Compher's game-winning goal lifts Sceptres past Frost, into 2nd place of PWHL standings
Minnesota's McQuigge handed game-misconduct for dangerous check to the head
Jesse Compher one-timed a shot from between the face-off circles to beat Minnesota's Maddie Rooney with the game-winning goal as the Toronto Sceptres beat the Frost 2-1 on Sunday to take over sole possession of second place in the Professional Women's Hockey League.
The teams came into the game tied for second place in the PWHL with 29 points, five points behind league-leading Montreal and one ahead of fourth-place Boston. With the win the Sceptres now have 32 points, two behind league-leading Montreal.
The Sceptres won their sixth straight game and first over the Frost in three meetings.
Michela Cava put Minnesota in front with a power play goal early in the first period. Dominique Petrie fed Cava with a short pass and the forward held the puck just outside the crease as Toronto keeper Kristen Campbell dropped to prevent a low shot, then Cava elevated a shot into the top corner for a 1-0 lead.
WATCH | Compher's winner helps Sceptres continue charge up the standings:
Toronto evened the game at 1-1 after Minnesota's Brooke McQuigge earned a five-minute major penalty and a game-misconduct for a dangerous check to the head with under eight minutes left in the second period. With a minute left in the power play, Toronto's Emma Maltais fired a wrist shot from the top of the slot that beat Rooney for her fourth goal of the season.
Campbell finished with 22 saves on 23 shots to earn her fifth win. Rooney had 21 saves on 23 shots and is now 7-4-1-1.
Toronto can move into first place with a regulation win over the Victoire on Tuesday in Montreal.
Minnesota, which completed a four-game road trip prior to facing the Sceptres, will have 10 days off before facing the Victoire March 4.
WATCH | Frost's McQuigge given game-misconduct for hit to the head:
Fleet beat Sirens in Buffalo stop of Takeover Tour
Susanna Tapani scored the lone shootout goal and the Boston Fleet won their sixth in seven outings in defeating the New York Sirens 3-2 in a neutral site Takeover Tour game at Buffalo on Sunday.
Aerin Frankel stopped 37 shots through overtime, and all five shootout attempts, capped by a save on Abby Roque on New York's fifth and final chance. Amanda Pelkey and Loren Gabel also scored for Boston, which jumped a point ahead of Minnesota into third place in the standings after the Frost lost to Toronto earlier in the day.
Sarah Fillier and Jessie Eldridge scored for the Sirens, who have dropped seven straight — including two shootout losses to Boston. Rookie Kayle Osborne stopped 30 shots through overtime.
Tapani scored by driving in from the right wing and snapping in a shot off the far post.
WATCH | Compher's winner helps Sceptres continue charge up the standings:
By earning a point, the last-place Sirens snapped a five-game skid of regulation losses, which matched a PWHL record set by Minnesota last season.
As the "home" team, Sirens players arrived at the arena wearing NFL Bills, NHL Sabres and AHL Rochester Americans themed clothes. The Americans are the Sabres' nearby minor league affiliate.
The Buffalo stop was the sixth of nine neutral site games on the PWHL's second-season schedule. The game drew a crowd of 8,512, the lowest turnout of the league's eight neutral site games, including two last year.
Last month, Denver drew a crowd of 14,018, while Vancouver had a turnout of 19,038 — the fourth-largest in league history.
The tour rounds out with games at Raleigh, North Carolina (March 7), Detroit (March 16) and St. Louis (March 29). Detroit, which also hosted a PWHL neutral site game last season, is considered a front-runner to land an expansion team.
Buffalo was previously home to professional women's hockey — with the Beauts — before the Premier Hockey Federation folded after being bought out to launch the PWHL in June 2023.
