BOSTON – Wherever Michela Cava goes, winning ways follow.
The Thunder Bay forward was instrumental in helping Minnesota capture the inaugural Professional Women’s Hockey League championship, scoring a crucial third-period goal and adding an assist on an empty netter later in the frame, helping deliver a 3-0 triumph in the deciding game of the best-of-five final.
It was the fourth straight championship win for Cava, who won the final Isobel Cup last season with the Toronto Six and also won a title in 2022 with KRS Vanke Rays in Russia’s Zhenskaya Hockey League. Cava, a graduate of the Thunder Bay Queens program, also won the 2021 Swedish Women’s Hockey League title with Lulea HF.
“I’m a little bit in shock,” Cava told TSN after the game. “We had a great game, great energy all game. Everybody really came together. We just worked as a team and it just paid off. I’m proud of everyone.”
The 30-year-old Cava, who scored five times and added three assists in 24 regular season games, came alive in the postseason, scoring four times and dishing out four helpers in 10 games.
Minnesota bounced back from two games down in their opening round series against Toronto, who opted to play Cava and company, and needed the maximum five games to dispatch of Boston in the final.
After dropping Game 4 in double overtime, Minnesota was forced to the road for Game 5, but didn’t let Boston maintain any momentum they’d gained in tying up the series.
Liz Schepers broke a scoreless tie 6:14 into the second, the lone goal of the first 40 minutes of play. Cava doubled the lead at 8:08 of the third and picked up an assist on Kendall Coyne Schofield’s empty netter with 2:56 to go in regulation.
“I don’t have a lot of words. Our team battled every freaking game. We had played 10 games in how many days? We all just grinded it out and stuck together. I really feel like our team came together the most in the playoffs . . . It’s been an amazing journey so far.”
Cava said all her titles have been special, but the PWHL Walter Cup win at the Tsongas Center might be the most meaningful of them all.
“This one means the most, for sure,” she said. “It’s been great having all these people watching us play. The fans have been incredible. We owe it all to you guys. It’s been awesome.”
Nicole Henlsey made 17 stops to earn the shutout in net for Minnesota. Aerin Frankel allowed two goals on 43 shots in the Boston goal. Taylor Heise was named the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP, tying Cava with eight points in 10 postseason appearances.
Cava also led the Thunder Bay Queens to an Esso Cup championship in 2010.
