Sophie Jaques had an impressive debut with PWHL Minnesota, while Abby Boreen paced Minnesota to a 2-1 win over Ottawa, which reclaimed Minnesota's hold on first overall.

 PWHL Minnesota returned from the Rivalry Series break by putting up three points in the standings, winning 2-1 over Ottawa despite being without Taylor Heise.

Maddie Rooney stopped 23 of 24 shots, Abby Boreen notched two points, and Sophie Jaques had one of her best performances of the season as PWHL players took to the ice at Xcel Energy Center Wednesday night.

The game started as a back-and-forth affair, with each team flying off of puck drop. Grace Zumwinkle had a slew of chances in the first period, including two good looks in the first five minutes, but Ottawa would strike first.

Amanda Boulier, a former Minnesota Whitecap, flung a wrist shot on the net near the right hash marks. The shot cleanly beat a screened Rooney, putting the visitors up one just over five minutes into the opening frame.

The game's back-and-forth nature persisted following Boulier's marker, with Zumwinkle consistently getting good looks and Minnesota's top-line testing Emerance Maschmeyer, but the Bruderheim, AB native stood her ground.

Despite Minnesota picking up steam as the period progressed, they trailed 1-0 after one.

Zoe Boyd's cross-checking penalty 1:58 into the second would give Minnesota their first and only power play. Their new-look top unit featured Jaques running the point, and she made quick work with the player advantage.

Jaques fired a one-timer from the blue line, which missed wide left. Kelly Pannek battled along the goal line and outworked Boulier, which freed the puck up for Boreen to bury her second of the season and knot the game at one.

The teams found themselves in a deadlock for the remainder of the period, and the contest entered the third and final frame tied one apiece.

In the third, captain Kendall Coyne Schofield got the puck to Maggie Flaherty at the point. Flaherty unleashed a clap bomb, which beat Maschmeyer, giving the Minnesota-born defender her first goal of the season and putting her team ahead 2-1.

A Claire Butorac hooking penalty gave Ottawa an opportunity with the player advantage midway through the third. Still, Minnesota's defense killed off the power play, suppressed the visitors at even strength as the clock trickled down, and fought off their last-minute push with Maschmeyer looking on from the bench.

Rooney's 23 saves and Boreen's two-point night pushed Minnesota past Ottawa on Valentine's Day and sent fans in the State of Hockey home happy with a tidy 2-1 victory.

Jaques’ Impressive Debut

One of the most intriguing storylines entering Wednesday's matchup was how Jaques would fit alongside Lee Stecklein on Minnesota's top pair. Head coach Ken Klee opted to ice their recent trade acquisition with arguably the PWHL's top defensive defender and everything clicked.

Jaques got more and more comfortable as the game progressed. She took more liberties in the offensive zone, shooting the puck at will from the point and even getting into the rough areas, most notably by battling an incoming Lexie Adzija for the puck in Minnesota's end.

She started on the power plays top unit alongside Stecklein and immediately flashed her immense offensive potential. While the PWHL didn't credit Jaques with an assist on Boreen's marker, her shot from the point did spark the scramble in front, which led to the goal.

The power-play goal is just Minnesota's second of the season. While it would be an overreaction to say that Jaques has solved their power play problems after one match, a one-for-one success rate since her addition is undoubtedly a promising sign. There's no reason why she can't bring an offensive punch to a power play which has struggled to finish, meaning there is no reason why Minnesota fans shouldn't be excited to see Jaques play on Saturday.

Boreen Shines in Heightened Role

Boreen earned Player of the Game honors, and rightfully so. The former Golden Gopher stepped up as her fellow University of Minnesota alum, Heise, was injured. She got reps on the first line with Coyne Schofield and Pannek, bringing her typical high-energy, heavy forechecking style.

She capitalized on Pannek's net-front battle with Boulier on the power play and buried one past Maschmeyer. While her second point of the night — an assist on Flaherty's goal — wasn't inherently flashy, an assist is still an assist in the PWHL, and it's nice to see Boreen get rewarded for her efforts.

Wednesday was Boreen’s final game under the 10-day contract she signed back on Jan. 24, meaning unless she signs a second 10-day contract — the last 10-day contract she is eligible to sign — Boreen will be absent from Minnesota’s lineup moving forward.

Minnesota caps off their home-and-home series against Ottawa on Saturday at TD Place. Jaques will look to follow up her impressive debut, Zumwinkle will aim to get back on the scoresheet, and Minnesota will look to improve to 3-0 against the team from Canada's capital.