In the season opener of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, rookie Kiara Zanon’s goal in the third period led the Toronto Sceptres to a 2-1 victory over the two-time defending champions, the Minnesota Frost. The game started with a quick goal by Minnesota’s Kendall Coyne Schofield, assisted by Kelly Pannek and Britta Curl-Salemme. Ella Shelton equalized for the Sceptres late in the first period with assists from Natalie Spooner and Savannah Harmon.
The game remained tied until Zanon scored the decisive goal 5:14 into the third period, with assists from Spooner and Emma Maltais. Toronto goalie Raygan Kirk made crucial saves in the final moments, denying shots by Dominique Petrie and Sidney Morin to secure the win with 19 saves. On the other side, Maddie Rooney made 31 saves for Minnesota.
Notably, Minnesota started the season without key defenders Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques, who now play for the Vancouver Goldeneyes. The league’s third season also saw the debut of expansion teams, with Vancouver facing the Seattle Torrent at a sold-out Pacific Coliseum.
In upcoming matches, the Frost will face the Torrent, while the Sceptres will host the Boston Fleet on Nov. 29, with live coverage on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. Viewers can follow CBC Sports’ PWHL streaming schedule for more details.
