SAINT PAUL, MN– The Minnesota Frost have been on the successful facet of a 7-5 victory within the highest scoring sport in PWHL historical past to take a 2-1 collection lead over the Toronto Sceptres on Sunday night at Xcel Power Heart. Twenty-one completely different gamers discovered the scoresheet between the groups, together with 11 multi-point producers.
The Frost opened the sport sturdy, scoring three objectives in a five-minute span, with markers from Liz Schepers, Brooke McQuigge and Lee Stecklein, earlier than the Sceptres recorded their first shot on purpose. Daryl Watts responded to get the Sceptres on the board with 5 minutes left within the opening body, ending the primary interval with a 3-1 rating. Toronto pulled inside one early within the second interval on a purpose from Maggie Connors, however the Frost answered with two extra to increase their result in 5-2.
Toronto defender Kali Flanagan lower the deficit to 2 earlier than the top of the second body, making it 5-3 heading into the third. Anna Kjellbin’s first PWHL purpose introduced Toronto again inside one early within the remaining interval, however Minnesota rapidly countered with two objectives in a two-minute span, each from Michela Cava, to widen the hole once more. Toronto fought to remain within the sport, as captain Blayre Turnbull scored with eight minutes remaining, however the deficit proved too giant to beat.
Maddie Rooney earned a second straight win for the Frost, stopping 18 of 23 pictures, with Kristen Campbell struggling a second straight loss, turning apart 17 of 24 pictures for Toronto.
The defending Walter Cup champions will look to punch their ticket to the PWHL Finals, whereas Toronto will struggle to remain alive in Sport 4 of the best-of-five PWHL Playoffs, offered by SharkNinja, on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET at Xcel Power Heart.
QUOTES
Frost Head Coach Ken Klee: “I feel it’s a fan’s dream and a coach’s nightmare, a 7-5 playoff sport. We discovered a strategy to win and that’s a very powerful factor. Our staff performed arduous, and we now have to scrub issues up as a result of the following sport goes to be rather a lot more durable.”
Frost ahead Liz Schepers on the quick begin: “We got here off a protracted journey – it’s no secret – so we needed to ensure we got here out proper and began the proper manner. We obtained the group into it early and little did we all know it was going to begin off with all these objectives, however it was positively nice to get off to begin early.”
Frost ahead Michela Cava on having an opportunity at a hat trick: “Clearly it’s a enjoyable factor to have the ability to do however we made the sport shut once more on the finish and I feel everybody was simply centered on not letting any extra objectives in and cleansing up our defensive sport. To me, that’s far more necessary than getting a hat trick. I really feel prefer it was a great way to finish the sport, not letting them get any extra objectives.”
Toronto Head Coach Troy Ryan on by no means being absolutely out of the sport and what was a troublesome gap to climb out of: “A mixture of issues. You get down that early, you’re chasing the sport. Minnesota’s an important staff so if you happen to’re placing your self in a state of affairs the place you’ve obtained to chase them, it’s an uphill battle. I believed additionally all through the sport we obtained ourselves right into a little bit of penalty bother, so that you’re getting momentum and then you definitely’re on the lookout for a giant play after which if we take a penalty, it takes away a little bit of the momentum that we now have as we’re making an attempt to climb again into the sport.”
Sceptres defender Kali Flanagan on the distinctiveness of a five-game collection and going right into a must-win Sport 4: “We went by this final 12 months. There’s group of women on our staff who’ve some expertise with [five-game series] after which it’s clearly new for everybody else within the room, however I feel simply sticking collectively as a staff. Realizing that we now have one another’s backs going into Sport 4, it’s thrilling. I don’t suppose anybody goes to be scared of it, I feel everybody goes to return to the rink on Wednesday and be excited for an important alternative to win a hockey sport.”
NOTABLES
This was the best scoring PWHL sport of all-time with 12 mixed objectives. The regular-season document of 11 was set on Feb. 13 when Ottawa beat Minnesota, 8-3. The earlier playoff document was eight mixed objectives set in Sport 2 of this collection with Minnesota’s 5-3 win over Toronto.
The Frost have recorded two of the league’s three all-time performances of seven or extra objectives, doing so twice this month. 
Toronto scored 5 objectives for the primary time this season. They have been the one staff within the PWHL in the course of the common season that didn’t rating 5 or extra objectives in a single sport. The Sceptres received all seven video games in regulation this season during which they scored 4 objectives.
Minnesota’s three objectives within the first interval have been their first scored within the opening body this collection and tied their season-high. The Frost led the PWHL with 29 first interval objectives in the course of the common season and eight video games with a number of first interval objectives.
Toronto’s two objectives within the third interval have been their first within the remaining body this collection.
This was simply the second sport in PWHL historical past the place each groups scored 4 or extra objectives every. The opposite was Feb. 26 when Ottawa beat New York, 5-4.
Michela Cava recorded the primary multi-goal efficiency of her playoff profession, and second of the season, and has three tallies in her final two video games. She turned simply the second participant in playoff historical past to attain twice within the third interval, following teammate Taylor Heise in Sport 5 of final season’s semifinal in opposition to Toronto.
Brooke McQuigge scored her first two profession postseason objectives for the primary multi-goal sport of her profession. She is the Frost’s first rookie to attain twice in a playoff sport this season and third all-time, following playoff performances by Heise (2) and Sophie Jaques in 2024.
Heise turned the primary participant in PWHL historical past to document three assists in a playoff sport and has now recorded 5 helpers in her final two video games of the collection.
Jaques recorded a purpose and an help for the second straight sport. She led all defenders this season with six multi-point video games and had two in final 12 months’s playoffs.
Lee Stecklein scored a purpose and an help to increase her level streak to 5 video games (6G, 3A) together with six factors (3G, 3A) on this collection. Her three objectives on this collection matches her 2024-25 common season whole and her level whole doubles the three assists she produced in 10 playoff video games final season.
Kendall Coyne Schofield recorded two assists for her first two factors of the postseason and the second multi-assist playoff sport of her profession. The Frost captain additionally had a pair of helpers in Sport 5 of final 12 months’s semifinal in opposition to Toronto.
Mellissa Channell-Watkins tallied two assists in her first multi-point efficiency of the season and second of her profession, along with her first, additionally a two-assist efficiency, coming within the Walter Cup-winning sport of the playoffs final season. The defender has three factors in her final two video games (1G, 2A).
Daryl Watts scored the primary purpose and help of her playoff profession. She led the Sceptres in the course of the common season with eight multi-point video games.
Kali Flanagan recorded the primary multi-point sport of her playoff profession with a purpose and an help and now has three factors in her final two video games (1G, 2A).
Blayre Turnbull scored a purpose and an help for her second multi-point efficiency of the season and the second of her playoff profession. For the primary time, the Sceptres captain scored outdoors of a Sport 1 contest, with all three of her different objectives coming in opening video games this season and final.
Jesse Compher recorded two assists in a sport for the primary time in her profession and now has three helpers within the collection.
Liz Schepers scored her first purpose and second level of the collection. She now has as many objectives (2) in 13 profession playoff video games as she does in 46 profession common season video games.
Maggie Connors scored a purpose and now has factors in consecutive video games (1G, 1A), matching her level whole (2G) in 30 common season video games.
Anna Kjellbin scored her first profession PWHL purpose in her twenty eighth profession video games (25 common season, 3 playoffs). This was the Swedish defender’s tenth sport as a member of the Sceptres, acquired in a commerce with the Victoire on Mar. 13.
Klára Hymlárová and Katy Knoll each picked up assists and now have two factors every in three profession playoff video games, matching each of their inaugural season level totals.
Emma Maltais and Kelly Pannek each picked up assists tonight after each contributing multi-assist performances in Sport 2 for his or her respective groups.
Grace Zumwinkle notched her first level of the collection with an help, matching her postseason level tally from final season the place she recorded one level (1G) in 10 playoff video games.
Savannah Harmon recorded an help and has factors in consecutive video games (1G, 1A).
Renata Quick collected her second help of the collection after tying for the league lead with 16 in the course of the common season.
Maggie Flaherty was inserted into the Frost lineup for the primary time this postseason rather than Mae Batherson. 
SCORESHEET RECAP
Toronto 1 2 2 – 5
Minnesota 3 2 2 – 7
1st Interval-1, Minnesota, Schepers 1 (Hymlárová, Knoll), 2:33. 2, Minnesota, McQuigge 1 (Zumwinkle), 6:56. 3, Minnesota, Stecklein 3 (Heise, Coyne Schofield), 7:48. 4, Toronto, Watts 1 (Flanagan, Compher), 14:58. Penalties-Flaherty Min (interference), 17:32.
2nd Interval-5, Toronto, Connors 1 (Quick), 2:28. 6, Minnesota, McQuigge 2 (Coyne Schofield, Jaques), 8:20 (PP). 7, Minnesota, Jaques 2 (Channell-Watkins, Pannek), 17:35. 8, Toronto, Flanagan 1 (Watts, Turnbull), 17:57. Penalties-Carter Tor (unlawful physique checking), 2:55; Carter Tor (unlawful physique checking), 7:25; Flaherty Min (interference), 15:06.
third Interval-9, Toronto, Kjellbin 1 (Maltais), 5:47. 10, Minnesota, Cava 2 (Channell-Watkins, Heise), 7:20. 11, Minnesota, Cava 3 (Stecklein, Heise), 9:21 (PP). 12, Toronto, Turnbull 2 (Harmon, Compher), 12:04. Penalties-Quick Tor (boarding), 0:58; Turnbull Tor (hooking), 9:07.
Pictures on Objective-Toronto 3-9/11-23. Minnesota 7-8-9-24.
Energy Play Alternatives-Toronto 0 / 2; Minnesota 2 / 4.
Goalies-Toronto, Campbell (24 shots-17 saves). Minnesota, Rooney (23 shots-18 saves).
A-3,917
THREE STARS
- Michela Cava (MIN) 2G
- Brooke McQuigge (MIN) 2G
- Taylor Heise (MIN) 3A
SERIES
Minnesota leads Toronto 2-1
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Sport 4: Wednesday, Might 14 at 7 p.m. ET (Xcel Power Heart)
