TORONTO, ON (January 26, 2024) - Natalie Spooner scored twice, and Kristen Campbell posted a shutout as Toronto won 2-0 against New York on Friday Night.
The win is Toronto’s first on home ice after falling in regulation in their first three attempts at Mattamy Athletic Centre, including the inaugural game on January 1st against New York.
Spooner gave Toronto a 1-0 lead at 16:31 of the second period after carrying the puck into the offensive zone with speed, and around the New York defender. The forward then cut across the crease and tucked the puck five-hole on a sprawling Corinne Schroeder. The goal was assisted by Hannah Miller and Allie Munroe.
Toronto had outshot New York 20-9 to that point before their 21st of the game gave them the lead. New York only had two shots on net in the second period when Spooner scored for the home team – they ended up with four shots in the second frame.
The second period ended with Toronto up 23-10 in the shots category and a 1-0 lead with 20 minutes to go.
Spooner gave Toronto a 2-0 lead — the team’s first multi-goal lead of the season— at 13:14 with a powerplay goal assisted by Jocelyne Larocque and Maggie Connors.
The goal was scored when Spooner’s pass attempt across the crease to teammate Sarah Nurse ricocheted behind the net and back onto her stick. She then quickly put the puck on net, which crossed the goal line with just one second to go in Abby Roque’s penalty.
Spooner now has five goals on the season and has scored both of Toronto’s powerplay goals on the year.
Campbell saw the most action in the third, the only period in which her team was outshot, by a margin of 9-7. The goaltender ended the game with 19 saves, securing the first shutout in PWHL Toronto history.
Schroeder finished the game with 28 saves.
Up next, New York returns home after a four-game road trip. The team hosts Minnesota at Total Mortgage Arena on Sunday, January 28 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Toronto’s next game is eight days away, on February 3, at Mattamy Athletic Centre against Minnesota.
Postgame Quotes:
Natalie Spooner on Toronto’s first win at home: “It just feels good to get a win on home ice. I think we needed it bad and hopefully now we can keep rolling. I think we put together a really solid game in the way that we want to play as a team so, that feels good, and I think we can just keep building off of that.”
New York Head Coach Howie Draper on tonight’s game: “Their (Toronto’s) game was relatively similar to what it’s been. They’re a very hardworking team, a hard pressure team. They throw a lot of pucks at the net, they’ve done that against us before, and they did it again. I think we just weren’t quite as prepared for it as we would have liked to have been…We weren’t doing what we needed to do on the offensive side of the game in terms of puck movement…I thought our third period was better, we just have to figure out a way to find that third period more often…She (Corinne Schroeder) did what she needed to do. She made some great saves for us to give us a chance to win.”Notes:
- Attendance: 2,506 (Sellout) – Mattamy Athletic Centre, Toronto, ON.
- Three Stars: 1) Natalie Spooner 2) Kristen Campbell 3) Corinne Schroeder
- Spooner had five shots in the game, tied with New York’s Jessie Eldridge for tops amongst all players — Toronto’s Renata Fast and Maggie Connors were second with four each.
- Toronto outshot its opponent for the seventh time in eight games this season.
- Toronto was 1/3 on the powerplay — New York was 0/4.
- Toronto scored its first powerplay goal of the season on home ice.
- The victory is Toronto’s second in regulation this season — Both have come against New York.
- The game was the third time the two teams met this month — Each game was won in regulation.
- With her team being shut out, Eldridge’s point streak ends at five games— Her goal streak ends at four.
- New York and Toronto now have 50 penalty minutes each on the season — Only Montréal has more, with 56.
- Spooner is now tied with Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle for second in the PWHL in goals scored with five each— She’s tied for ninth in overall league scoring with five other players, all of whom have five points on the year.
- Campbell is the third goaltender to record a shutout this season.
- Five of the top six players in shots on goal this season played tonight — Eldridge (31), Spooner (28), Carpenter (26), Nurse (26) and Blayre Turnbull (26) — Zumwinkle has 27 on the year.
- Toronto head coach Troy Ryan celebrated his 52nd birthday with a win.
- Toronto (2-1-0-5) and New York (2-1-0-4) sit in a tie for fifth place with eight points each.
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