PWHL Minnesota shutout PWHL New York Sunday afternoon at UBS Arena with Maddie Rooney picking up the win between the pipes.
PWHL Minnesota shutout PWHL New York Sunday afternoon at UBS Arena with Maddie Rooney picking up the win between the pipes.
PWHL Minnesota goalie Maddie Rooney had lost to New York earlier in the season, but she wasn't about to let that happen again as her team prevailed, 2-0, at UBS Arena on Sunday afternoon.
The starting netminder for the United States national team in the gold-medal clinching game at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea posted her second shutout this season as the visitors saw a two-goal surge early in the second period be the difference in Elmont, N.Y.
The 26-year-old Rooney, who now has three wins between the pipes in her last six starts, once again faced 29 shots against New York but this time she stopped all 29 of them. She stopped 26 of 29 shots in a Jan. 14 loss to the then visitors at the Xcel Energy Center.
While the victory ended Minnesota's three-game skid, it extended New York's losing streak to three games. The hosts have not secured a single point in their last two games.
The win marked the return after a five-game injury hiatus of PWHL top draft pick Taylor Heise, who although kept off the scoreboard was thrilled with her team's performance on Sunday.
"I was super proud of the girls (today)...We've got shooters, we've got passers, we've got great defenders and we've got great goalies," Heise said in the post-game interview. "I'm just happy to be a part of this special group and I'm really happy to be back."
Minnesota was a buzzsaw in the offensive zone at the outset of that second period and it paid off with two goals in a span of under two-and-a-half minutes.
Kelly Pannek went top shelf on New York goalie Corinne Schroeder with a one-timer at the doorstep just 1:31 into the middle frame, and Abby Boreen provided the insurance goal just 2:24 later with a power-play tally that actually caromed off her skate and past a diving Schroeder.
Pannek's goal -- her second this season and 10th point overall -- was made possible via a perfect cross-ice feed from Grace Zumwinkle. Boreen's tally was her third in this PWHL campaign.
In all, Minnesota fired 39 shots on Schroeder, who was again stellar all-around despite surrendering the two goals early that middle frame.
At the other end of the ice, Rooney was rock solid despite against a furious New York charge over the latter stages of that 20 minutes of play and also the third period.
Minnesota had a slightly better effort in terms of the ebb and flow of play during a scoreless first period in which the visitors outshot New York 11-5.
Both squads had decent scoring chances at various times. However, there were no consistent rushes at either end.
Even the puck battles were spotty, although Minnesota bottled up the slot again New York's late pressure that period.
OF NOTE
The game marked the third meeting between the two squads, and the second straight time that Minnesota has won on New York's home ice. The visitors had also triumphed in Bridgeport, 2-1, on Jan. 28...Back on the ice for the opening puck drop was New York forward and top-liner Abby Roque after receiving a game misconduct during a 4-2 loss in Ottawa last Wednesday...New York Assistant Coach Colton Orr provided quite the pre-game wake-up call of sorts with a rousing vocal rendition of the starting lineup in the locker room.