Welcome to the State of Heise. Minnesota beat Toronto and it was the dazzling play of Taylor Heise that made the difference as Alex Wauthy writes.
Welcome to the State of Heise. Minnesota beat Toronto and it was the dazzling play of Taylor Heise that made the difference as Alex Wauthy writes.
Welcome to the State of Heise. Taylor Heise took control Wednesday night, notching two highlight-reel goals and a slick assist as PWHL Minnesota remains unbeaten to open up the PWHL season.
Heise's play and another sensational goaltending performance by Nicole Hensley, who stopped 31 of 32 shots, propelled Minnesota over Toronto as they won 3-1 at Xcel Energy Center.
The Game
Minnesota's goaltending stole the show in the first period. Despite Toronto dominating possession, controlling the pace, and getting multiple power play opportunities, they couldn't beat Hensley.
Minnesota's first line was the exception to Toronto's dominance. Their top-line of Heise, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Denisa Křížová found success. Multiple times throughout the period, the trio cycled the puck well and created frequent rush opportunities—their chances all came to a head with two minutes remaining in the frame.
A Lee Stecklein poke check put the puck within reach of Heise in the neutral zone. Heise picked it up and bulldozed down the left side of the ice. She flew past Toronto's blue line, shielded the puck against Renata Fast and put her on her heels while cutting toward the net. As Heise neared the red line, she pulled back, slicing between Fast and an incoming Allie Munroe to get net front and slid the puck through Kristen Campbell's five-hole.
Heise's sensational goal capped off a period of positive play. Despite getting outshot 9-6, out-chanced, and chasing for most of the period, Minnesota was up 1-0 after one.
Toronto picked up where they left off in the second period. A passing play between Emma Maltais and Natalie Spooner tested Hensley early, and at the 16:17 mark of the second, Toronto finally solved Minnesota's netminder.
With Munroe and Blayre Turnbull pressuring her along the boards, Křížová sent an errant pass right in front of Hensley. The turnover acted as a pass for Sarah Nurse, who whipped the puck by Hensley for her first of the season, knotting the game at one.
The game's tempo shifted following Toronto's marker. The physicality picked up, but so did Minnesota's offense. They started building momentum, driving play, and forcing turnovers—and no turnover was more critical than Jocelyne Larocque's.
A poke check from Liz Schepers in the neutral zone left a lurking Heise alone in Toronto's defensive end. She picked up the puck at the top of the right hash marks, cut towards the net, and put Campbell in a blender with her quick hands in tight. She shot forehand and roofed the puck with remarkable ease.
Heise's second highlight-reel goal in as many periods gave her team a 2-1 lead with under halfway to go in the second.
As the second stanza winded down, the chippiness ramped up. Heise and Nurse were both sent off for roughing with 5:01 remaining in the frame, and a hooking call on Jesse Compher under two minutes later sent Minnesota to a rare four-on-three power play.
Toronto's penalty kill held off a relentless attack from Minnesota's special teams, helping keep the game within reach entering the final frame.
The third period was the most even between the two teams, but Heise was the difference again. After forcing a turnover and dancing around the offensive zone, she cut through the slot, luring all the attention to her before feeding captain Coyne Schofield for an easy tap-in. The captain's marker was her first of the season and Heise's third point of the game—Křížová picked up an assist on the play.
A penalty to Turnbull and stout team defense kept Toronto's opportunities minimal, making Hensley's life easier as time ticked down. Heise's three-point game and Hensley's 31 saves led the way as Minnesota improved to 3-0-0-0, winning 3-1 over Toronto at Xcel Energy Center.
The State of Heise
Heise dazzled against Toronto. The former Golden Gopher scored two goals, tallied a sleek assist, and totalled three shots, earning player of the game honors.
Heise commanded the defense's attention. Toronto regularly had multiple players converging on her in their defensive end, hoping to take away space and leave her with less room to shoot, pass, or skate. In most instances, Heise would respond to their efforts by side-stepping defenders to create open shots, pass off to her teammates, or use her size and strength to maintain puck possession.
Other notable plays included her third-period drive to the net, which resulted in a one-handed shot on the Campbell, her no-look between-the-legs pass, and her early efforts on the penalty kill.
The State of Heise is here, and she's only getting started.
Nicole Hensley Returns
Hensley returned to the Minnesota crease after watching her teammate and close friend, Maddie Rooney, shut out PWHL Montreal last Saturday. Versus Toronto, she got to play in front of the Minnesota faithful at Xcel Energy Center for the first time, and she didn't disappoint in her home debut.
The Colorado native shut the door in the first period and carried her exceptional play through the second and third. She made 31 saves, including ten in the final frame, smothering Toronto's hope for a late-game comeback.
One of her best saves came early in the second. Maltais pickpocketed Natalie Buchbinder at Minnesota's blue line. She rushed along the boards, skated to the left hash marks, and sent a saucer pass just past a sprawling Mellissa Channell. The tape-to-tape pass landed on Spooner's stick, but Hensley matched the shot.
Aside from Toronto's lone marker, where a defensive gaffe left Nurse open in front, Hensley played a near-perfect game.
Special Teams Keep Toronto at Bay
A recurring theme over Minnesota's matches is their penalty kill, warding off any worry of an opponent's power play capitalizing with the advantage. Toronto got two power play opportunities in the opening frame—a frame in which they dominate—and came up empty.
Stecklein took the contest’s first penalty, leaving Minnesota without their top defensive defender. On the ensuing power play, Toronto failed to get good looks as Minnesota clogged shooting lanes and outworked them on the boards.
Toronto's second opportunity came five minutes later. A cross-checking call on Grace Zumwinkle gave Toronto another chance to jump ahead. Instead, an aggressive penalty kill stifled Toronto's special teams from setting up.
Minnesota's penalty kill shined Wednesday night, keeping Toronto's power play off the board.
Minnesota plays at home Sunday as PWHL New York enters Xcel Energy Center. Puck drop is at 3:00PM CST.