Toronto aims to advance to PWHL final as they visit Minnesota for Game 3 on TSN
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Kristen Campbell has been flawless between the pipes for Toronto during the playoffs and on the strength of her goaltending, they are one win away from the PWHL final as they visit Minnesota for Game 3 of their semifinal series.
Watch the action LIVE on Monday at 8pm ET on TSN1/5, TSN.ca and the TSN App.
Campbell stopped all 21 shots she faced in Toronto’s 2-0 victory over Minnesota in Game 2 on home ice in a defensive battle that was scoreless until late in the third period.
The 26-year-old also posted a 26-save shutout in Toronto’s Game 1 win.
Forward Jesse Compher broke through with 1:25 remaining in the third frame of Game 2 with her first playoff goal, redirecting a point shot from defender Renata Fast to get Toronto on the board.
“I honestly didn’t see much. Just try to go to the net as hard as possible,” Compher said after the Game 2 win. “I think we’ve talked about all year– getting in front of goalies, taking their eyes away creates chaos and hopefully good things come from that, and that’s what we experienced there.”
Hannah Miller then put the game on ice with an empty netter 10 seconds before the final whistle.
Maddie Rooney made her first start of the playoffs in net for Minnesota and turned away 28 of 29 shots.
Rooney took over for Nicole Hensley, who gave up four goals on 20 shots in the first game of the series.
“I think today we were just a whole new team defensively and offensively, but it started in the defensive zone,” Rooney said about her team’s play in Game 2. “They were making my job easy back there.”
Forwards Abby Boreen and Claire Butorac as well as defender Sophie Jaques led Minnesota with three shots each, but for the second straight game they were not able to get a puck past Campbell.
If Toronto captures Game 3, they will advance to the first-ever PWHL final where they will meet the winner of the other semifinal series between Montreal and Boston.
If Minnesota is victorious they will force Game 4, which will also take place at Xcel Energy Center, Wednesday at 8pm ET.
All of the action can be seen on TSN, the exclusive home of the PWHL playoffs and the chase for the Walter Cup.