With the Sceptres up a game, they lost a chance to take a stranglehold in Game Two and after a 5-3 win by the Frost, the series goes back to Minnesota tied at one game each.

It was a night for defenders to score, as six of the eight total goals were scored by blue liners. 

Minnesota inserted goalie Maddie Rooney over Game One starter Nicole Hensley. In last year’s series, Rooney similarly entered in the second game and stood on her head for the Frost.

With Britta Curl suspended for one game for her hit to the head on the Sceptres’ Renata Fast, Minnesota had to adjust their lines and power play formations. Brooke Bryant drew in to the forward ranks.

In the first, the Sceptres capitalized on a Frost turnover early, as Hayley Scamurra grabbed the loose puck and threw it toward the net. It hit a defender and went behind Rooney to give Toronto a 1-0 lead at 7:11.

Minnesota threw shots at the Sceptres’ goal, including many opportunistic ones by their fourth line, which looked dangerous again.

The Sceptres also killed off a Megan Carter tripping penalty and gained momentum from it, spending an extended period of time in the Frost zone afterwards. Shots were 10-8 for the Sceptres.

However, the pushback came in the second for the defending champions. It was all Frost for the first four minutes as they held the puck in the offensive zone and forced the Sceptres into sloppy turnovers and clearing attempts. Finally, Lee Stecklein tipped a point shot from Kelly Pannek past Kristen Campbell’s glove with a one-handed backhand. 

The teams traded chances and some ill-tempered exchanges again until 10:57 when a point shot by Claire Thompson that looked intentionally wide bounced off the boards right to playoff performer Michela Cava who pitched it into the net.

When Rylind MacKinnon took a penalty for an illegal hit, the Frost power play struck directly from a face-off. Dominique Petrie grabbed the scrambled draw and gave it to Stecklein who fired and hit Campbell’s glove. It bounced up and over into the net to give Minnesota a two-goal lead. It marked the first time Campbell had let in three goals on her playoff career.

There were some rough moments as well, and Taylor Heise went at it with several of the Sceptres, eventually taking an elbowing penalty on Emma Maltais. It was a costly one as the Sceptres took advantage and Savannah Harmon scored her first of the playoffs (and the season) at 16:56 with a well-placed slap shot through a screen.

Just 20 seconds later, yet another defender got on the board with Allie Munroe tying the game at 3-3 by throwing a shot along the ice that went through Rooney’s feet. The home crowd erupted and the game went into the second intermission all evened up.

Of Munroe, coach Troy Ryan said, " You see it all the time in the playoffs, people who tend to step up, play a hard game, play the right way all year, it's just nice to see them get rewarded."

The play tightened up in the third and chances were harder to come by. Although the Sceptres looked to have more dangerous moments, it was Toronto native Sophie Jaques who gave the visitors the lead at 13:47 with a wrister that found room through Campbell’s pad and blocker. 

The game was iced by yet another defender when Toronto took a too many players on the ice penalty and Melissa Channell-Watkins shot high through a screen that found a spot over Campbell’s glove. 

Stecklein has been clutch for the Frost.

"Obviously she's known as a world-class defensive defenseman who always has a good stick, good gap, hard to play against, but tonight she was feeling it and driving the net, had that little tip play, and it's playoffs," said coach Ken Klee.

"We know we have to find different ways to score goals and different people have to contribute, and she knows that, she exemplifies that, and that's why she's one of our leaders and one of our best players."

"Playoff hockey is so, highs-low, peaks-valleys, momentum swings. I thought we were really flat [in the first part of the second period] but in part they just took over momentum, and nice to see them contribute to get it back," said Ryan.

Emma Maltais, who had two assists, said, "It’s not the result we wanted but we have experience with the ups and downs. I think although there were some things that weren’t perfect in that game, there are some things we can pull from going into Minnesota here and I think we’re just prepared right now and there’s a sense of calmness in the room.

"I think if we just come to the next game, we’re the top seed we just have to come with that swag and confidence that we’re going to take it to them in the next game."

The series now shifts to Minnesota for Game 3 on Sunday at Xcel Energy Center.