Spooner scores two in Toronto win over Minnesota in PWHL
By Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press on February 3, 2024.
TORONTO – Natalie Spooner scored twice and set up another goal to spearhead Toronto to a 4-1 win against Minnesota on Saturday. Her two-goal outing catapulted the Canadian national team member to the top of the heap of the fledgling Professional Women’s Hockey League’s goal-scoring list with seven in nine games. Toronto (4-5-0) won its second in a row before 2,470 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre and avenged a loss in Minnesota (5-2-2) on Jan. 10. Spooner tipped home a Jocelyne Larocque in the third period for second of the game, 16 seconds after she set up captain Blayre Turnbull for Toronto’s third goal. Toronto goalie Kristen Campbell, making her league-leading eighth start, earned the win as Toronto outshot the visitors 28-25. Renata Fast, known for her stingy defensive play, scored her first PWHL to put Toronto ahead for good late in the second period. With the game even at 1-1, a loose puck squirted to Fast in the high slot, and her wrist shot found its way through several players with 2:45 remaining. With Toronto on the power play, Sarah Nurse slid the puck to Spooner off the rush. Minnesota netminder Nicole Hensley made the initial stop, but Spooner followed her shot to knock in the rebound with 53.4 seconds left in the first period. Spooner missed an excellent opportunity to break the ice with the game 5:45 old. But facing an open net, she fired her own rebound over the crossbar. Minnesota drew even with a strange goal midway through the second period. With Minnesota rushing into Toronto’s end, the stick of Minesota’s Abby Breen got tangled in the skates of Toronto defenceman Jocelyne Larocque, causing the latter to fall. This gave Minnesota’s Kelly Pannek a path to pass the puck to Kendall Coyne Schofield, who redirected the pass for her third goal. BREAKING UP The PWHL begins a 10-day break on Monday for three games in the Canada-United States rivalry series, with stops in Saskatoon on Wednesday, Regina on Friday and St. Paul, Minn. on Feb. 11. Fifteen players from the Toronto-Minnesota game will suit up for Canada and the United States. The Canadian contingent includes Spooner, Nurse, Fast, Larocque, Turnbull and Emma Maltais (Toronto). Playing for the U.S. will be Hensley, Pannek, Schofield, Kali Flanagan (Toronto), Jesse Compher (Toronto), Natalie Buchbinder (Minnesota), Taylor Heise (Minnesota), Grace Zumwinkle (Minnesota) and Clair DeGeorge (Minnesota). UP NEXT Toronto: Visits Boston on Feb. 14. New York: Entertains Ottawa on Feb. 14. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2024. 21-20
