Finishing first in the inaugural regular season was a huge accomplishment for the Toronto Sceptres, but they have one thing in mind for season two: winning a championship
In the PWHL’s debut season, Toronto was part of some major storylines. The first-ever game was held at their home, the Mattamy Athletic Centre (a 4-0 loss to New York), and the team looked shaky out of the gate. However, their amazing turnaround at the midway point led to them finishing first overall, and gave them the option of who to play in the playoffs, where they ultimately chose Minnesota.
As well, their hometown star, Natalie Spooner, rose to the top of the scoring race with 20 goals in 24 games, the same pace that Auston Matthews scored at in the NHL. However, the season ended in disappointment with a semifinal loss to the eventual Walter Cup champions, and an unfortunate knee injury to Spooner.
This season, the Sceptres will look to avenge that stinging defeat and regain their status as the PWHL’s top team. Not only did GM Gina Kingsbury add two key free agents in Daryl Watts and Emma Woods, but the team will move to a larger home arena, Coca-Cola Coliseum. With a new logo and name ready to go, this “Rise and Reign” era for Toronto is a reset for the players and coaches.
After the series loss to Minnesota, coach Troy Ryan (who was awarded PWHL coach of the year) said, “I thought I could’ve done a better job setting a tone that we had Minnesota in a place where we wanted them, and good teams need to find a way to end things — any little life that you give a team when they’re down 2-0, the confidence that they gain from that, also it takes away a little bit of our confidence.
“Sometimes it happens, I believe, because you have success in the regular season, you gain some confidence as a team from that, but also a staff gains trust, you think you’re going to be able to overcome [adversity] or get through it, and ultimately, we weren’t able to.”
However, Ryan also noted that the experience of the first season was historic and meaningful:
“When you can take your coaching hat off and you can take the season and the loss and you can put that aside, I think in reflection, to be part of an inaugural season and to be part of an organization like Toronto and have the support of our fans was incredible. You know right to the end — I saw a video where fans were chanting as they left, I think all three of our games at Coca-Cola Coliseum — to be part of a group like that is just special.”
Not only was Spooner the top forward, MVP, and the highest-scoring player, but teammate Sarah Nurse finished tied for second overall in scoring along with Marie-Philip Poulin and Alex Carpenter with 23 points.
After the playoff loss, Nurse was able to keep the team’s overall success in perspective.
“I look at how hard it is in any sport to be a first-place team so I’m proud we were able to check that box off the list, but going into playoffs that was a whole different atmosphere,” she said.
“I don’t think many of us had played in a five-game series. I’ve done three before but never five. I don’t know how they do seven in the NHL but it was just completely different.
“I think obviously we didn’t get the result we wanted but the results and the outcome don’t necessarily define the season.”
Spooner is back on the ice training, but won’t play with Canada in the upcoming Rivalry Series, and although she has a goal to return Nov. 30, is still unlikely to start the season with Toronto. However, Daryl Watts, a Toronto native, will contribute some scoring punch during Spooner’s potential absence. Watts finished last season strong with Ottawa, notching 15 points in her final 15 games, including a hat trick against Toronto.
Captain Blayre Turnbull said, “I think as a team we laid a really good foundation of what type of team we want to be. I think we were hard to play against, and we played a really tough and gritty game for most of our games this season, which is part of our identity.
“But I think overall we lacked a bit of scoring when it mattered; obviously in the playoffs we came up short. But I like where our team is right now and I think we did a great job of building the foundation of who we are as a team and as a franchise.”
Summing up the bittersweet first season for Toronto, heart-and-soul goaltender Carly Jackson said, “Unfortunately, we did fall short, and that was pretty heartbreaking for us. I think it really puts a chip on our shoulder. It was very cool seeing us win all of these awards in the post-season and I think our organization and the players, and all of us feel very proud of that.
“But the ultimate goal is a championship, so I really think that going into next year, we feel that extra energy, we feel that extra chip of, okay, we didn’t get the ultimate goal and what are we needing to do to make that extra step to get that championship? And I think that’s a really fun place to be because we have such faith, we have such belief in the ability of our team, and the people that are involved and the people that are behind us.”
Netminder Kristen Campbell, who added to the team’s trophy case with her Goaltender of the Year Award, had 12 straight wins during the team’s hot streak, and will look to continue her strong play. With the addition of several flashy offensive rookies in the PWHL draft, goalies will be tested more than ever.
Campbell said, “There’s a lot of lessons we can take from [last] year, and especially the playoff run. I think that sports are tough and winning is hard, and we did it a lot consistently. Obviously, now we’ve got to take that next step and be able to finish it off when it matters most.
“For me personally, I feel like every game I was just focused on getting better game by game and in the playoffs I was feeling good. But I know there’s still work to be done and a lot of little things that i can tighten up myself.”
Starting for Canada in the Rivalry Series would be a major step for Campbell as she continues to develop as a top goalie. She has the Sceptres’ success clearly in focus as the second PWHL season begins.
“I know our group’s motivated; we have the right people in the room and we have a lot of character people that are going to take the experience to be better and to win a championship [this] year.”