PWHL Minnesota’s Missed Chances Nearly Cost Them Their Postseason

It’s official: PWHL Minnesota snuck into the fourth and final postseason spot after having five chances to clinch earlier this season. PWHL Toronto took down PWHL Ottawa to end PWHL Ottawa’s season and extend PWHL Minnesota’s. It’s usually never a good thing to rely on another team to lose, but PWHL Minnesota’s luck was in their favor. 

PWHL Minnesota had several chances to close things out and coast to the end if they wanted to, but their almost endless missed opportunities nearly caught up to them. They not only missed the chance to clinch with a win, but they also missed opportunities in those losses. In this article, we’ll take a look at how those missed chances nearly cost them what should’ve been a guaranteed postseason berth, starting with their power play. 

PWHL Minnesota’s Non-Existent Power Play

Like their male counterparts, the Minnesota Wild, PWHL Minnesota has struggled to succeed on the power play despite having the talent to score. They consistently pass too much, and the shot is blocked by the time they take it. Of course, they need to try to find an open shooting lane, but sometimes, they just have to take the risk and shoot. 

This was the biggest reason they struggled in these past five games. They had so many chances to close out games with a goal on the power play, but they couldn’t. They have to start shooting first and passing later on their power plays if they even want to have a hope of surviving the postseason.

PWHL Minnesota Needed Their Stars

PWHL Minnesota has a lot of offensive firepower, and while that showed before the Women’s World Championship break, after, it seemed like it disappeared. There were flashes of strong talent, but it would leave as fast as it came. Taylor Heise, Kendall Coyne-Schofield, Grace Zumwinkle, and others didn’t step up how they needed to, including goaltending. Again, they did find some success, but not enough for them to win games. 

Their first line was also changed around a bit, but it should’ve been put back together due to all their success before the break. Heise, Coyne-Schofield, and Michela Cava were fine-tuned machines that came up with several chances and goals. However, since they were split, success wasn’t possible. They have to try to put that line together for the postseason, and maybe they’ll find some of their swagger again. 

PWHL Minnesota Didn’t Have the Edge

Before the break for the Women’s World Championship, PWHL Minnesota was on a roll, but then, after the break, it was like they hit a brick wall. Nothing seemed to be going in their favor, and although they kept up their strong shot totals, they couldn’t get the goals. While it’s great to take a lot of shots, they could shoot a few less and be more accurate with the others. 

In their games following the break, they didn’t have the same energy level they were starting the game with. They came out not sluggish but sloppy and didn’t have the jump they needed to get goals early. This let the other team take control, and by the time PWHL Minnesota woke up and started to play, they were behind. 

Related: PWHL’s Inaugural Season Wrapping Up & Previewing the Playoffs

In the playoffs, there’s no room for sloppy play; they need to find a way to harness the way they played before the break and play that way once again. Something has to change from how they played these last five games if they hope to make it past the first round of the postseason. 

PWHL Minnesota Given Second Chance

Whether it’s considered their second or fifth chance, given how many opportunities they had to clinch and finally did, they’ve been given another opportunity, and they can’t blow it. They must adjust their game and play their best to survive this postseason. They may have almost missed it, but that doesn’t mean they can’t turn things around and still find success. 

Their power play and penalty kill have to be better. They need to be more accurate with their shots and put their first line back together. There’s no time to make mistakes and no second chances in the postseason. PWHL Minnesota has to step up or get out because they won’t win games after how they have been playing recently. Hopefully, they can dig deep and find a way to play the way they did before the break and win games.