Lauren Messier notched her debut goal in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, propelling the Toronto Sceptres to a 2-1 win against the Goldeneyes in Vancouver on Sunday. Sara Hjalmarsson initiated the scoring for Toronto in the first period at the 7:10 mark, receiving a pass from Claire Dalton and firing a swift shot from close range for her second goal of the season. Just 57 seconds later, Messier extended the lead, with Dalton securing her second assist of the game.
Toronto (6-1-3-8) shifted their focus to defense in the subsequent periods, blocking 20 shots throughout the match. The Sceptres received strong goaltending from Raygan Kirk, who made 25 saves, securing their second consecutive victory following a 5-2 triumph over the Seattle Torrent.
The Goldeneyes (5-1-2-9) managed to get on the scoreboard in the third period, with Izzy Daniel finding the back of the net at the 9:07 mark for her fifth goal of the season, beating Kirk. Emerance Maschmeyer put up a solid performance in the Vancouver net, stopping 22 of the 24 shots faced.
Despite showing some early rustiness after a long break since Jan. 28, the Goldeneyes struggled with turnovers that led to both goals by the Sceptres. Vancouver intensified their efforts in the third period, with Kirk making crucial saves, including a remarkable stop against Sarah Nurse to prevent a rebound goal.
In the upcoming games, the Goldeneyes will continue their homestand with a match against the Boston Fleet on March 10, while the Sceptres will return to Toronto to face the Montreal Victoire on Tuesday.
