Susanna Tapani scores in OT, Aerin Frankel makes 53 saves, and Boston beats Montreal 2-1

LAVAL, Quebec (AP) — Susanna Tapani scored in overtime and Aerin Frankel made a league-record 53 saves to lead Boston to a 2-1 win over Montreal in Game 1 of a Professional Women’s Hockey League semifinal series on Thursday night.

“Tremendous,” Boston head coach Courtney Kessel said of her goalie. “Just when you think everyone is beat on the ice, she comes flying across the net.”

Tapani pounced on a loose puck in the blue paint at 14:25 of the extra period for the first overtime goal in PWHL playoff history.

Lexie Adzija scored in regulation for Boston. The visitors entered the best-of-five semifinal with wins in four of their final five games, including a 4-3 victory over Montreal in the final game of the regular season.

Kristin O’Neill scored and Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 24 shots for Montreal, which finished second in the PWHL regular season and six points ahead of third-place Boston.

“Frankel played really well, we had 54 shots, I think it’s the first time we’ve done that,” Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin said. “We just have to keep with it, keep throwing a lot of shots at the net, hinder her sight, putting traffic in front of her.”

Game 2 in the series is Saturday in Laval.

The winner meets Toronto or Minnesota in a best-of-five final for the Walter Cup. Toronto leads the other semifinal 1-0.

Montreal went 1 for 5 on the power play in a chippy game. Boston was 0 for 2.

Laura Stacey nearly ended the game on a breakaway 10 minutes into the extra period but missed high after chasing down a stretch pass from Mélodie Daoust.

Keller then put Montreal on the power play by slashing the stick out of Stacey’s hands. Montreal, however, couldn’t capiltalize.

“I had a couple lucky bounces,” Frankel said. “Someone told me the puck was in my pants at one point and then fell out. … We had a little bit of puck luck tonight.”

With Boston trailing 1-0, Shirley cut to the inside and ripped a shot that hit Adzija’s stick and beat Desbiens to tie the game 1:48 into the third period.

O’Neill opened the scoring with a power-play goal 1:07 into the second period. Stacey’s one-timer hit Frankel’s shoulder and fell on the goal line before O’Neill knocked it into the net.

Montreal led the shots 25-10 after 40 minutes and 12-2 after 20.

Montreal played without forward Sarah Lefort, who was suspended for one game ahead of Game 1 for her open-ice hit on Boston forward Jamie Lee Rattray in the final game of the regular season Saturday.

Rattray, Taylor Girard and Loren Gabel — all forwards — were out of the lineup for Boston.

AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Montreal goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens (35) keeps her eyes on the puck as Boston's Theresa Schafzahl (37) looks for the rebound during the third period of Game 1 of a PWHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens pounces onto the puck after stepping out of the crease during the third period of Game 1 of the team's PWHL hockey playoff series against Boston on Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston's Sophie Shirley, centre, celebrates her goal against Montreal with Megan Keller (5) and Sidney Morin (7) during the third period of Game 1 of a PWHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel (31) makes a save against Montreal's Laura Stacey (7) during the third period of Game 1 of a PWHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston's Sophie Shirley (9) celebrates her goal against Montreal with teammates during the third period of Game 1 of a PWHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel (31) makes a save against Montreal's Kristin O'Neill (43) during the third period of Game 1 of a PWHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens, second from right, tries to stop the puck in front of the net just before Boston's Susanna Tapani, not seen, tipped it in during overtime in Game 1 of a PWHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston's Susanna Tapani (88) celebrates her goal against Montreal goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens (35) during overtime in Game 1 of a PWHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston celebrates a win over Montreal in overtime of Game 1 of a PWHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston's Susanna Tapani, centre, celebrates her goal over Montreal with teammates Megan Keller (5) and Alina Muller (11) during overtime of Game 1 of a PWHL hockey playoff series, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

You may have heard of white noise used to mask background sounds. Now, it has colorful competition.

There’s a growing buzz around pink noise, brown noise, green noise — a rainbow of soothing sounds — and their theoretical effects on sleep, concentration and the relaxation response.

The science is new with only a few small studies behind it, but that hasn’t stopped thousands of people from listening to hours of these noises on YouTube and on meditation apps that provide a palette of color noises with paid subscriptions.

WHAT IS PINK NOISE?

To understand pink noise, start with white, the most familiar of the color noises.

White noise is similar to static on a radio or TV. Sound engineers define it as having equal volume across all the frequencies audible to the human ear. It gets its name from white light, which contains all the visible color wavelengths.

But the high frequencies of white noise can sound harsh. Pink noise turns down the volume on those higher frequencies, so it sounds lower in pitch and more like the natural sound of rain or the ocean.

Brown noise sounds even lower in pitch, giving it a pleasing, soothing rumble.

Pink and brown, like white, have standard definitions to audio experts. Other color noises are more recent creations with very flexible definitions.

WHAT’S THE SCIENCE BEHIND COLOR NOISES?

White noise and pink noise may provide small benefits for people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to a recent review of limited ADHD studies. In theory, it wakes up the brain, said ADHD researcher and co-author Joel Nigg of Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.

"The noise provides stimulation to the brain without providing information, and so it doesn’t distract,” Nigg said.

White noise has been used to treat ringing or buzzing in the ear, called tinnitus.

Scientists at Northwestern University are studying how short pulses of pink noise can enhance the slow brain waves of deep sleep. In small studies, these pink-noise pulses have shown promise in improving memory and the relaxation response.

Pink noise has a frequency profile “very similar to the distribution of brain wave frequencies we see in slow-wave sleep because these are large, slow waves,” said Dr. Roneil Malkani, assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

If Northwestern’s research pans out, it could lead to a medical device to improve sleep or memory through personalized pulses of pink noise. But many scientific questions remain unanswered, Malkani said. “There’s still a lot of work we have to do.”

IS THERE ANY HARM IN TRYING COLOR NOISES?

If color noises feel calming and help you drown out distractions, it makes sense to use them. Keep them at a quiet level, of course, to prevent hearing loss and take "plenty of breaks for the ears to rest,” Nigg said.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Dr. Roneil Malkani demonstrates the set up for a sleep study at the Center for Circadian & Sleep Medicine at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago on May 16, 2024. Pink noise has a frequency profile “very similar to the distribution of brain wave frequencies we see in slow-wave sleep because these are large, slow waves,” said Malkani, assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. (AP Photo/Laura Bargfeld)

Dr. Roneil Malkani points to a recording of pink noise being played at brief intervals to enhance slow brain waves during deep sleep at the Center for Circadian & Sleep Medicine at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago on May 16, 2024. Pink noise has a frequency profile “very similar to the distribution of brain wave frequencies we see in slow-wave sleep because these are large, slow waves,” said Malkani, assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. (AP Photo/Laura Bargfeld)

Dr. Roneil Malkani shows an example of pink noise being used to enhance slow brainwaves during deep sleep at the Center for Circadian & Sleep Medicine at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago on May 16, 2024. Pink noise has a frequency profile “very similar to the distribution of brain wave frequencies we see in slow-wave sleep because these are large, slow waves,” said Malkani, assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. (AP Photo/Laura Bargfeld)