Minnesota Frost beats Ottawa Charge in OT for second consecutive PWHL title, Liz Schepers nets historic game-winner

The Minnesota Frost clinched their second consecutive Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) championship with a 2–1 overtime victory over the Ottawa Charge in Game 4 of the finals on Monday night(May 26). This win secured the best-of-five series 3–1, making the Frost the only team to have won the Walter Cup since the league's inception.


The Professional Women's Hockey League's Walter Cup belongs to the Minnesota Frost for the second straight year.


The decisive goal came 12 minutes into overtime, when Minnesota forward Liz Schepers, a native of Mound, Minnesota, scored from close range. This marked the third consecutive game in the series that extended into overtime.

Earlier in the game, Kelly Pannek broke the scoreless tie midway through the second period, redirecting a pass from defender Claire Thompson into the net. Ottawa equalized late in the same period with a power-play goal from Emily Clark.

Goaltenders on both sides delivered strong performances. Minnesota's Maddie Rooney made 35 saves, while Ottawa's Gwyneth Philips stopped 36 shots. Despite the loss, Philips was named the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP, boasting a 1.15 goals-against average and a .954 save percentage over eight playoff games.

The Frost's path to the championship was marked by resilience. They entered the playoffs as the fourth seed, edging out the Boston Fleet based on regulation wins. Minnesota defeated the Toronto Sceptres three games to one in the semifinals, while Ottawa overcame the Montreal Victoire by the same margin.

With this victory, the Minnesota Frost have solidified their status as a dominant force in the PWHL, capturing back-to-back titles in the league's first two seasons.