Turnbull nets a pair as Toronto blanks Minnesota in landmark PWHL ...

9 May 2024

CBC.ca

PWHL

Blayre Turnbull scored two goals to lead Toronto to a 4-0 win over Minnesota in the first-ever Professional Women's Hockey League playoff game on Wednesday night.

Photo CBC.ca

Toronto claims 4-0 win in front of 8,473 fans at Coca-Cola Coliseum

Abdulhamid Ibrahim · The Canadian Press

· Posted: May 08, 2024 10:20 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Toronto's Blayre Turnbull celebrates after scoring against Minnesota during third-period PWHL playoff hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)

Blayre Turnbull scored two goals to lead Toronto to a 4-0 win over Minnesota in the first-ever Professional Women's Hockey League playoff game on Wednesday.

Natalie Spooner, with the opening goal and one assist, and Emma Maltais also scored for top-seeded Toronto in front of 8,473 fans at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

Kristen Campbell posted a 26-save shutout. Nicole Hensley stopped 15 shots for fourth-seeded Minnesota.

Game two in the best-of-five semifinal is set for Friday in Toronto.

WATCH | Toronto shuts out Minnesota in PWHL playoffs:

Toronto blanks Minnesota in 1st-ever PWHL playoff game

Toronto defeats Minnesota 4-0 in Game 1 of their best-of-five semifinal playoff series.

The hosts entered Wednesday winners of four straight to close the regular season, including a 4-1 win over Minnesota last Wednesday.

Toronto went 2-1-0-1 against Minnesota in the regular season. Minnesota earned a 3-1 road victory on Jan. 10.

Spooner opened the scoring at 9:47 of the first period to the delight of the deafening home crowd. The PWHL scoring champion took a pass from Hannah Miller and fired a wrister that went top corner past Hensley's glove.

Maltais made it 2-0 at the 55-second mark of the second period. Nurse drew the attention of two defenders approaching the slot and found a streaking Maltais who backhanded it between Hensley's pads.

WATCH | Examining the PWHL playoff format:

How do the PWHL playoffs work?

The top four teams in the final regular season standings are battling it out in the league's first-ever playoffs. But unlike the NHL, the top team gets to pick their opponent.

Turnbull got in on the action with 4:55 remaining in the middle frame. She took the puck up ice, sent it off to Spooner who dished it back and Turnbull tapped it in.