Frankel gaffe gives Charge Game 3 win, Fleet pushed to brink

Even the best players in the world make mistakes.

For the Boston Fleet, their best player had an ill-timed miscue that cost them big time on Friday night. A misplayed puck from goaltender Aerin Frankel gave the Ottawa Charge a 2-1 victory in Game 3 of their Walter Cup Semifinal, sending the Charge to a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.

Boston and Ottawa were entrenched in another goaltending battle between Team USA teammates Frankel and Gwyneth Philips. The game was deadlocked heading into the final minute of regulation, and it seemed as if the two teams were headed to overtime for the first time in the series. However, with less than a half-minute to go in the third, Charge defender Ronja Savolainen took a harmless-looking point shot that went wide of the cage. After the puck bounced off the kickplate, it came back toward Frankel, who couldn’t get a handle on it. The biscuit ricocheted off her pad and into the net for what would end up being the game-winning goal.

While errors happen to even the best players in the world, Frankel’s mishap in Game 3 not only cost the Fleet the win on Friday, but put them on the brink of elimination. For a team that has been so solid all season long, an early exit in the playoffs is not what Kris Sparre’s team had in mind.

It was an unwelcome result in what had been a promising game for Boston. Similar to what we’ve seen in the first two games of the series, the Fleet came out of the gate with control. However, the Charge managed to settle into the game and began taking the play to Boston. It led to Fanuza Kadirova scoring her second goal of the series, springing the home crowd to life with several minutes to go in the opening period.

The second period was all green. Boston found its rhythm that it had early in the contest, and hardly let Ottawa create any sustained pressure. A little over five minutes into the frame, Philips kicked out a juicy rebound that was hammered home by Liz Schepers for her first goal of the playoffs.

There was no shortage of nastiness in the game, especially when Alina Muller looked to rattle Philips. The Swiss star took a couple of extra pokes at the Ottawa netminder in the middle frame, drawing the ire of Charge defenders, leading to Savolainen putting Muller in a headlock.

Philips certainly wasn’t deterred by the constant traffic and activity around her. While the Charge were outshot 37-22, the second-year backstop stood on her head, making 36 saves. Frankel was credited with 20 stops in the losing effort.

Savolainen’s tally was her second goal of the series, giving her a multi-point night as she picked up an assist on Kadirova’s goal. The Russian rookie also picked up an assist on Savolainen’s game-winner.

There was a little history in the game. Not only did the Charge pick up a huge win on home ice, but the crowd showed out for their team. 13,112 were inside Canadian Tire Centre on Friday night, setting a new PWHL postseason attendance record.

For Boston, it felt like Groundhog Day. While they had a couple of bounces go their way in Game 1, the Fleet have been goalie’d in back-to-back games. Regardless of whether the games were six days apart, Boston’s offense, which was pretty sparse at times during the regular season, needs to come alive if the team wants its season to remain as such.

The Charge look to punch their ticket to the Walter Cup Final in Game 4 on Sunday night. They’re looking to join the Minnesota Frost as the only teams in the PWHL’s young history to have reached the final twice. Puck drop is scheduled for a little after 3 p.m. ET.

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