TORONTO, ON. – Tuesday night was a homecoming for not only the Toronto Scepters but star player Natalie Spooner. The Scepters came away with an ugly 3-2 overtime victory against the Minnesota Frost, but it got the job done.
This match-up between the Frost and Scepters was the first game back after the International Break and Spooner’s first game this season after suffering a torn ACL in the playoffs last season. While this date wasn’t the exact one circled on the calendar for Spooner, all the stars certainly aligned.
With the recent injury to Sarah Nurse, the Scepters needed a little star power back in this line-up, and Spooner brings just that especially when you consider that she was so dominant last year, that she is still tied for the most all-time goals in the PWHL, despite not playing a game this season. Spooner also highlighted that it felt good to come back against this Minnesota team as they were the ones she suffered the injury against in the semi-finals last year. Despite saying she felt a little slower in this game, and may not be back to where she was last year just yet, Spooner managed to record an assist on the Scepters’ first goal of the game in this one.
Toronto was behind early, giving up one goal on one shot in the first, and letting the Frost add another in the second. But thanks to two goals in two minutes from Hannah Miller and Daryl Watts. The score would stay locked at two until the end of regulation. Quite the thriller for a Tuesday night.
Toronto opened the extra-time with a good chance, but after that, it was all Minnesota for four of the five minutes. With about ten seconds left, Renata Fast got a hold of the puck with no one in front of her except Minnesota goaltender Maddie Rooney. According to Fast, she had no clue how much time was left on the clock, all she was focused on was not shooting it over the net. And shoot it over the net, she did not. With three seconds left on the clock, she tucked one behind Rooney to win it for the Scepters.
Check out this photo gallery from Inside The Rink’s Kaitlyn LeBoutillier for highlights from the game.
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