Toronto spoils home opener with 2-1 win

by Robert Brent, Let’s Play Hockey

The Professional Women’s Hockey League kicked off its third season Friday night with a matchup featuring the Minnesota Frost and the Toronto Scepters.

The Frost entered this season with a slightly overhauled roster, including 17 returning players and nine new players in the organization. Before the game, head coach Ken Klee expressed excitement about seeing how his new team looks on opening night.

“I’m excited to see us compete on the ice tonight. We have an outstanding group of veterans who bring their best game night in and night out. They’re setting a great example for our younger players on and off the ice,” Klee said. “Opening night is always exciting, and I can’t wait to see and hear our great Frost fans!” 

After a banner-raising ceremony in celebration of the Frost’s second consecutive Walter Cup victory, the puck dropped on the 2025-26 PWHL season.

Recap

The Frost wasted no time getting their season off to a positive start. Minnesota registered the first three shots of the game, including a goal by team captain Kendall Coyne-Schofield. 

Schofield buried the first goal of the season on a tip-in play in front of the net. Britta Curl and Kelly Pannek assisted on the first goal of the season.

The Frost continued to put pressure on Toronto goaltender Raygan Kirk and even earned a penalty shot late in the period for a chance to double their lead. Kelly Pannek took the shot for Minnesota. Kirk was up to the task, however, and Minnesota’s lead stayed at just one goal. 

The Scepters used the momentum from Kirk’s save minutes later to score their first goal of the season. The goal came after Natalie Spooner streaked down the wing and chopped the puck across the goal mouth. The puck landed on Ella Shelton’s stick, who backhanded it into the net. 

The first period ended in a tie, but Toronto had all the momentum. That continued into the second period, where the Scepters did a solid job of stifling Frost’s offense. 

Toronto’s defense remained stifling, with Minnesota mustering only one shot on goal in the first 10 minutes of the second period. While Toronto carried much of the play in the second frame, Minnesota goaltender Maddie Rooney did a good job to keep the game tied going into the third period.

Minnesota got a great opportunity early in the third period after Taylor Heise drew a penalty call after a strong drive to the net. The Frost power play ultimately didn’t score, and the game remained at a deadlock.

Shortly after the Frost’s power play ended, Toronto got its first lead of the night on a goal from rookie Kiara Zanon. The goal was the result of a spectacular play where Emma Maltais made a difficult backhand pass to send Zanon into the zone with a short breakaway. Zanon roofed the shot for her first career goal.

The goal proved to be the decisive play of the night as the Frost weren’t able to score down the stretch. Minnesota got several high-quality scoring opportunities, but Raygan Kirk played solidly down the stretch.

Minnesota dropped its season opener 2-1 in front of 9138 fans at the Grand Casino Arena. 

Key Takeaways

Rooney Starts for Frost

The Minnesota Frost have the luxury of boasting two high-quality starting goaltenders with the duo of Maddie Rooney and Nicole Hensley. While having two stalwart goalies is always a positive, it can also raise questions about who earns the lion’s share of starts.

That question began to get an answer Friday night with Maddie Rooney taking the net as the Frost’s game one starter. Rooney earned the spot after a strong playoff run, during which she backstopped the Frost to a perfect 5-0-0 record in her five postseason starts. During those games, she logged a sterling .932 save percentage.

Rooney made 17 saves on 19 shots Friday night and did a good enough job keeping the Frost in the game. Unfortunately, she was outdueled by Toronto goaltender Kirk Raygan in a 2-1 loss.

Nicole Hensley will certainly still be a key part of the team as well. Coach Ken Klee has said he sees the two talented goaltenders as 1A and 1B starters, but Rooney got the first nod of the season.

Coyne-Schofield Still Dangerous 

Minnesota Frost captain Kendall Coyne-Schofield has already cemented herself as a legend of the game. The Northeastern University Alum is a two-time Walter Cup Champion and an Olympic gold medalist from Team USA’s victory in 2018 and a two-time silver medal winner. 

Coyne-Schofield has captained the Minnesota PWHL team since its inception and also led the team in scoring last year with 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 30 games.

The speedy forward has accomplished everything there is to achieve in hockey, but nights like Friday are a reminder that she’s far from slowing down. If the season opener was any indication, she’s just as dangerous as she’s always been.

Coyne-Schofield was one of the Frost’s best forwards during Friday night’s game and scored the team’s lone goal. The captain did a fantastic job finding some soft coverage on the ice and getting in a position to score in front of the net.

https://twitter.com/PWHL_Minnesota/status/1992037506796163379

Toronto Exacts Revenge

Toronto will feel good after their victory in the season’s opening game, after the Frost have become a bit of a nemesis for the Scepters. Minnesota got the better of Toronto in last year’s playoff semi-finals with a 3-1 series victory.

The matchups have led to a growing rivalry, with Taylor Heise acknowledging a mutual “small hatred” between the two sides. That animosity showed up in the game as it was a back-and-forth physical affair. 

While a heated game can raise both teams’ level of play, it can also lead to issues with discipline. This issue showed up late in the game for the Frost. Minnesota committed two penalties in the offensive zone in the third period, making it difficult to get into an offensive rhythm.

While the Frost raised their championship banner, Toronto ultimately emerged victorious on the night. The next game between the two teams, scheduled for Toronto on December 30, should be an intriguing matchup.