Neal: Fitting for PWHL championship series to go the distance

What happened on Sunday is not new to hockey. Most recently in the NHL, Florida's Carter Verhaeghe scored in overtime to beat Vegas in Game 3 of last year's Stanley Cup Final. The previous year, Colorado's Nazem Kadri did it against Tampa Bay in Game 4. And there have been many others.

Now you can include Boston's 1-0, double-overtime victory over Minnesota in Game 4 of the PWHL's Walter Cup finals.

The championship trophy of the PWHL is called the Walter Cup, named for league investors Mark and Kimbra Walter. The cup, made of sterling silver and built to drink out of, will end up a pontoon in one of Minnesota's lakes this summer regardless of what happens in Game 5 on Wednesday. In addition to PWHL Minnesota's homegrown players, there are five Minnesotans on Boston's roster as well.

PWHL Minnesota was close to starting the cup tour as Sophie Jaques' shot off a Taylor Heise feed went into the net with 2 minutes, 34 seconds left in the second OT. But Heise, while falling and sliding toward the net, interfered with Boston goalie Aerin Frankel on the play.

As Minnesota's sticks, gloves and helmets were scattered through the Xcel Energy Center rink in celebration, the play was reviewed and overturned. And 70 seconds later, Boston's Alina Müller scored to end the epic battle and force a winner-takes-Walter game in Lowell, Mass.

So it's back to Beantown as Minnesota tries to clear the Green Monster that is Frankel. And Game 5 likely will be another one-goal game, possibly another OT classic as the visitors survived an elimination game on the road and won't need a plane to fly back home. Minnesota won Game 2 of the series at Boston, and after losing its final five games of the regular season and the first two of the playoffs, Team Purple has rebounded. Coach Ken Klee, a steady defenseman during his playing days, has his team playing top notch hockey again.

Minnesota held the puck for lengthy stretches in Boston's end on Sunday but could not produce the key pass or the right shot to score a goal. Players had several great chances, including five power plays. The top line of Heise, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Michela Cava were aggressive from puck drop. Coyne Schofield must be the fastest skater in the world. They never showed frustration, continuously trying to solve the problem while fighting off Boston defenders.

Different styles make for great fights, and it seemed like a couple could have broken out Sunday as Boston's physical play tried to counter Minnesota's speed. Midway through the first period, a charging Heise, who was called for roughing in the game, had the puck poked away by Frankel while Natalie Buchbinder rode Heise onto ice and would not get off her. The two rolled on the ice for a moment before officials separated them. In the second period, Boston's Kaleigh Fratkin bodychecked Kelly Pannek but blamed Pannek.

It was clear what Boston's approach was at that point. But Team Purple kept its composure and skated away instead of retaliating.

An announced crowd of 13,104 — which included tennis legend, women's rights advocate and PWHL Advisory Board member Billie Jean King — spent the game cheering, "We want the cup!" Other times, they chanted "Minn-e-sota!" — which made me want to fast forward to when this league will allow teams to have nicknames. But the crowd was charged up and hungry to see a professional team in this state win something.

And the joint was jumping when Jaques' shot found the back of the net. Fans were incredulous when the review was announced, but let's be clear: Heise interfered with Frankel, and it should have not been a goal. The crowd responded with a cheer about the refs I heard two nights earlier during Game 2 of the NBA playoff series between the Timberwolves and Mavericks.

So Team Purple is going to attempt to do this the hard way. It will attempt to win the first PWHL championship in a decisive game on the road. Based on Sunday, it will be another titanic battle Wednesday.

So Walter Cup, hold tight. Minnesota officially has more than 11,000 lakes. And you're going to visit some of them eventually.