Kristen Campbell posted a 30-save shutout and Toronto beat Montreal 3-0 on Friday in a Professional Women’s Hockey League (LPHF) clash.
It was the first time that an LPHF match was played at Scotiabank Arena and for the occasion, the duel established an attendance record by presenting a full house of 19,285 spectators. The old mark was set in Minnesota’s season opener Jan. 6 at the Xcel Energy Center with a crowd of 13,316.
For Montreal club star Marie-Philip Poulin, this match in front of so many people meant something important.
“It’s quite surreal,” she said. I think at that point you want to be in the best environment and that’s exactly the case here. »
Jesse Compher and Hannah Miller scored, while Victoria Bach completed the scoring into an empty net. Toronto has won its last four meetings.
Miller, who celebrated his 28e birthday, therefore allowed himself a goal on this special day.
“It’s definitely the greatest gift cool that I had, she said. It’s pretty special and I’m happy we won. »
Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 21 shots for Montreal, which is 0-1-1 against Toronto this season.
Canada’s women’s national basketball team star Kia Nurse, also Sarah Nurse’s cousin on the Toronto team, took the ceremonial puck drop before the start of the game.
Natalie Spooner had some of Toronto’s best scoring chances, first with a wrist shot at 4:11 and later with a slap shot with 1:09 left in the game. initial commitment.
Toronto showed better offensive play in the second period, preventing Montreal from getting clear scoring opportunities towards Campbell.
With just over a minute left in the second period, Emma Maltais rushed to recover a loose puck and made a backhand pass in the slot towards Spooner, but it did not succeed to outwit Desbiens.
With just over seven minutes played in the middle period, Spooner moved into the offensive zone, attracting the attention of three Montreal players, then leaving the puck behind to Nurse. However, his throw was blocked.
Midway through the period, Nurse hit the post on a shot from the left faceoff circle.
Compher opened the scoring 5:11 into the third period. Brittany Howard fed him the puck from behind the net and Compher beat Desbiens over the left shoulder.
Miller doubled Toronto’s lead with 4:39 left in regulation and Bach completed the scoring into an empty net 32 seconds later.