Minnesota Frost goaltender Nicole Hensley (29) makes a save against Toronto Sceptres' Natalie Spooner (24) during second period PWHL hockey action in Toronto on Sunday, March 9, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

TORONTO - The Toronto Sceptres found a way to dampen their mood going into a 10-day break.

Three days after a morale-boosting win at home against the Professional Women's Hockey League-leading Montreal Victoire, the Sceptres suffered a 2-1 overtime loss to the defending champion Minnesota Frost on Sunday.

Before Toronto goalie Kristen Campbell could cover up, Frost captain Kendall Coyne Schofield found a loose puck in a goalmouth scramble to score with 2:21 remaining in the extra period before 8,510 at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

“I think we have to do a little bit of soul searching," Toronto head coach Troy Ryan said. "You’ve got to reflect on a performance like that at this point in the season, you’ve got to ask some questions why.

"It’s also important not to dive too deep into it and you hope it’s a bit of an outlier, but it’s definitely something we’ve got to find a way to deal with as you can’t have something like that surfacing this close to playoff time.”

The Sceptres don't play until March 19 against the New York Sirens. In between, the PWHL trade deadline is on Thursday.

Toronto alternate captain Renata Fast, who scored her team's lone goal, hopes the healing process began in the dressing room after the disappointing effort.

"We had a pretty good chat as just players after the coaches talked, and just kind of problem solved within the locker room," Fast said. "I think it was positive. A lot of people spoke up with their thoughts.

"That's what you want, to internally work things through, and that's what we did."

The fourth-place Frost's (7-5-4-7) victory ended a five-game home win streak for the second-place Sceptres (9-2-5-7) as they lost for only the second time in nine outings.

The Sceptres mustered only 16 shots on goal to Minnesota's 27. The home side had difficulty moving the puck from the perimeter to prime-scoring areas.

"I didn't think much of our performance," Ryan said. "I think for us, when we're successful, we're getting pucks in behind the defence and establishing a forecheck.

"When we do that we're difficult to play against, working hard down low and winning battles in front."

Brooke McQuigge, of nearby Bowmanville, Ont., supplied the visitors with a 1-0 advantage 5:26 into the first period with Toronto firing only two shots on Frost goalie Nicole Hensley.

McQuigge's accurate shot from the slot came after Toronto's Megan Carter and captain Blayre Turnbull failed on their clearing attempts.

Fast improved her status as the top PWHL defender in offence with her fifth goal and 15th point to pull the Sceptres even late in the second period.

But the only bright spot for the home side was the play of Campbell and the penalty kill.

The Sceptres have the league's fourth-best penalty kill but went a perfect five for five against Minnesota.

Campbell made 25 saves in only her second loss in her last six starts.

“The last handful or so of games I felt like I’ve been playing my game — keeping it simple," said Campbell, who struggled earlier this season. "I want to give the team a chance to win every time I’m in the net."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2025.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2025