First PWHL trade paying dividends in playoffs for Minnesota and Boston
CBC
Sophie Jaques had only just returned to her feet when she picked up the puck near the blue line.
The rookie Minnesota defender carried it a few feet, creating space for herself, and then let it go from the dot. She beat Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel cleanly, one of two goals she scored in her team's 3-0 Game 2 win over Boston.
In addition to adding an empty-net goal in the final minutes of the game, 23-year-old Jaques also had a textbook backcheck on Hilary Knight and a team-leading three hits.
It all came against the team that traded her in February, a little more than a month into her first professional season. The best-of-five Walter Cup championship series is tied 1-1, with Game 3 set for Friday at 7 p.m. ET in Minnesota.
"All the players and coaching staff [in Minnesota] have been great at welcoming me in, and I feel like I've been put in a position that plays to my strengths and has allowed me to succeed with the team so far," said Jaques, who is from Toronto.
The first-ever PWHL trade, which saw Boston send Jaques to Minnesota in exchange for forward Susanna Tapani and depth defender Abby Cook, has been a win for both teams.
WATCH | Minnesota ends Boston's playoff streak in Game 2 of Walter Cup final:
While Jaques has shown off her hockey IQ and shot, and is tied for the league lead in playoff points (five) with Minnesota teammate Taylor Heise, Tapani has been just as impactful for Boston.
She scored two overtime game winners in the semifinal series against Montreal before adding a goal in Boston's 4-3 Game 1 win. She's also doesn't shy away from physical play.
"That trade, it just gave us a little bit more depth up front that we were looking for," Boston head coach Courtney Kessel said before the final series began.
When Brian Idalski recruited Tapani to play at the University of North Dakota more than a decade ago, he believed she had the potential to be one of the best female hockey players ever.
She came to North America from Finland with an intriguing skill set that featured size and explosive skating.
"She can skate for miles," Idalski said. "A lot of that is due to ringette. She is probably one of the best, if not the best, ringette player in the world."
Tapani has a long resume in hockey. She's competed at three Olympic Games and nine world championship tournaments for Finland, on top of playing professionally in Europe for years.
