PWHL Toronto took a 5-1 win over PWHL Boston to open the preseason in Utica, New York. Here's who and what stood out.
PWHL Toronto took a 5-1 win over PWHL Boston to open the preseason in Utica, New York. Here's who and what stood out.
PWHL Toronto picked up a 5-1 win in the opening game of the PWHL Preseason Camp. Blayre Turnbull scored a hat trick for Toronto while Sarah Nurse and Maggie Connors also scored in the win. Sophie Shirley had the lone Boston goal in the loss.
Standouts For Toronto
Obviously opening the preseason with a hat trick was a nice way to begin for Blayre Turnbull, but she showed she's more than just a checking line forward. Turnbull pushed the pace but also put herself into good spots on the ice to find loose pucks. On Toronto's blueline, the mobility of Kali Flanagan jumped out. She joined the rush and alongside another standout Brittany Howard ran Toronto's top powerplay unit. Flanagan also used her skating to close gaps and defend by taking away time and space. Howard showed her creativity throughout whether she was on the point on the powerplay or evading checkers in the offensive zone. While she didn't hit the scoresheet, Hannah Miller's game was also noticeable for Toronto. Miller's power showed in puck battles where she used her frame to gain positioning. She looks like a player who will be an important two-way player for Toronto. As no surprise, Renata Fast played a solid game for Toronto at both ends of the ice asserting herself with Boston forwards often. Looking at professional rookies, Maggie Connors showed her skill and creativity both on the powerplay and in the shootout. She could be a young player who makes noise this season. Finally, netminder Kirsten Campbell was solid between the pipes for Toronto, stopping all but one shot she faced.
Standouts For Boston
Boston's top line of Alina Mueller, Sophie Shirley, and Jamie Lee Rattray had moments where they controlled the play. One thing that was evident with this line was the combined speed they brought to the attack. Two of Boston's more notable players in the game were defender Kaleigh Fratkin and forward Shiann Darkangelo. Fratkin played key minutes in all situations and showcased her mobility, physicality, and ability to generate offense from the backend. Darkangelo who captained the Toronto Six to a PHF title last year showed her strength along the boards at both ends. She was a physical presence for Boston and was impactful both on and off the puck in the game. Of the still unsigned free agents in the lineup for Boston Taylor Wenczkowski had some excellent moments centering a line with Taylor Girard and Loren Gabel.
Impact Of The Rule Alterations
The most noticeable of the rule changes in the opening was the penalty format where minor penalties did not end with a goal. This allowed five-on-three opportunities to continue and definitely increased scoring chances throughout the game. Similarly, having two periods with a long change created multiple odd player rushes and breakaway opportunities in the game.