For PWHL Minnesota, it was as cruel as it was heartbreaking.
The women’s professional ice hockey team was battling PWHL team Boston for the league’s first-ever championship, and in Game 4 of the series on Sunday night, Minnesota appeared to have scored the winning goal in double overtime.
With 2 minutes, 35 seconds left in the second overtime period, Minnesota forward Taylor Hides fell while charging toward the net with the puck, but still managed to get the ball to Sophie Jaques, who scored what appeared to be the game-winner.
Minnesota players jumped over the boards in celebration, swarmed their teammates and the crowd inside the Excel Center went wild.
But the mood changed when the referee announced the play was under review and then it was overturned due to goalkeeper interference.
To make matters worse for Minnesota, Boston scored the winning point 70 seconds later to tie the series at 5-3.
“You see Taylor Hines running through the paint. I don’t know if she got in the paint on her own, but I think she’s down,” one of the announcers said about the play. “I’m pretty sure she’s coming into the paint and Aerin Frankel is in contact with Hines, so the question becomes whether she got in the paint on her own.”
Replays of the play appeared to show Hythe lunging at the Boston goaltender without making contact with another Boston defender, and the officials saw that and called the goal back.
Alina Mueller finally put the game away by sneaking a shot over the shoulder of the Minnesota goalie to score the winning goal for Boston.
A crowd of 13,104 packed the Excel Center to watch Minnesota potentially win the game, which lasted nearly four hours.
The deciding game of the PWHL season will be played Wednesday at the Tsongas Center.
