Frost Shut Out in Final Home Game, Fall 2-0 to Toronto
Minnesota can’t solve Raygan Kirk as the Sceptres capitalize on special teams to secure a key late-season win.
By Robert Brent
The Minnesota Frost returned home Sunday afternoon for a faceoff against the Toronto Sceptres. The matchup was the two teams’ last of the season, with Minnesota winning the last two games against Toronto.
Despite winning the last two games against Toronto, Sunday’s matchup is a classic case of needing to be vigilant for the Frost. Minnesota has already clinched its playoff spot, but Toronto is still fighting for the final postseason berth.
Sunday’s matchup was also notable because it was the Frost’s last regular-season home game. Minnesota has played well at home this season, posting nine wins, two overtime losses, and three regulation losses. Alternate captain Lee Stecklein spoke before the game about playing the final home game of the regular season.
“We’re excited for our last regular season game in front of our home crowd,” Stecklein said. “They’ve been awesome support for us all year, and we’re hoping to finish with a solid home win over Toronto.”
Recap
Maddie Rooney started in the net, making her first appearance since an excellent game against the New York Sirens on April 11. Raygan Kirk got the call for Toronto in net at the other end of the ice.
Toronto got on the board early with a power play goal from Savannah Harmon off the first faceoff of the extra-attacker chance. Harmon’s goal was her second of the season and came just three seconds into the power play.
Minnesota produced several high-danger scoring chances throughout the course of the first period, but Raygan Kirk was up to the task. Kirk made a few notable saves, including stopping a backhand shot from Kendall Coyne Schofield on a breakaway.
The Frost had a power play of their own to end the period, but were unable to break through, leaving the game at 1-0 going into the first intermission.
Minnesota outshot Toronto 9-7 in the second period, but once again were unable to find a goal to tie the game. Toronto was held off the board as well, leaving Minnesota with a one-goal deficit heading to the third period.
The Frost had a power play chance early in the third period and produced some chances early on, but couldn’t find the back of the net. It was Minnesota’s fifth unsuccessful power play of the day.
Minnesota had outshot Toronto 22-16 with 15:21 remaining in the game, but Raygan Kirk played an excellent game to preserve the Sceptres’ 1-0 lead.
From that point, Toronto took over the game. The Sceptres produced a majority of shot opportunities and earned power play chances of their own. One of those chances ended with a goal to put Toronto up 2-0 from Daryl Watts.
Watts’ goal stood as the final marker of the game, giving Toronto the 2-0 victory over Minnesota. The Frost were shut out for just the third time this season.
Maddie Rooney had a solid game in net. Rooney made 22 saves and she didn’t allow a goal 5-on-5.
Key Takeaways
Scoring Issues Persist
The Minnesota Frost have led the PWHL in goal-scoring for the majority of the season. While the team is dangerous, every club goes through slumps. Minnesota is currently in one of those slumps.
The Frost suffered a shutout in Sunday’s game and didn’t score in the first two periods of their last game against Boston.
One of the main culprits of Minnesota’s scoring woes has been the club’s special teams. They went 0-for-5 in Sunday’s game and are 1-for-9 in their last three games. The team’s extra-attacker unit is still the most lethal in the league, but they’ll need to score at a better rate in the playoffs if they hope to go on another run for the championship.
The good news is the team has plenty of talent. The Frost are mostly healthy and still employ some of the league’s most effective offensive players. The goals will come; they haven’t in the last few games.
Playoff Position Locked In
Minnesota came into Sunday’s matchup sitting in third place in the PWHL standings. The team had an outside shot at overtaking the Boston Fleet for second place, but that opportunity is now out of reach.
With a 10-point lead over the fourth-place team, the Ottawa Charge, The Frost are now locked in to third. That place in the standings means Minnesota is unlikely to have home-ice advantage in its first-round playoff matchup. The only way Minnesota would find itself with that advantage would be if the first-seeded team chose to face the second-seeded team.
Still, Minnesota is no stranger to playing on the road in the playoffs. The Frost were the fourth seed in each of the last two postseasons and still emerged as Walter Cup Champions. Minnesota has spent its existence defying the odds. They’ll need to do it again this year to raise the Walter Cup.
