Whitecaps come up just short in quest for another Isobel Cup

After shocking the Premier Hockey Federation world last weekend with a major upset, the Minnesota Whitecaps couldn’t quite finish the job in the Isobel Cup Final on Sunday night.

The Whitecaps suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 overtime loss to the Toronto Six at Mullet Arena in Tempe, Ariz. After nonstop action in the extra session, Toronto forward Tereza Vanisova scored the game-winner to lift the Six to their first-ever Isobel Cup.

That the Whitecaps were even competing for the Isobel Cup was a big win in and of itself. They struggled through a cold streak at the end of the regular season, skidding to the finish line on an eight-game losing streak.

Not many people gave the Whitecaps much of a chance in their semifinal matchup against the Boston Pride, the PHF’s regular-season champion, but they strung together two wins for the surprising sweep.

That set the stage for a championship game for the ages between the Whitecaps and the Six.

It was a fast start for the Six as forward Dominika Laskova put them in front 1-0 early in the first period.

The Whitecaps finally responded in the second period with a goal from forward Brittyn Fleming to tie the game at 1-1.

Not long after, the Six regained the lead when forward Breanne Wilson-Bennett took advantage of some miscommunication to make it 2-1.

The Whitecaps got a goal from forward Brooke Madsen to level the score at 2-2.

That paved the way for the third period where the Whitecaps took their first lead of the game when forward Jonna Albers finished off a perfect pass from fellow forward Natalie Snodgrass to make it 3-2.

This time it was the Six who fought back as defenseman Taylor Woods crashed the net and found a way to tie the game at 3-3.

In the end, the Whitecaps came up just short of the Isobel Cup, as Vanišová lifted the Six to victory in dramatic fashion.