their penalty kill was the worst in the league at 67.2%, allowing opponents to score 20 times on the power play. Nine of those 20 goals allowed on the penalty kill came in those last five games of the regular season; twice they allowed an opponent to go 3-for-4 on the power play.

But in Game 5, and in the series, special teams came through for Minnesota. As often happens in the playoffs, they were the difference when it mattered the most. Denisa Krizova’s power-play goal for the 1-0 lead Friday snapped a 0-for-25 stretch with the advantage for Minnesota, dating back to April 18. Minnesota also scored two power-play goals in a game for the first time this season.

Sometimes, it’s just a bounce that goes your way, which happened on that first goal, said forward Kelly Pannek. She said she joked after the game that the team nearly doubled its power-play goal output from the season in one game.

“We got half as many in one game at the right time,” Pannek said. “I think our groups on the power play are very committed to… playing the right way and doing the right things. Keep trusting that the looks are going to produce.

“When you have that positive energy, I think the special teams were a big point of emphasis for us, after the last five games of the regular season.”

Minnesota’s penalty kill kept Toronto off the board in the series, going a perfect 10-for-10.

Taylor Heise scored a power-play goal and empty-netter to help send PWHL Minnesota to the Finals. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

Taylor Heise made it 2-for-2 on the power play for Minnesota, giving her team a 2-1 lead at 8:30 of the third period in Game 5 for her first goal since March 13. She added an empty netter for her sixth goal of the season. The offensive production came one game after Minnesota coach Ken Klee praised Heise for her “best game by far” in the playoffs during Game 4.

Now, the rookie and her teammates will play for a championship.

“I think it’s fun to see that we had the belief in ourselves, and I don’t think anyone else did, especially considering the way we ended [our season] and then getting the reverse sweep,” Heise said.

The road to the Finals
So, how did Minnesota get here? It’s been an up-and-down past two months, for starters.

At the end of March, PWHL Minnesota was riding high and about to finish the month on a five-game winning streak. They spent most of the season in first or second place in the league, though standings were usually tight. Year one as a league, and the parity among the six teams was already evident.

Minnesota general manager Natalie Darwitz met with the media before that March 24 game at Xcel Energy Center, ahead of the IIHF World Championship Break. She kept her fingers crossed that all her players would come back from the break healthy.

“Because I think what happens that last month of the season is going to be the most crucial time,” Darwitz said.

Crucial, indeed. Unfortunately for Minnesota, the five-game winning streak was replaced with a five-game skid to end the regular season, culminating in the team barely squeezing into the PWHL playoffs after getting help from other teams on the final day of the regular season. Minnesota had five opportunities to gain a point in the standings during those five games, which would have clinched a playoff berth. They failed to do so.

The PWHL is a league filled with one-goal games and outstanding goaltenders. But there are also some amazing skaters on the ice, too. Minnesota built up a trend where scoring goals became a tough task. They were outscored 19-7 during the five-game losing skid in April, which included four road games.

When Minnesota returned from the international break – a break that all PWHL teams dealt with, sending some players to national teams while other players stayed back and practiced – with a 4-3 loss at Montreal on April 18. Minnesota had a one-goal lead before giving up the tying and winning goals in the final three minutes of regulation. Minnesota wouldn’t score three goals in a game until Game 5 in Toronto.

Minnesota followed in April with a 4-0 loss at Ottawa, the 2-1 loss that Klee called “gut-wrenching” against Boston at home, and then a 4-1 loss at Toronto and 5-2 loss at New York. Minnesota was outscored 9-3 in those final two games, including allowing a season-high five goals to the league’s worst team, New York.

“We didn’t end the season the way we wanted to,” said Minnesota forward and PWHL Rookie of the Year finalist, Grace Zumwinkle, after Game 5. “It’s just a huge testament to our team from first line to fourth line and everyone that’s on our roster.

“I think anyone can contribute on any given night.”

Just get in, then win
No matter how it happened, Minnesota reached the playoffs. Per the league rules, the top seed in the playoffs got to choose its opponent, either No. 3 seed Boston or No. 4 seed Minnesota. Toronto chose Minnesota for the best-of-five semifinals.

PWHL Minnesota bounced back from a rough stretch at the end of the regular season to win three consecutive playoff games. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

Toronto grabbed the series lead with back-to-back shutouts by 4-0 and 2-0 margins. Minnesota goaltender Maddie Rooney started all series games except the first, with Nicole Hensley getting that game. Rooney made 92 saves on 94 shots in those four games for a .979 save percentage and only two goals allowed. She also recorded a shutout streak that lasted 173:19 spanning from late in Game 2 to the second period of Game 5.

“I thought Game 2 was the big change for us,” Klee said. “We played the right way, stayed on top of pucks and battled. We had more compete than we’ve had.”

Then, Minnesota returned the favor to Toronto with 2-0 and 1-0 shutout victories at Xcel Energy Center. The second game was a win in double overtime as Minnesota shut out a Toronto team that hadn’t been held off the board since its season opener.

“Obviously, that gives us a lot of confidence,” said Minnesota forward Claire Butorac, who scored the overtime winner with a rebound shot in front on Wednesday. “Coach has been in our ears about just sticking together the whole time.

“And I think we’ve done a really good job of that. Not getting down on each other but just lifting each other up on the ice, off the ice. I think that builds a pretty confident team.”

The post Special Team(s) appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Two minutes, 12 seconds into the second period of Game 3 of the PWHL playoffs, Minnesota found the back of the net.

Maggie Flaherty’s second goal this year was a shot from the top of the circles that found its way through traffic and got Minnesota on the scoreboard for the first time in the best-of-five series. It held up as the game-winner in a 2-0 Minnesota victory as the team fought off elimination from the PWHL semifinals against top-seeded Toronto on Monday night.

The tally broke a team goal drought of 159:51. It hadn’t scored since the regular-season finale in New York on May 4.

“We’ve had great chances, and it was only a matter of time before we broke through,” said forward Liz Schepers, who assisted on both goals for her first multi-point game in the PWHL. “Quick little play low to high, and Maggie made a great shot through a screen.

“I think we could all kind of take a breath there and realize we can do this thing.”

The win for Minnesota, in front of a small, but always energetic, announced crowd of 3,344 at Xcel Energy Center, marks the first playoff win in team history in this inaugural round of playoffs. It also snapped an 0-7 skid for Minnesota this season. Minnesota will return to the X for game four on Wednesday night with a similar message to game three.

“The message was, we need to win one game,” said Minnesota coach Ken Klee. “That’s it.

“We’re certainly pleased with the outcome today.”

Maddie Rooney made 18 saves to help snap a six-game winning streak for Toronto, a team that hadn’t been shut out since the Jan. 1 season opener. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

Goaltender Maddie Rooney made her second consecutive start in net for Minnesota, earning the shutout victory with 18 saves. She also kept Toronto off the scoreboard for nearly all of game two, until Jesse Compher scored with 1:25 left in regulation. On Monday, Minnesota fans showed their love for Rooney by chanting her last name throughout the game while waving their white PWHL Playoffs towels.

“The chants, that’s always fun,” said Rooney, who credited her teammates in front of her for their defense. “A lot of blocked shots today. Clearing the rebounds when they were there and really fun atmosphere to play back in our home building.”

Victory snaps lengthy losing streak
It’s been about seven weeks since Minnesota last won a game, earning an exciting shootout victory over Montreal on March 24. It completed a five-game winning streak heading into the International Break. But that momentum was obliterated and turned into a 0-5 stretch to end the regular season, culminating in Minnesota backing into the PWHL playoffs as the No. 4 seed thanks to a little help from an Ottawa loss on the final day of the regular season.

They spent much of the season in first or second place in the six-team league, with not only the playoffs in sight but possibly home-ice advantage, too.

In game three, Minnesota’s third line produced the scoring. Lakeville native Flaherty scored the first goal, with Mound Westonka grad Schepers and Andover alum Claire Butorac assisting. It was Flaherty’s first goal since Valentine’s Day. Schepers recorded her first point since Jan. 27.

Mellissa Channell and a Toronto player tangle along the boards in game three. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)

Their second goal, about six minutes after the first, was a bit of good fortune from the hockey gods, perhaps making up for some tough bounces and circumstances lately. Toronto goaltender Kristen Campbell, who came into the game with a 153:34 shutout streak, didn’t realize where the puck was underneath her in the crease when it was sent into the zone. Denisa Krizova was right there to capitalize with her fourth goal of the year.

“It was certainly good to finally get a bounce for us,” Klee said. “It just allowed us to breathe a little easier.”

Toronto was “out of character”
While Minnesota felt good about getting the necessary victory to extend its season, Toronto’s postgame consisted of what coach Troy Ryan called an “extra-long chat in the dressing room.” He called Monday’s game the team’s “worst of the year.” They were outshot 11-2 in the first period and 22-9 through two periods.

“I wouldn’t say any of us staff and athletes were very happy with that performance,” Ryan said. “A little bit out of character. Our passing was off.

“Just not doing the little things that have made our group successful all year. We’ve just got to be better, without a doubt, in all areas.”

Whether it was Toronto not playing like themselves, or Minnesota finally getting something to go their way, Klee said he was proud of his team effort and resiliency.

Rooney mentioned the word “resilient” when asked for a word to describe the game. Schepers also referred to Minnesota as a “resilient group” in terms of the coaching staff and team leaders doing a good job of instilling belief in the room throughout this tough, winless stretch. They’ve been in many close games and haven’t felt their belief in each other dip, Schepers said.

“It’s great to get back in the win column tonight, obviously in a huge moment,” Schepers said. “But just a credit to the character of our group and how we never quit on each other.

“We’re in this thing now.”

The post Breaking The Ice appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.