Former University of Maine women’s ice hockey star Tereza Vanisova scored the tying goal for the Ottawa Charge in the third period of Game Four in their best-of-five Professional Women’s Hockey League championship series against the Minnesota Frost on Monday night. But the Frost triumphed 2-1 in overtime to claim its second straight Walter Cup at the Xcel Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The Frost won the series three games to one and all four games went to overtime and wound up with a 2-1 scoreline.
Vanisova’s first goal of the playoffs came midway through the third period.
She had three assists in the Charge’s eight playoff contests and her four points tied her for 11th among all playoff scorers.
Ottawa upset the second year league’s regular season champion Montreal Victoire three games to one in their opening playoff series.
That included a four-overtime loss against Montreal. The Charge also lost a three-overtime game to Minnesota.
Vanisova had 33 shots on goal in their eight games which was the most among the top 20 playoff point-getters.
The 29-year-old from Czechia was Ottawa’s leading goal scorer and point-producer during the regular season with 15 goals and seven assists for 22 points. She was tied for second in the league with her 15 goals.
She also led the league in penalty minutes with 38.
Vanisova is the UMaine women’s program’s all-time leading scorer with 129 points on 63 goals and 66 assists in 129 games.
Vanisova played for Montreal and Ottawa last season, registering two goals and 10 assists in 23 games.
She is a free agent but Ottawa Charge general manager Mike Hirshfeld told the Ottawa Citizen that signing her will be “our top priority” this offseason.
“We’ve had conversations with her and her agent,” said Hirschfeld.
Vanisova has been a fixture on Czechia’s national team for several years.
