Toronto hosts Minnesota in PWHL’s first winner-take-all playoff game on TSN
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Home ice and goaltending have carried the day in the first four games of the PWHL semifinal series between Toronto and Minnesota. Toronto returns home to host a decisive Game 5, with a spot in the inaugural PWHL final awaiting the winner.
Watch the series-deciding Game 5 LIVE, Friday at 7pm ET on TSN1, TSN.ca and the TSN App.
When Minnesota left Toronto after dropping the first two games of the best-of-five series, they were in need of a spark to turn things in their favour.
Enter goaltender Maddie Rooney.
Rooney took over in net for Minnesota from Nicole Hensley after they suffered a 4-0 defeat in the series opener and allowed one goal on 29 shots as they were pushed to the brink of elimination with a 2-0 loss in Game 2.
When the series shifted to Xcel Energy Center, the 26-year-old became unbeatable.
Rooney made 18 saves as Minnesota stayed alive in the series with a 2-0 victory in Game 3.
She would top that performance in Game 4, stopping all 19 shots in a 1-0, double-overtime victory to send the semifinal back to Toronto for a do-or-die Game 5.
The Duluth, Minnesota native leads the playoffs with a 0.29 goals-against average and .985 save percentage.
Forward Claire Butorac was the double-overtime hero for Minnesota, finding the net at 4:27 of the second extra frame with the only goal of the contest.
“Honestly, my line did most of the work,” Butorac said after scoring the winner. “I got in on that good change by the line before us and I picked up that rebound in front of the net. We knew it was going to be a dirty goal, so I was just happy to finish.”
Liz Schepers picked up a helper on the winner and has been credited with the primary assist on all three goals Minnesota scored on home ice to send the series back to Toronto.
For Toronto, goaltender Kristen Campbell arrived in Minnesota with shutouts in the first two games of the series. Her scoreless streak was broken at 142:12 as she surrendered two goals on 26 shots in the Game 3 defeat.
In Game 4, she held Minnesota off the board through four periods before giving up the winner in the second overtime, ending the game with 28 saves on 29 shots.
The Brandon, Man. native has a 0.69 goals-against average and a .971 save percentage through the first four games of the series.
Prior to Game 4, Toronto placed PWHL leading scorer Natalie Spooner on LTIR ending her season with a knee injury she suffered in the third period of Game 3.
The 33-year-old topped the league with 20 goals and 27 points during the regular season and had a goal and an assist in the first three games of the playoffs, before being forced out of the series.
Friday’s winner will advance to face Boston in the PWHL’s first-ever final.
Boston swept Montreal in their semifinal series, with all three games going to overtime.
All of the action can be seen on TSN, the exclusive home of the PWHL playoffs and the chase for the Walter Cup.