TORONTO — In an exciting season opener of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, Hannah Miller netted a crucial power-play goal with just 1:38 left on the clock, leading the Toronto Sceptres to a 3-1 win over the Boston Fleet on Saturday.
The scoring opportunity arose when Boston’s star player, Hilary Knight, was penalized for a significant boarding infraction against Sceptres defender Renata Fast. Capitalizing on the power play, Miller seized a rebound from a shot by Daryl Watts, finding the back of the net with a partially open goal.
Fast, who contributed to the game’s decisive moment with an assist, played in front of a cheering crowd of 8,089 fans at Coca-Cola Coliseum. The Fleet contested the goal, but upon video review, the officials upheld Miller’s shot as legitimate.
Earlier in the game, Sarah Nurse managed to give Toronto the lead with a short-handed goal at 11:50 of the first period, and Emma Maltais sealed the victory with an empty-net goal just 12 seconds before the final buzzer.
Boston’s Hilary Knight initially put the Fleet ahead with a powerful slap shot just three minutes into the match, beating Toronto goalie Kristen Campbell, who made an impressive 18 saves during the game. Despite being outshot 41-19, Boston’s Aerin Frankel showcased her skills with 38 saves, contributing significantly to her team advancing to the Walter Cup finals last spring.
Notable absences included Natalie Spooner, the MVP of the Billie Jean King Award, who was sidelined for the opener due to recovering from left knee surgery performed in June after an injury during the playoffs.
For the Fleet, defender Emma Greco made her debut, previously being a member of the Walter Cup-winning Minnesota team that triumphed over Boston in the finals last season.
A pivotal moment in the match occurred when the Sceptres were unable to convert a 59-second 5-on-3 power play opportunity during the second period, as the Fleet’s defense blocked five shots during that critical span.
In terms of performance stats, Toronto boasted a remarkable 11-game winning streak last season, which was vital in securing the regular-season championship. They managed to claim victory in three matchups against Boston during that stretch.
Looking ahead, Boston will host its first home game on Wednesday against the reigning Walter Cup champion Minnesota, while Toronto gears up to visit Ottawa on Tuesday.
