Toronto Sceptres head coach Troy Ryan refrained from criticizing his team for relinquishing a lead for the second consecutive game.
“I think there were other factors that affected our performance while we were ahead tonight,” Ryan stated following a 3-2 overtime defeat against the Minnesota Frost at home.
“I felt confident about how we played with the lead tonight, but ultimately we lost it.”
The Sceptres held a 2-1 edge in the third period on Sunday, but Minnesota equalized with a power-play goal from PWHL points leader Taylor Heise, who assisted on the overtime winner scored by Kelly Pannek with a slap pass from the top of the faceoff circle.
Toronto had the initial scoring opportunity in overtime when a rebound landed in the crease near defender Renata Fast. However, a Minnesota defender broke Fast’s stick, hindering her from making a play on the puck.
Shortly after, Fast was penalized for slashing Frost forward Britta Curl-Salemme in the neutral zone. The Sceptres defender reacted to Curl-Salemme with some shoves after the American fell to the ice.
Pannek’s game-winning goal came just 17 seconds later.
“I was unhappy with the non-call,” Ryan remarked. “I can probably accept the penalty in the neutral zone, but I thought it could have been called on both sides.”
Minnesota’s Kelly Pannek scored the overtime winner delivering a 3-2 win for the Frost over the Sceptres Sunday in Toronto.
However, Ryan’s primary frustration stemmed from the tying goal scored by the Frost in the third period while centre Clara Van Wieren was serving a boarding penalty.
“There was an icing that should have been called, which would have given us an offensive zone faceoff, and then during a scrum, we cleared the puck when the whistle blew,” Ryan explained. “Instead of getting a chance to clear it with a line change, we ended up with a defensive zone faceoff, which they capitalized on. To me, that moment was more significant than what happened in overtime.”
Veteran forward Natalie Spooner referred to the potential inconsistency as “part of the game.”
“There will be calls we receive that we probably didn’t deserve and calls we don’t get that we might have warranted,” she noted. “But we need to adapt to it and show resilience in those situations, trying to manage when we do get those calls.”
This marks the second consecutive loss for the Sceptres, who previously fell 4-3 in a shootout to the Montreal Victoire on Tuesday after holding an early two-goal lead.
Despite this, Toronto (6-1-5-8) is maintaining a four-game point streak following the Olympic break as they aim for a playoff position. Minnesota (7-3-3-4) secured its first victory since resuming play.
Daryl Watts contributed one goal and one assist for the Sceptres, while Emma Woods netted her first goal of the season.
“It feels like a weight lifted off my shoulders,” Woods expressed. “It’s obviously nice to get the first one out of the way, especially in the 20th game of the season. It felt good, but a win would have felt even better.”
Heise also provided an assist on Denisa Krizova’s initial goal of the season, which opened the scoring in the first period.
Fast chose not to speak to the media after the game.
“I’m sure she’s feeling a bit of frustration,” Ryan said. “She’s a competitive player with a fiery spirit, and I’m certain she’s not pleased with how it concluded.”
The Sceptres are scheduled to play again on March 15 against the Seattle Torrent at home.
Charge fall to Sirens, 6-2
On Sunday in Newark, N.J., Sarah Fillier and Taylor Girard each scored two goals as the New York Sirens triumphed over the Ottawa Charge with a score of 6-2.
This victory marked the Sirens’ first win at home against the Charge in their last five encounters at the Prudential Center, giving them a 2-1 edge in the season series.
Sarah Fillier and Taylor Girard have a pair of goals each as the New York Sirens defeated Ottawa Charge 6-2 Sunday in New Jersey.
In a high-scoring first period between two of the league’s top scoring teams, the Sirens emerged with a 3-1 advantage. Maddi Wheeler, Fillier, and Girard each scored, giving New York a 3-0 lead before Ottawa’s Brianne Jenner found the net.
Jenner’s goal marked her ninth of the season, tying her for fourth place in the league, while Kristýna Kaltounková of the Sirens leads with 11.
The match set a record attendance for the Sirens, drawing 8,264 fans.
