In the season opener of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, rookie Kiara Zanon scored the decisive goal in the third period, leading the Toronto Sceptres to a 2-1 victory over the two-time defending champions, the Minnesota Frost. The game kicked off in St. Paul, Minnesota, with Minnesota’s Kendall Coyne Schofield quickly putting her team ahead with a goal assisted by Kelly Pannek and Britta Curl-Salemme in the first four minutes. Ella Shelton equalized for the Sceptres late in the first period with assists from Natalie Spooner and Savannah Harmon.
The score remained tied until Zanon’s goal 5:14 into the final period, with Spooner and Emma Maltais providing the crucial assists. Toronto’s goalkeeper, Raygan Kirk, made key saves in the last 32 seconds, denying shots from Dominique Petrie and Sidney Morin to secure the win, finishing with 19 saves. On the opposing side, Minnesota’s Maddie Rooney made a total of 31 saves throughout the game.
Minnesota began the league’s third season without two important defenders, Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques, who now play for the Vancouver Goldeneyes. The Vancouver team faced the Seattle Torrent in their inaugural match of the season at a sold-out Pacific Coliseum.
Next, the Frost will face the Torrent, while the Sceptres are set to host the Boston Fleet on November 29, with live coverage available on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. Fans can check CBC Sports’ PWHL streaming schedule for more details on upcoming matches and coverage.