PWHL Minnesota got contributions from Sophie Jaques and Claire Butorac who both stepped up to play key roles for Minnesota in their 2-1 win over Ottawa.

PWHL Minnesota double-upped on Ottawa, winning 2-1 once again as they travelled north of the border to TD Place Saturday afternoon.

Sophia Kunin and Grace Zumwinkle scored Minnesota's two goals, and Nicole Hensley made 28 saves to help lead their team to victory as they played their second consecutive game without Taylor Heise.

“It was a full team effort,” head coach Ken Klee said following the game. “We’re obviously short a few players, and for other players to step up like a Claire Butorac or a Dom Kremer, she played great for us.”

Both of Minnesota's tallies came within the closing two minutes of the first and second period. First, Kunin took advantage of two Ottawa players colliding with each other and buried her second of the season against Emerance Maschmeyer with 1:27 remaining in the opening frame.

After Emily Clark tied things up in the second, Zumwinkle notched her team-leading seventh of the season to put her squad back up by one with 19 seconds to go.

Nicole Hensley stopped all five of Ottawa's third-period shots to earn her fifth win of the season and extend Minnesota’s lead atop the PWHL.

Claire Butorac on the First Line

Minnesota is managing reasonably well with Taylor Heise's absence from the lineup.

In their first game without their star center, Abby Boreen made up the top line with Kendall Coyne Schofield and Kelly Pannek. However, her 10-day contract ended following Wednesday's game, leaving a hole on the right wing for head coach Ken Klee to fill.

On Saturday, Klee opted to slot Claire Butorac alongside Coyne Schofield and Pannek. While the trio didn't put any points, they got their fair share of chances, most notably in the first period, when Coyne Schofield and Butorac found themselves with a two-on-one opportunity.

Butorac brought her speed, energy, and forechecking ability throughout the game, showing why she deserved her spot on the first line.

Minnesota's Stars Shine

With Heise out, Minnesota needed their best players to step up, and they did just that.

Zumwinkle ended her three-game goalless drought, the longest of her PWHL career, late in the second period to give Minnesota a 2-1 lead. Her seventh marker of the season served as the game-winner and placed her firmly in second for the goal lead league-wide — she trails three behind Toronto’s Natalie Spooner for the lead.

“Zummy, she’s a great finisher,” Klee said. “If we can get her in a position to score, she will.”

Hensley, who relinquished a career-worst four goals in her most recent matchup against Toronto, returned to her usual self. Saturday is the third time Hensley allowed just one goal this season. Her performance propelled her into the top three league-wide in save percentage and proved once again why she is among the best netminders in the world.

Sophie Jaques is Looking Comfortable

It's easier to assess Sophie Jaques' play now that she has two games under her. During her first go-around against Ottawa, the Toronto native flashed her offensive potential and got better as the game progressed.

In Jaques' second game, Klee again paired her with Minnesota's top defender, Lee Stecklein. While it's easy to overreact to a small sample size, based on two games, the duo complement each other well, and Jaques is playing the best hockey of her pro career.

“Lee Stecklein to me, is arguably the best d-man in the entire league,” Klee said. “Adding Sophie Jaques, she’s an offensive player, but she’s also a big body and very physical.

“I didn't realize that when I got her, [that] she was going to be that kind of player.”

Stecklein is a stout defensive defender, while Jaques brings more of an offensive flair to her game. Together, Jaques can take more risks in the offensive zone, join the rush, and play a style more akin to her skillset.

Jaques is unafraid to shoot the puck at five-on-five or on the power play and is aggressive when needed. She made smart heads-up plays all game, continued to run the blue line with the player advantage confidently, and was out with under a minute to go when Ottawa pulled their goalie.

“Sophie Jaques, she just jumped right in and playing with Lee; she’s done a great job, too,” Hensley said. “It’s been awesome to watch her get right in the mix.”

Jaques appears to have the trust of her head coach, and given how she's playing, she will likely get more time on the top pair next to Stecklein in the coming games.

Minnesota returns to the ice Sunday as they travel to Quebec to take on PWHL Montreal at Place Bell. Puck drop is at noon CT, 1:00 p.m. ET.