NEW YORK AND TORONTO (May 31, 2024) – Minnesota goaltender Nicole Hensley, Minnesota right wing Michela Cava and Minnesota center Taylor Heise have been named the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) ‘3 Stars of the Week’ for the period of May 20-29.
FIRST STAR – NICOLE HENSLEY, G, PWHL MINNESOTA
Hensley backstopped Minnesota to the first-ever Walter Cup in a thrilling series against Boston. In four games, Hensley had a save percentage of .978, a goals-against-average of 0.43 and three key victories on the way to the championship. The goaltender allowed just two goals through her four starts and posted two shutouts, tying her for the postseason lead in the category. Hensley’s lone loss last week came in double overtime in Game 4, in which she made 32 saves – a personal high during the playoffs. In the winner-take-all Game 5 of the PWHL Finals presented by Scotiabank, Hensley shut the door with a 17-save performance, earning her second shutout of the series to lead her team to a 3-0 victory on the road as Minnesota became the first team to lift the Walter Cup.
SECOND STAR – MICHELA CAVA, C, PWHL MINNESOTA
Cava led all skaters in scoring with five points (3G, 2A) in the final four games of the PWHL Finals presented by Scotiabank. In Game 2, Cava opened the scoring with the goal that stood as the game-winner in a key 3-0 victory that evened the series at one victory apiece. In Game 3, Cava provided the primary assist on the game’s opening goal and added the insurance marker in the third period en route to a 4-1 Minnesota victory and a crucial 2-1 series lead. After Boston tied the series 2-2, Cava once again provided an offensive spark for Minnesota, putting up another pair of points (1G, 1A) in Game 5, including a tally in the third period that gave her team a critical 2-0 lead. Thanks to her scoring output in the final four games of the PWHL Finals, Cava moved into a tie with teammate Taylor Heise atop the playoff scoring leaderboard, finishing the postseason with eight points (4G, 4A).
THIRD STAR – TAYLOR HEISE, C, PWHL MINNESOTA
Heise recorded three points (1G, 2A) in an historic week for Walter Cup champion Minnesota. She finished the postseason tied for first in points with eight (5G, 3A), leading to her being voted the first-ever Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP winner. In Game 3, Heise put up her third multi-point effort of the playoffs with a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win. The rookie forward opened the scoring just 59 seconds into the game, the fastest opening goal recorded in the PWHL Playoffs. The goal was her fifth of the postseason, a number that stood as the most scored of any player in the playoffs and surpassed her regular-season total of four in 19 games. Heise also recorded the lone assist on Michela Cava’s insurance marker in the third period. In Game 5, she once again connected with Cava with another third-period assist.
The 2024 ‘3 Stars of the Week’ final rankings are as follows. Points were awarded each week and tallied throughout the regular season and postseason.
First Star = 30 Points
Second Star = 20 Points
Third Star = 10 Points
Standings:
1. Natalie Spooner (TOR) = 100 Points
T2. Kristen Campbell (TOR) = 70 Points
T2. Brianne Jenner (OTT) = 70 Points
T4. Marie-Philip Poulin (MTL) = 60 Points
T4. Sarah Nurse (TOR) = 60 Points
T6. Ella Shelton (NY) = 50 Points
T6. Daryl Watts (OTT) = 50 Points
T8. Alex Carpenter (NY) = 40 Points
T8. Michela Cava (MIN) = 40 Points
T8. Kendall Coyne Schofield (MIN) = 40 Points
T8. Aerin Frankel (BOS) = 40 Points
T8. Taylor Heise (MIN) = 40 Points
T8. Alina Müller (BOS) = 40 Points
T14. Erin Ambrose (MTL) = 30 Points
T14. Claire Dalton (MTL) = 30 Points
T14. Nicole Hensley (MIN) = 30 Points
T14. Kateřina Mrázová (OTT) = 30 Points
T14. Maddie Rooney = 30 Points
T14. Grace Zumwinkle (MIN) = 30 Points
T20. Ann-Renée Desbiens (MTL) = 20 Points
T20. Jade Downie-Landry (NY) = 20 Points
T20. Sophie Jaques (MIN) = 20 Points
T23. Hannah Brandt (BOS) = 10 Points
T23. Renata Fast (TOR) = 10 Points
T23. Kali Flanagan (Tor) = 10 Points
T23. Hilary Knight (BOS) = 10 Points
T23. Abby Roque (NY) = 10 Points
T23. Corinne Schroeder (NY) = 10 Points
T23. Susanna Tapani (BOS) = 10 Points
T23. Blayre Turnbull (TOR) = 10 Points
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