Toronto tops Minnesota 2-0 to sit one win away from PWHL final
Jesse Compher scored the go-ahead goal with 1:25 left in the third period to give Toronto a 2-0 win and 2-0 lead in its best-of-five semifinal series against Minnesota in Professional Women's Hockey League playoff action on Friday.
Hannah Miller added an empty-netter for top-seeded Toronto in front of 8,581 fans at Coca-Cola Coliseum.
Kristen Campbell earned her second straight shutout with 21 saves. She had a 26-save shutout in a 4-0 Game 1 win Wednesday.
Maddie Rooney stopped 28 shots for Minnesota.
Game 3 is set for Monday at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. Toronto would advance to the PWHL final for a chance at the Walter Cup with a win.
Toronto had some of its best scoring chances in the scoreless first period on special teams.
With just under nine minutes remaining, Sarah Nurse had her shot stopped after making a rush toward the net on a 2-on-1. However, she was tripped from behind by Minnesota defender Sophie Jaques, who was called with 34 seconds left in the visitors' power play.
On the ensuing power play Toronto would got from that sequence, Miller let a shot fly from the left faceoff circle. Rooney didn't appear to see the puck with almost half of the net open, but the puck hit Minnesota defender Lee Stecklein's skate by the right post and stayed out.
Grace Zumwinkle almost put Minnesota on the board 8:12 into the second period. She stripped Renata Fast of the puck at the blue line and was off to the races on a breakaway but was stopped.
Kali Flanagan missed a great chance of her own to break the deadlock for Toronto with 4:52 left in the middle frame.
Kaitlin Willoughby came down the right side and fired a wrist shot on net that was stopped. The rebound, however, came out to Flanagan going full speed but she couldn't get her stick on it with a gaping net staring at her.
Nurse had an opportunity in front on the power play but Rooney shut the door on her with 1:48 left.
Abby Boreen came down the left side and fired a wrister with no traffic in front but Campbell made a pad save with 14 seconds remaining to one of many "Soup" chants from the home crowd.
Emma Maltais missed another prime opportunity for Toronto at 4:28 into the third period. Brittany Howard put a shot on net from the slot with the rebound coming out to Maltais at the side of the net but the puck just went by her.
Samantha Cogan had another chance for Toronto at 7:20. Cogan fired a wrister that was stopped and managed to get a whack at the rebound but had the door shut on her.
With just under nine minutes left in the third, Nurse got a breakaway but missed the net while on the penalty kill.
Claire Butorac almost had her wrist shot trickle out from Campbell's grasp but the Toronto netminder stopped it with 5:23 left.
Compher finally broke the deadlock with just over a minute left when she tipped in a point shot from Fast to the delight of the deafening home crowd.
Miller scored an empty-net goal with 9.4 seconds left.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 10, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton to remain in medically induced coma until later this week: police
Serial killer Robert Pickton will remain in a medically induced coma for at least the next few days following an attack in a Quebec prison Sunday, according to police spokesperson Hugues Beaulieu.
Charlie Colin, founding member of the pop-rock band Train, dies at 58
Charlie Colin, bassist and founding member of the American pop-rock band Train, best known for their early-aughts hits like 'Drops of Jupiter' and 'Meet Virginia,' has died. He was 58.
'Five feet nothing': Pickton's safety likely behind Quebec transfer, says ex-prison judge
When serial killer Robert Pickton was transferred from British Columbia's Kent Institution to a maximum security prison in Quebec about six years ago, correctional authorities gave no public explanation or confirmation at the time, citing privacy.
'I feel betrayed': Ottawa-area customers out thousands of dollars warn of bad faith contractor
A group of people from eastern Ontario and western Quebec is issuing a warning about Dennis Walker and his company Vue Windows.
Fancy pigeon outfitted in custom diaper has free rein in B.C. family home
When Chrissy Chin volunteered to take in a fancy pigeon abandoned on a park bench, she never imagined she would one day be ordering custom-made diapers for the bird – who lives in her house and has become a member of the family.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
5 dead and at least 35 hurt in Iowa tornado: officials
Five people died and at least 35 were hurt as powerful tornadoes ripped through Iowa Tuesday, with one carving a path of destruction through the town of Greenfield, officials said.
Woman found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017 matches identity of missing person in Switzerland
Genetic genealogy has helped Toronto police identify a woman who was found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017.