Boston Takes Pride In Second Isobel Cup

After the pandemic wiped out the 2020 season and a COVID-19 issue in the 2021 season, the Boston Pride finally claimed their second Isobel Cup over the Minnesota Whitecaps.  The Pride became the first team in the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) to hoist two Isobel Cups. 

The Isobel Cup is officially named The Lady Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Cup and is the championship trophy awarded annually to the NWHL playoff winner. It is named after Lady Isobel Gathorne-Hardy, one of the first known women to play the game and daughter of Lord Stanley (the namesake of the Stanley Cup). 

Lexie Laing and Taylor Wenczkowski scored power-play goals for Boston.  Wenczkowski's scored with 6:28 in the third period to give the Pride a 4-2 lead.  The Pride rallied from an early deficit with a three-goal second period to take their second NWHL title. The Pride held a two-goal lead late in the game, but had to hold off a power play, as the Whitecaps cut the deficit in the final seconds after a boarding major against Boston revived the Whitecaps’ hopes with a power-play goal with 19 seconds left in the game.

The Pride held on to win the Cup in front of a national television audience broadcast on NBCSN.

Fourth-seeded Boston reached the championship game with a 6-2 win over top-seeded Toronto (4-1-1) in the semifinals with six different players scoring. Minnesota routed Connecticut 7-0 in their semifinal matchup.

Scoring Summary:

1st Period

(7:29) Minnesota - Allie Thunstrom (Minnesota 1, Boston 0)

2nd Period

(2:41) Boston - Mary Parker (Minnesota 1, Boston 1)

(15:05) Boston - Jillian Dempsey (Boston 2, Minnesota 1)

(17:31) Boston - Lexie Laing (Boston 3, Minnesota 1)

3rd Period

(7:46) Minnesota - Allie Thunstrom (Boston 3, Minnesota 2)

(13:32) Boston - Taylor Wenczkowski (Boston 4, Minnesota 2)

(19:41) Minnesota - Meaghan Pezon (Boston 4, Minnesota 3)