Minnesota Frost are familiar with opening PWHL playoff series at a disadvantage

The Frost are 0-4 in Game 1s of PWHL playoff series so far in their short history, yet they’ve won each of the first three series, including the one that led them to last season’s Walter Cup championship.

They’re there again after Tuesday night’s 2-1 overtime loss at Ottawa in their five-game PWHL Finals series.

“We’re definitely not trying to play from behind,” Frost coach Ken Klee said. “It’s just one of those things. It’s a long series. Playoffs are tough. It’s tough to win games. We’re just at the spot we found ourselves in the past, and unfortunately, we’re in it again.”

Ottawa’s Emily Clark scored on a sharp-angled shot 2:47 into overtime after the Charge were outshot 26-19 by Frost.

Like Toronto and Boston last season and Toronto again this season, the Charge beat the Frost in a series opener.

All four of those openers, it should be noted, were on the road.

Game 2 and a chance to even the series is Thursday night, again at TD Place in Ottawa, before the finals continue at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon and Game 4 on Monday afternoon (if needed) on Memorial Day weekend. A Game 5 would be back in Ottawa.

“We started all these series on the road. It’s very hard to win on the road, but I think our group knows they’re a resilient group,” Klee said Wednesday in a teleconference with reporters. “They’re going to stick with it. We know what we came here to do. That’s win one game, and that’s what we’re going to focus on.”

The Frost won those first three series with comebacks from a roster anchored by Olympic and NCAA champions, state high school and PWHL champs, and Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winners.

“We have players who have won at multiple stages of their career,” Frost defender Mellissa Channell-Watkins said. “So, we know we have the belief in the room, and when we all come together, we know we’re capable of playing our games and being successful at that. It definitely gives a lot of confidence.”

All three of the Charge’s first-round playoff victories were by one goal. They won another game by the same margin Tuesday to open the PWHL Finals against the Frost.

The Frost have been behind like this every playoff series so far in the PWHL.

Ottawa coach Carla MacLeod was asked whether she needed to remind her players that the opponent has been in this situation before.

“There’s not much reminding required,” MacLeod said. “They’re the defending champions of this league. They’re back in the finals. We know they’re an incredible team. We’re not looking at this as a series yet. We’re looking at individual games, and Game 1 is on the shelf. It’s neither here nor there. It’s done. Their game is so strong. We know they have another gear to what they’re going to do as well.

“There’s no reminding necessary. We’re highly respectful for Minnesota and what they’ve done, not only this year but last year as well. They’re playing great hockey right now, and we just feel like there’s two great teams going back and forth right now.”

Trailing 1-0 in the playoffs for the fourth time, Klee was asked whether his team has the opponent right where it wants it.

“I don’t know about that,” he said.