Spooner Hat Trick helps PWHL Toronto Defeat PWHL Boston 5-3

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On Valentine’s night, hockey was on the menu at Tsongas Center in Lowell as PWHL Toronto (4-1-0-5) came to town to play PWHL Boston (2-3-1-2) before a crowd of 1,791. This was the start of a four-game homestand for PWHL Boston. They began play on Wednesday night in third place in the league. PWHL Toronto sat in fourth place when play began. That is important to note as the playoffs in this league are the top four teams.

The starting goalies for this one were, Kristen Campbell (4-4-0, 2.58 GAA, 899%) for PWHL Toronto and for PWHL Boston, it was Emma Soderberg (2-1-0, 3.66 GAA, 879%). Each team had an early power play to work with. PWHL Boston had the first chance and registered zero shots on it. PWHL Toronto had a PP percentage of 7.4% coming in and got theirs at 5:21 of the first and put one shot on goal. PWHL Toronto scored the game’s first goal, it was scored by Sarah Nurse, her second of the season as she redirected a shot by Emma Maltais past Soderberg. A second assist was given to Renata Fast. Before the period ended, PWHL Boston received a second power play. That one as well did not produce any results. They were 0-for-2 on the PP in the first period. They came into the game with an 11.8% on the power play (2-for-17). The period ended with PWHL Toronto holding a 1-0 lead and shots were 11-6 in favor of PWHL Boston.

Special teams continued to be a theme in the early stages of the second period. PWHL Boston had another power play where not much happened. Before that, PWHL Boston had two point-blank chances. Loren Gabel and Anna Muller had great shots around the PWHL Toronto net only to be stopped by Campbell. PWHL Boston PP was now 0-for-4 on the night. PWHL Toronto misfired on their second chance of the night, but the third time was the charm. Natalie Spooner, off of a 100-foot stretch pass from Lauriana Rougeau, broke in alone and went backhand, forehand, and beat Soderberg for her 8th of the season at 11:49 2-0 PWHL Toronto. Campbell was credited with an assist. Spooner was not done, she picked her 9th of the season at 17:07 of the second. Nurse picked up the lone assist. Spooner put home a rebound of her own shot that was stopped by Soderberg. 3-0 PWHL Toronto. Both Spooner and Nurse were working on two-point nights. PWHL Boston outshot PWHL Toronto 10-6 in the second period. Through two periods PWHL Boston had a 21-12 shots advantage.

This was by far the most physical game to date. PWHL Boston Sophie Shirley left the game in the second period after taking a hit along the board on the left-wing side in the offensive zone. PWHL Boston’s comeback started at 6:04 as Jamie Lee Rttrasy scored her second of the year. She put home a rebound of a shot off the near side post by Theresa Schafzahl. Megan Keller also assisted and it was 3-1 PWHL Toronto. It did not take the team from north of the border to get their two-goal lead back. Kali Flanagan scored her first of the season off a point-blank shot at 7:28 of the third. Nurse had the only assist. Nurse now had a three-point night (1G, 2A). PWHL Boston would not go away. They made it a 4-2 game on a short-handed goal, the team’s first of the season. It was scored by Hannah Brandt, her second of the season, and assisted by Keller (two assists for her), and Taylor Girard.

With just under eight minutes left, PWHL Boston had a two-goal hill to climb. PWHL Boston was given a PP chance at 13:56 of the period as Brittany Howard went off for hooking. The PP for PWHL Boston did not get them closer and now was 0-for-5 on the night. PWHL Boston pulled Soderberg. It produced an empty net goal for Spooner, her 10th of the season, 5-2 PWHL Toronto. She not only gets a hat trick, but she is also the first player in the league to reach double-figures in goals. Jesse Compher and Emma Maltais (two-point night for her) picked up assists. Taylor Girard added a third goal for PWHL Boston at 18:32 to make it 5-3 PWHL Toronto. The goal was Girard’s third of the year and was unassisted. Shots were 14-6 in favor of PWHL Boston. The final total was 35-18 in favor of PWHL Boston.

After the game, PWHL head coach Courtney Kessel said she was “disappointed.” She thought the offense was much better in the second and third periods than what was generated in the first. Natalie Spooner of PWHL Toronto did not think it was “our best game.” She believes some things still need to be cleaned up. There was some physical play in Wednesday night’s game. However, Spooner did not think the physical play was a big deal. PWHL Boston is now 0-1-1-3 at home. On Saturday they will look for their first home win as they face PWHL New York in game two of a four-game homestand.