Sunday, May 11, 2025 | 5:00 p.m. CT | Xcel Energy Center
WATCH LIVE: Prime Video (Canada), FanDuel Sports Network North, NESN+, PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com (U.S. / International), more below.
Daniella Ponticelli (Play-by-Play), Becky Kellar (Analyst), Rob Pizzo (Reporter)
TORONTO SCEPTRES (2)
Top Scorers: Gosling (2G), Maltais and Miller (2A each)
Goalie: Kristen Campbell: 1-1, 3.53 GAA, .863 SV%
Series Stats: PP 2/4 (50%) PK 2/5 (40%)
MINNESOTA FROST (4)
Top Scorer: Lee Stecklein – 2GP, 2-2-4 PTS
Goalie: Maddie Rooney, 1-0, 3.00 GAA, .900 SV%
Series Stats: PP 3/5 (60%) PK 2/4 (50%)
2025 PWHL PLAYOFFS: BEST-OF-FIVE SERIES TIED 1-1
Game 1 at TOR: 3-2 TOR | Game 2 at TOR: 5-3 MIN | Game 3 - May 11 at MIN | Game 4 - May 14 at MIN | Game 5 - May 17 at TOR
2024-25 SEASON SERIES: MINNESOTA WON 11-7 IN POINTS (TORONTO WON 8-4 IN 2024)
Dec. 7 at TOR: 6-3 MIN | Jan. 28 at MIN: 4-3 MIN (SO) | Feb. 11 at TOR: 3-2 TOR (OT) | Feb. 23 at MIN: 2-1 TOR | Mar. 9 at TOR: 2-1 MIN (OT) | Mar. 30 at MIN: 5-2 MIN
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Following their Game 2 loss, the Sceptres are now 1-1-1-2 (.400) when scoring at least three goals against Minnesota this season and 9-1-2-0 (.861) when doing so against the other four PWHL teams.
Toronto has outscored Minnesota 2-0 in the first period but the Frost lead 3-0 in third period scoring through two games of the series. Both teams have scored four goals in the second period. The Sceptres collectively lead in first period shots 22-14 and third period shots 23-13.
Hayley Scamurra and Savannah Harmon both scored in Game 2, their first career playoff goals/points. It was also Harmon’s first goal as a member of the Sceptres since the pair were acquired by trade from Ottawa on Dec. 30.
Prior to Game 2, there had been a combined five goals scored by defenders in the league’s 15 playoff games. Game 2 doubled that amount thanks to goals by Toronto’s Harmon and Allie Munroe, one from Minnesota’s Sophie Jaques and two from Lee Stecklein.
Emma Maltais had a pair of assists in Game 2, her first multi-assist game this season and the fifth of her career. Three of those five games have come against the Frost. Maltais has 12 career points (regular and postseason) against Minnesota, five more than she has against any other opponent.
The Sceptres have received offensive contributions from 12 different players totaling 15 points through two games. In five playoff games last season, Toronto had 13 players that produced a total of 20 points.
Izzy Daniel, a Minneapolis native, will play before hometown family and friends for the first time in her playoff career.
Natalie Spooner is celebrating her third Mother’s Day since the birth of her son Rory in December 2022. On the other side of the ice, it’s the second Mother’s Day for Frost captain Kendall Coyne Schofield since the birth of her son Drew in July 2023.
Minnesota beat Toronto in both the third and fourth games of the 2024 PWHL Playoffs at Xcel Energy Center (2-0, 1-0) and have a 3-1 record overall at home in the postseason. This season, the Frost were 3-3-1-6 at Xcel Energy Center (.410), while the Sceptres had a 5-1-3-6 record on the road (.444).
The Frost became the first PWHL team to score five goals in a playoff game with their 5-3 win over Toronto in Game 2. It was also the first PWHL playoff game to see eight combined goals.
Game 2 was the seventh time this season that Minnesota has scored at least five goals in a game – the rest of the PWHL has combined for eight such games, with no other team having more than three. Toronto, which had the most such games last season (four), is the only PWHL team without such a game this season.
Stecklein became the first player to record three points in a single playoff period in Game 2 thanks to her pair of goals and assist in the middle frame. Stecklein had two multi-point games in her first 62 PWHL games (regular and postseason) and now has two in her last four games.
Claire Thompson has a two-game point streak (2A) to open her playoff career, contributing to the nine points produced by Frost defenders so far this series. Minnesota led the PWHL with 63 points from defenders during the regular season.
Frost Assistant Equipment Manager Blake “Skip” Kruse became the go-to lineup reader during the team’s long road trip. Kruse’s first lineup read preceded the 3-0 win over Ottawa on Apr. 30, and the locker room has insisted on his presence prior to every game since. Kruse is 3-1 as a lineup reader, and his performances can be found exclusively on the Frost’s social media channels.
The Frost logo was recently painted at center ice of the Xcel Energy Center in time for the team’s first playoff game at home. The same was done for the Sceptres at Coca-Cola Coliseum prior to Game 1 of the series.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“Our group is confident going into the next two games here. I think our play overall in the first two games has been really good. There are small adjustments we can make that will get us back on the winning side. But we’ve all been playing aggressively and limiting their time and space. When we play this way, we put ourselves in the best position to win.” - Scepters forward Hayley Scamurra.
“It’s a really good feeling to be coming home after a long road trip. It’s made even better by picking up a win in Toronto and evening the series. We’re excited to be back in front of our home fans, and looking forward to their push from the stands. Playoff hockey is always fun, but it’s made even better when you’re on your home ice!” – Frost Head Coach Ken Klee.
SUNDAY’S GAME: It’s Game 3 of the PWHL Playoffs, presented by SharkNinja, at Xcel Energy Center. Fans will have opportunities to appear on the scoreboard screen as part of the game presentation. During the first period they’ll see the Great Clips ‘Hair Confidence Cam’ and e.l.f. ‘Dance Cam’. The second period will feature the Woody Creek Distillers ‘Fan Cam’ and TRIA ‘Flex Cam’, while third period highlights include the Air Canada ‘Sign Spotlight’ and Bread Financial ‘Fan of the Game’.
In addition to broadcast coverage exclusively on Prime Video (Canada), tonight’s game will be available to fans in the U.S. on FanDuel Sports Network North, FanDuel Sports Network SoCal, FanDuel Sports Network Southwest, FanDuel Sports Network South, NESN+, SportsNet Pittsburgh, and on various stations distributed in partnership with Gray Media (Gulf Sports & Entertainment Network, Peachtree Sports Network, Palmetto Sports Network, Tennessee Valley Sports & Entertainment Network, Matrix Midwest), Scripps Sports (Salt Lake City, Denver, Twin Falls, Boise), and on YouTube. Internationally, the game will be distributed by NOVA Prime in Czechia and Slovakia.