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PWHL Minnesota breaks scoreless tie, extends playoff series with 1-0 win

The two clubs were scoreless after three periods and one overtime session before Claire Butorac slipped a puck past Toronto's goaltender.

Claire Butorac scored early in the second overtime to give Minnesota a 1-0 win over Toronto on Wednesday night to force a decisive fifth game in the semifinal series.

It was the fourth-straight shutout in the series but the first game to go into overtime. The home team has won each game with Game 5 bouncing back to Toronto on Friday.

The winner between top-seeded Toronto and fourth-seed Minnesota will face third-seeded Boston for the inaugural PWHL championship. Boston swept Montreal with three overtime wins.

Butorac cashed in on a loose puck in front of the net 4:27 into the second overtime. Defender Sophie Jaques dumped the puck from the point behind the net where Liz Schepers got the bounce off the boards and redirected it backward. The puck bounced off the side of the net and out front for Butorac to clean up.

Minnesota goalie Maddie Rooney made 19 saves for her second-straight shutout. Toronto's Kristen Campbell had 28 saves, including 14 in the third period as Minnesota turned up the pressure to help push the game into overtime. Butorac's goal was Minnesota's only shot in the second overtime.

The teams combined for five penalties and are now a combined 0 for 20 on power plays in the series.

Toronto played without Natalie Spooner, the league's leading scorer with 20 goals during the regular season. Spooner suffered a knee injury in the previous game after getting tangled up with Minnesota's Grace Zumwinkle and is out for the playoffs.

You can watch Friday's series-clinching game on the PWHL's YouTube page

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