PWHL Minnesota reverse swept Toronto sending the PWHL's runaway regular season champions home. Toronto picked Minnesota as their first round opponent.
PWHL Minnesota reverse swept Toronto sending the PWHL's runaway regular season champions home. Toronto picked Minnesota as their first round opponent.
Toronto fell 4-1 to Minnesota, eliminating them from the PWHL playoffs Friday night.
Toronto was the first seed entering the playoffs and selected Minnesota as their opponent.
Toronto gets off to a strong start
After two games of slow starts for Toronto, they were finally able to get to their game early in the first period.
They came out flying showing their presence through their physicality amassing 12 hits in the opening frame.
Toronto had multiple high quality scoring chances on their 13 shots in the period including on the power play where Hannah Miller's shot from the slot was denied by Maddie Rooney. 13 shots was Toronto’s total through the first three periods of Wednesday’s night game in Minnesota.
Their dominant play in the first was the highlight of the game for Toronto as in all aspects of the game they were the better team.
Penalties makeup the difference
It’s a hard pill to swallow but the most consistent part of Toronto’s game throughout the season, their penalty kill, didn't get the job done.
Both of Minnesota’s goals before Toronto pulled Kristen Campbell came on the power play. The first came after Kelly Pannek’s shot hit the post, allowing the puck to bounce right to Denise Křížová who slapped it into the wide open net to give them a 1-0 lead in the second period.
This an especially disappointing goal as all four players on the ice for Toronto were caught puck watching, allowing for Krizova to be wide open in front of the net.
A serious defensive mistake to make when down a player.
The second one was pure skill as Taylor Heise fired a rocket into the top corner on the glove side to give Minnesota the lead again this time at 2-1.
Minnesota’s power play during the regular season only scored five goals in 24 games. Allowing two power play goals is a backbreaker to any game, especially to a team that had trouble scoring.
Toronto couldn’t find finish
Taking advantage of your opponents mistakes is the name of the game, but in game five when Minnesota did so, Toronto could not find a way to capitalize.
Despite the lone goal on the board at the end of the game Toronto did generate some strong chances throughout the game, but like all three games they lost, Toronto could not find a way to put the puck in the back of the net on a regular basis.
In the second period alone Toronto had many opportunities but one that will sting the most has to be Victoria Bach getting the puck all alone in front of the net, but couldn’t get the shot off.
Part of this also has to be attributed to the amazing play of Minnesota’s Maddie Rooney. In game five she made multiple ten bell saves including one against a Sarah Nurse one timer that she sprawled across the net to save.