TORONTO, ON (February 17, 2024) – Jesse Compher scored the game-winning-goal in the third period and Kristen Campbell stopped all 30 shots she faced, as Toronto beat Montréal 3-0 in front of a sold-out crowd of 19,285 at Scotiabank Arena on Friday.
The first-ever Battle on Bay Street, presented by Coca-Cola, set a new single-game attendance record for women’s hockey, which includes both professional and international games.
The home crowd had to wait until the third period to see the first goal of the game, as Compher scored at 5:11 of the final frame to give Toronto a 1-0 lead. The goal, which sent the packed arena into a frenzy, was Compher’s first of the season— she entered the game with four assists. Brittany Howard and Hannah Miller recorded the assists on the marker.
The goal was scored as Miller collected the puck following Howard’s missed shot on net. Miller quickly passed the puck down low back to Howard who found Compher all alone in front of Montréal’s net. Compher quickly one-timed the pass over Montréal goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens’ shoulder.
After the tally, Toronto killed two penalties to keep the score at 1-0. They were a perfect six-for-six on the penalty kill.
Then, at 15:21 of the third period, Miller got the home team on the board again with her third goal of the year, giving Toronto a 2-0 lead.
Miller once again was first to the puck, this time off a broken play that started on teammate Allie Munroe’s stick at the point. Once Miller found the loose puck, she carried it through the slot and snapped it under Desbiens’ blocker to make the game 2-0.
Victoria Bach got the empty-net goal at 15:53 to seal the victory for Toronto. The goal, unassisted, was her first of the season in her third game in the lineup.
Campbell stood tall in all three periods as Toronto took six penalties in the game. She’s now won her last four starts and is the first goaltender in the PWHL to record two shutouts.
Toronto has now won four in a row and five of their last six games.
Desbiens made 21 saves in the loss.
Next up, Montréal hosts Minnesota at Place Bell on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET. Toronto plays again on February 23 when they welcome New York to Mattamy Athletic Centre.
Postgame Quotes:
Toronto goaltender Kristen Campbell on her team’s play: “It was special. I mean, our team has really come together in the last few games. We’ve now won five of our last six games and I think it’s been a whole team effort. It’s just a lot of fun out there tonight in front of that many people and it was pretty special that we found a way to score three goals there in the third period and get the win.”
Montréal head coach Kori Cheverie on the atmosphere at Scotiabank Arena: “It was really cool. You know, you want to take it all in. Obviously it’s a bigger game, I think globally, but at the end of the day, there’s three points on the line, and that’s what we tried to stay focused on – at least to the bitter end – and it didn’t balance our way tonight.”
Notes:
- Attendance: 19,285 – Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
- Three Stars 1) Kristen Campbell 2) Jesse Compher 3) Hannah Miller
- Shots ended 30-24 in favour of Montréal — They had 10 shots in each period, outshooting Toronto in the first and second — Shots were tied in the third period.
- Montréal’s Marie-Philip Poulin led all players with six shots on net— Toronto defender Renata Fast was second with four shots.
- Montréal was 0/6 on the powerplay — Toronto was 0/3.
- Campbell has recorded two of the league’s four shutouts this season and leads the league with six wins – two more than the next goaltender.
- Miller recorded her third goal of the season tonight, celebrating her 28th birthday.
- This was Miller’s second multi-point game of the season.
- A trio of three-game point streaks ended tonight, including Maureen Murphy (MTL), Laura Stacey (MTL), and Natalie Spooner (TOR).
- This was the first PWHL to go scoreless through the first two periods of play.
- This was the first time Toronto has scored three goals in a period.
- Toronto’s four-game winning streak is the longest by any PWHL team this season.
- Both of Montréal’s two regulation losses this season have been 3-0 shutouts – The other against Minnesota on Jan. 6 before a then record setting crowd of 13,316.
- This is the first game since Jan. 6 where Montréal has not earned a point, ending their seven-game point streak.
- Toronto (5-1-0-5) collects three points for the regulation win which puts them in a tie with Montréal for second place with 17 points, one point behind Minnesota for first.
- Montréal (3-3-2-3) has 17 points and sits tied with Toronto for second place.
- Canadian basketball star Kia Nurse performed the ceremonial puck drop before the game, with her cousin Sarah Nurse representing Toronto in the proceedings.
- Crowd noise recorded at Scotiabank Arena surpassed 120dB several times throughout the game.
- Scotiabank Arena is the third NHL venue to host a PWHL game this season.
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