The first shorthanded goal in PWHL history was the difference, as Toronto beat New York for their first win of the season.

BRIDGEPORT, CT -- An historic shorthanded goal proved the difference as PWHL Toronto avenged an opening-day loss and sent New York to its first loss, 3-2, in action at the Total Mortgage Arena on Friday night.

The first shortie of the PWHL season put the visitors ahead to stay at the 6:34 mark of the third period when Emma Maltais converted a rebound into an open right side after Jesse Compher's shot from the left circle was initially saved by Levy. Samantha Cogan also had an assist.

"Jesse (Compher) had a great support position and I just went down (the slot) and then hard to the net with my stick ... I was lucky but happy it went in," Maltais said.

Maltais spoke of the team's consistency at both ends of the ice and throughout the entire game in being able to record the first 'W' for the franchise.

"(In the 4-0 loss) we just made some simple errors that were easy fixes," she said. "We knew if we focused on our work ethic and our mentality that we could get it done tonight. I'm happy with how hard we played."

Twice the thrills

Along with the shorthanded tally, the night was also made special for Toronto as Natalie Spooner came through on the power play just 38 seconds into the second period to tie the game at 1-1. It was the first Toronto goal in franchise history.

Abby Roque had made it 1-0 less than four minutes into the game.

"It's obviously special but it was a whole team effort out there tonight," Spooner said. "We had a ton of energy on the bench and just to get the win feels incredible."

The squads had entered the third period tied at 2-2 and with New York starting to pick up the tempo and zone time over the latter stages of the middle stanza.

In fact, New York had a goal disallowed just one minute into the third on the ruling that Campbell had possession of the puck long enough to stop play before it trickled into the net.

But Toronto hung tough, and the perseverance paid off in the most remarkable of ways with the Maltais' shorthanded goal.

Toronto head coach Troy Ryan will take the win in whatever way it comes.

"I love that (shorthanded) rule now," Ryan said (smiling) of the situation where a penalized player leaves the box if her team scores a goal. "I love it today; I don't know if I'll love it the next time it occurs. Tonight (that rule) just came at an exciting time."

Alex Carpenter's second goal of the season with two-and-a half minutes left in the second period had knotted the score after two periods. The shot off a great feed from Jessie Eldridge came from between the circles. Olivia Zafuto had the secondary assist.

Quick-strike offense

It took less than four minutes for New York to give the fans at Total Mortgage Arena reason to erupt in cheers.

Abby Roque's persistence through traffic in front of the crease resulted in a tip-in off an initial stop by Toronto goalie Kristen Campbell to put New York ahead 1-0 only 3:58 into the first period.

The goal for Roque -- the first to express her desire on social media to play for New York and among the first free agents to sign with the team -- was her first this season.

Ella Shelton, who scored the first goal in PWHL history in Toronto last Monday, had the primary assist while former Quinnipiac University standout Emma Woods added a helper.

Energy in the building

Roque, like all of those -- players and coaches -- interviewed after the game on both teams, spoke highly of the very enthusiastic crowd of 2,152. While the lowest turnout in the PWHL thus far, it was certainly not the most quiet. They all praised the atmosphere.

"It was a great turnout, and to hear them (chanting) and all the signs and the young boys and girls standing along the glass and smiling and waving to us was great," Roque said. "Hopefully they loved our effort and our heart and I hope the next home game we can get a win for them."

New York head coach Howie Draper certainly counts himself among those pleased with all the positivity and loud cheering that took place the entire game.

"It was great," Draper said. "We didn't have the (attendance) numbers of the other games ... but we certainly had the emotion. I could feel it. The fans brought a lot of excitement and our team felt that and it's just too bad we couldn't have won for them." 

Taking advantage

New York initially overcame a challenge late in the first period, having to kill off a 5-on-3 Toronto advantage for 45 seconds and with both a New York defender and Levy having lost their sticks during the intense play.

While they couldn't convert the 5-on-3, the visitors remained on the power play to start the second period and converted just 38 seconds in when Natalie Spooner lit the lamp on a rebound off a nice setup by Sarah Nurse and Renata Fast.

The equalizer seemed to fire up Toronto, which continued to buzz around Levy's net and that effort paid off with Alexa Vasco depositing another rebound from the low slot to give Toronto the 2-1 advantage. Rebecca Leslie and Brittany Howard supplied the assists.

Stops in the clutch

Huge scoring chances by Toronto's Allie Munroe (breakaway) and Nurse (blast from left circle) midway through the period gave Levy all she could handle. The Nwe York netminder faced 27 shots through 40 minutes.

Campbell, meanwhile, also came up huge between the pipes with some key saves during a New York power play in the second period. She turned back 15 of 17 shots through the first two periods.

Push and shove

The physical play that has been a big part of this match-up going back to when the two teams met up in Utica and continuing in the regular-season opener, was again on display with several scuffles around Abbey Levy's net.

There was a brief scare for New York and their fans in period one when Jill Saulnier hit the ice hard after one such battle for the puck and laid flat on her back for several seconds before being helped up. She skated to the bench.

Home sweet home

New York forward Emma Woods (2013-17) and goalie Corinne Schroeder (2021-22) played their collegiate hockey at Quinnipiac University, just 27 miles from Total Mortgage Arena in Hamden, CT. Carley Olivier, a reserve play for New York, suited up for the University of Connecticut as a freshman (2017-18).

Local youth hockey ties

Several PWHL players and a general manager have strong roots in the Bridgeport/New Haven area, having laced up their skates in prominent youth hockey organizations.

Along with Boston's Hilary Knight and Ottawa's Amanda Boulier, Boston general manager Danielle Marmer played for the Connecticut Polar Bears. Minnesota's Kendall Coyne Schofield was with the Mid Fairfield Stars.