Lee Stecklein leads Frost past Sceptres, even PWHL semifinal 1-1
Sophie Jacques scores winner with 6:13 left in 3rd period
Defender Lee Stecklein has picked a good time to get her goal-scoring groove on.
She scored twice and assisted on another in the Minnesota Frost's 5-3 road win over the Toronto Sceptres on Friday to even the Professional Women's Hockey League first-round series at 1-1.
The three-time United States Olympian has four points in the first two games of this best-of-five series after scoring three goals in Minnesota's final two regular season games to push the Frost into the playoffs.
"We have a lot of offensive threats and people who must be worried about," the 31-year-old Stecklein said. "This opens up some stuff, and you just have to be ready to take advantage of it. So luckily, it's gone my way so far."
The bevy of big offensive moments in the last two weeks came on the heels of Stecklein returning home after winning her seventh IIHF World Women's Championship gold medal last month. The U.S. defeated Canada 4-3 in overtime in the final on April 20.
WATCH | Jacques seals game for Frost:
Stecklein 'outstanding'
Stecklein tied the game 4:41 into the second period on Friday with a perfect redirect of Kelly Pannek's pass. Less than 10 minutes later Stecklein fired a point shot to put her club ahead 3-1.
"She was outstanding," Minnesota coach Ken Klee said. "Obviously, she's known as a world-class defensive defender. She always has a good stick, good gap and is hard to play against. Tonight, she was feeling it, driving the net with that little tip play.
"It's the playoffs. We have to find different ways to score goals and different people have to contribute. She knows that she exemplifies that and that's why she's one of our leaders and one of our best players. She was awesome."
Sticklein and her defensive partner Claire Thompson led all players with more than 27 minutes of ice time.
"They're great players, and they can handle it," Klee said. "They want to be out there in key situations, key times."
Stecklein graduated from the Carson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, and she was named the top defender at the 2021 IIHF World Women's Championship.
Next game
The best-of-five series moves to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Wednesday, respectively.
Last year, Toronto enjoyed a 2-0 series lead going to Minnesota before losing standout Natalie Spooner in Game 3 and the next three games to the eventual PWHL champions.
"It's not the result we wanted," Sceptres forward Emma Maltais said after the Game 2 loss. "We have experience with the ups and downs, and I think although there were some things that weren't perfect in this game, there's a lot of things we can pull from going to Minnesota.
"We're prepared. There's a sense of calmness in the room right now and I think if we just come to the next game, we're the top seed. We have to come with that swagger and confidence."
Billie Jean King gets big ovation
Tennis trailblazer Billie Jean King was among the 7,659 at the Coca-Cola Coliseum. The 81-year-old Hall of Famer received a lengthy standing ovation during a timeout midway through the second period for her part in helping launch the PWHL last year.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
