Frost clinch playoff spot with 6-5 victory over Goldeneyes
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Kelly Pannek had two goals and two assists to pad her PWHL-leading points total and help the Minnesota Frost hold off the Vancouver Goldeneyes 6-5 on Saturday, snapping a three-match losing streak and clinching a spot in the postseason for the two-time defending champions.
Pannek scored twice on power plays in the third period to give Minnesota (12-3-4-6) a 6-4 lead. She tops the league with 14 goals and 28 points with five matches left in the regular season. Pannek had seven goals through her first two seasons.
Sarah Nurse redirected a shot by former Frost standout Sophie Jacques just 1:18 into the match to give Vancouver a 1-0 lead. It was the earliest goal this season for the Goldeneyes, who had posted regulation victories the previous five times they scored first.
Pannek used a no-look backward pass to set up Grace Zumwinkle in front of the net for her career-high 12th goal of the season, tying it 1-1 at 9:05. Pannek's 14 assists this season is a career high.
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Minnesota took a 2-1 lead with 2:21 left in the first when Katy Knoll scored her seventh goal — with assists from Lee Stecklein and Pannek.
But Tereza Vanišová beat Frost goaltender Nicole Hensley one on one to tie it and Jacques gave the Goldeneyes a 3-2 lead when she scored on a power play. The two clubs combined for three goals in 40 seconds.
Vancouver took a two-goal lead 3:30 into the second period on Jenn Gardiner's fourth goal.
Mae Batherson scored her third goal, and Taylor Heise followed with her 10th — on a power-play 1:18 later — to even it 4-4 at 13:25 and the tie stood heading to the final period.
Pannek gave Minnesota a 5-4 lead a little over four minutes in with Heise notching her career-best 16th assist and rookie Kendall Cooper collecting her 14th.
Pannek scored another power-play goal with 6:16 remaining for some insurance that became necessary when Izzy Daniel scored her seventh goal for the Goldeneyes with 53 seconds left.
Hensley finished with 20 saves for Minnesota.
Emerance Maschmeyer stopped 29 shots for Vancouver.
