vs. Toronto, Xcel Vitality Middle, 7 p.m. Wednesday
TV: BSN
Pregame studying: For Finland’s Susanna Tapani, dazzling ringette skills shine for PWHL Minnesota
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Opening bell: 9 days into the PWHL’s first season, Minnesota (2-0) is the one staff with two victories and the one one to have received on house ice. It tops the PWHL standings with six factors, with Toronto and New York tied for second at three factors every. Toronto (1-1) was shut out 4-0 by New York in its season opener, the primary recreation in league historical past, then turned the tables with a 3-2 win at New York final Friday. Toronto’s roster options a number of members of Canada’s 2022 Olympic gold-medal staff, together with Sarah Nurse, Emma Maltais, Blayre Turnbull, Jocelyne Larocque, Renata Quick and Kristen Campbell.
Watch her: Grace Zumwinkle did not waste any time transitioning from the school recreation to the professionals. The previous Gophers ahead collected the primary hat trick in league historical past in Saturday’s shutout of Montreal, scored the successful targets in each of Minnesota’s video games and tops the PWHL with 4 factors. The league’s inaugural first star of the week, she’s a part of a standout line with Kelly Pannek and Susanna Tapani.
Forecast: The massive query earlier than Minnesota’s third recreation: Who will begin in objective? Maddie Rooney received a 24-save shutout Saturday, and Nicole Hensley was masterful in a 33-save efficiency at Boston. The roster additionally contains former Gophers nice Amanda Leveille, establishing some intriguing choices for coach Ken Klee. With two video games within the books for every staff, anticipate to see fewer nerves. Anticipate to see some previous rivalries renewed, too; Minnesota has six gamers from the 2022 U.S. Olympic staff, going through Toronto’s six Canadian Olympians who beat them for the gold medal.
Rachel Blount is a sports activities reporter for the Star Tribune who covers quite a lot of matters, together with the Olympics, Wild, faculty sports activities and horse racing. She has written extensively about Minnesota’s Olympic athletes and has coated professional and faculty hockey since becoming a member of the workers in 1990.
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