One Star In And One Star Out Changes The Fate Of Two PWHL Teams Early

On Wednesday night, we witnessed how the addition of a star player to a “last-place” team can matter. Number-one overall draft pick Sarah Fillier has added a new dimension and a new swagger to the Sirens, and although she didn’t singlehandedly create New York’s 4-2 victory, her fingerprints were all over it.

We also saw how missing the most valuable player of a top team causes a ripple of uneasiness and disconnection. Toronto’s only spark last season when they started poorly was power forward Natalie Spooner, who was the lone forward scoring, and the only player who didn’t appear disconcerted when the going was tough.

Fast-forward to this season and the Sceptres are missing that very element in their game. No one appears dogged and determined enough to fight through the adversity that the team has faced through its first four games.

Although the first period was mostly played evenly, and Toronto got off to the better start they hoped for (shots were 8-7 for the Sceptres), the second period broke open three minutes in when Fillier imposed her will. She held the puck confidently at the faceoff dot in Toronto’s end, waited and dished it to her new favorite linemate, Alex Carpenter, and when Carpenter threw it toward the net, Noora Tulus finished the play for her first goal in the PWHL.

The ten-day break where Toronto worked on weak spots like faceoffs, special teams, and breakouts was all but forgotten, it appeared. Faceoffs were 27-11 for the Sirens after two, and the penalty kill was 1-for-3 (it finished 2-for-4).

“I think we have to try and re-evaluate where we’re at right now as a group,” said coach Troy Ryan after the loss.

“I would find it hard to find anybody that’s pleased or happy with our play as a group right now. Just need to be better. It obviously is early in the season, but I know last year we were able to turn it around, but I don’t think you can rest on that kind of run again. The league is tighter, the league is more difficult to play against. I think the talent is there, there’s enough skill in our group – I think we’re lacking a bit of mentality right now.”

Rylind MacKinnon had no stick when rookie Emmy Fecteau got a whack at her own rebound that went up and over goalie Kristen Campbell. Again, the haunted storylines of last season are appearing in Toronto’s game (last year, Campbell went 1-4 in her first five games).

Penalty trouble struck and the Sirens capitalized 54 seconds later Micah Zandee-Hart scored her first goal in the league (all three New York goal scorers got their firsts in the PWHL).

A five-on-three power play was another easy opening and New York capitalized with Jaime Bourbonnais potting her first of the season. Twelve different Sirens players had points on the four goals.

Toronto coach Troy Ryan put backup Raygan Kirk in goal for the third and tossed the lines in a blender in an attempt to create some energy.

It appeared to work quickly as Hannah Miller fired a top-shelf wrist shot past Corrine Schroeder to get the Sceptres on the board.

Some nastiness ensued as defender Renata Fast stood up for the rookie netminder after Paetyn Levis took some liberties. But Toronto gave up another power play when Sarah Nurse took a careless tripping penalty.

Some heavy physical plays by the Sceptres showed that frustration was brewing. A last-minute goal by former New York player Emma Woods provided a bit of consolation.

In a 30-game season, four games are not season-changing, but it can get late early, as the saying goes. When Toronto’s missing details are evident so regularly throughout these early contests, urgency can set in quickly.

As Emma Maltais said, “It’s a different season, it’s a different team, right? I think that last year, although we were losing in the beginning, we were playing the right way. I think this is a different kind of battle where we just need to figure out how to play 60 minutes of hockey the right way.”

For New York, the confidence of victories and scoring first goals has propelled them to first place. Conversely, Toronto’s winning pedigree has yet to make an appearance in this young season.