PWHL Toronto didn't back down from Minnesota's push, and it resulted in a 2-0 win and a 2-0 series league in their PWHL playoff series.
PWHL Toronto didn't back down from Minnesota's push, and it resulted in a 2-0 win and a 2-0 series league in their PWHL playoff series.
PWHL Toronto squeaked out a last-minute 2-0 victory over Minnesota to give them a two-game series lead heading on the road.
A Jesse Compher goal and another perfect performance from Kristen Campbell in the net led to another win on home ice.
Penalty kill
It is hard not to appreciate the poetry in motion that is Toronto’s penalty kill. In their first chance of the game, they dominated Minnesota hemming them in their end. On Minnesota’s first two powerplays, Toronto did not allow a single shot on net as they forced Minnesota’s offensive players to cycle the puck along the boards and shoot from low-percentage areas when in the zone.
“I said to the group that I thought that the penalty kill gave us momentum at different times of our game and that was a big part of our success,” said Troy Ryan
Besides being able to nullify Minnesota, the penalty group was also creating quality scoring opportunities while down a skater. Spooner and Nurse were especially impressive as Nurse generated a partial breakaway before she was pulled down, drawing a penalty and an opportunity for Spooner after breaking up a play in the neutral zone.
Toronto ended the night perfect on the penalty kill going four for four and only allowing a total of three shots against while on the penalty kill.
Things are heating up
After a relatively quiet game one, bodies were flying all over the ice in a physical affair that didn’t see either team back down from the gritty style of play.
Toronto’s Allie Munroe made her presence felt through her physical play as she laid a massive hit on Minnesota’s Kendall Coyne Schofield early in the first period.
For Toronto, it was the whole team getting involved in the physical play as players like of Maggie Conner and Nurse were making their presence felt with the body as well as offensively.
“I think a strength of our team is that we can lead in the physicality and if other teams give it to us we will give it right back,” said Nurse. “I think we do a lot of dictating out there and testing the officiating.”
There was no escaping the physicality after the whistle either as Joceylne Larcoque gave a healthy dose of lumber to Grace Zumwinkle after taking a hack at Campbell’s glove in the third period.
Overall, though the three periods of play Minnesota had 40 hits while Toronto had 43 showing how much these two teams have settled into the series.
On top of the hitting Toronto also got their bodies in front of shots, blocking 23 of Minnesota’s shot attempts.
Soupy comes up big
It has already been said, but Kristen Campbell played another phenomenal game tonight. With the lack of offence, Campbell’s saves were even more critical to Toronto’s win Tonight.
This performance was highlighted with just under 12 minutes left in the second period as Campbell made a timely save on a Grace Zumwinkle breakaway to keep the game knotted at zero.
“She was incredible, every save she made she expected to make the save,” said Ryan. “When a goalie can play with that level of confidence and that type of composure, that just spreads amongst the team from the players on the ice to the coaching staff.”
Campbell made 21 saves on the night securing her second straight playoff shutout and second star of the game.