TORONTO — Blayre Turnbull showcased her leadership as captain by netting two goals and assisting rookie Julia Gosling on her first goal in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), leading the Toronto Sceptres to a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Charge on Saturday. This win not only ended a two-game losing streak for the Sceptres but also elevated them from last place to fourth in the six-team league, surpassing both the Charge and the Boston Fleet.


The Sceptres took an early advantage with Turnbull scoring her fourth goal of the season just ten minutes into the game. Shortly thereafter, Toronto defender Renata Fast increased the lead to 3-1 with a powerful shot on a power play, making it 3:39 before the end of the second period. This marked Fast’s second goal and contributed to her tally of nine points during power plays.


For the Charge, Emily Clark managed to score, bringing the game to a temporary tie at 1-1 after overcoming an earlier mishap where she lost her stick during a two-on-one opportunity. Katerina Mrazova added a second goal for Ottawa, closing the deficit to 4-2 with 13:46 left in the final period, in front of an audience of 8,351 at Coca-Cola Coliseum.


Despite the final score, Ottawa outshot the Sceptres significantly, with 32 shots compared to Toronto’s 18. However, Toronto’s goaltender Raygan Kirk stood tall, making 30 crucial saves, while her counterpart Emerance Maschmeyer recorded 14 stops.


Key insights from the game reveal speculation that league MVP Natalie Spooner may make her return from off-season knee surgery when the Sceptres resume their season on February 11. From the Charge, rookie Mannon McMahon has found success against Toronto at home, scoring three goals in two games, but has yet to score in Toronto itself.


A significant moment in the game came early in the third period when Kirk executed an impressive three-save sequence during a Charge power play. Shortly after, Turnbull scored as the Toronto penalty came to an end, significantly diminishing the spirits of the visiting team.


As both teams reached the midpoint of their 15-game schedule, the Sceptres now have 19 points, while the Charge sits at 17. For comparison, last season, Toronto had accumulated 27 points after the same number of games, whereas Ottawa checked in with an equivalent of 17 points.


Looking ahead, Toronto is scheduled to host the Minnesota Frost on February 11, while Ottawa will face the same team in their next match on February 13.