Sceptres’ Hannah Miller Stepping Up To The Challenge

It hasn’t been the start that the Toronto Sceptres hoped for this season, but there have been a few bright spots, and one is the performance of versatile forward Hannah Miller. She showed last year that she can play up and down the lineup, and after her one-year contract for the first season, it was important for Toronto to bring Miller back.

Miller signed a one-year deal with the team, and has shown her value as a veteran leader and offensive contributor. She has three goals and two assists in the first eight games, is a +4 compared to most players’ negative plus-minus, and has combined with Jesse Compher on a very effective third line. We got the chance to ask Miller about her start.

What do you think has contributed to your strong play this season?

I think every off-season you're looking to build your game and look at past seasons and what you can improve on. So I think just putting in the time and the work in the off-season. But yeah, it's been an okay start for myself and definitely looking to keep it going and turn this thing around too and get some more wins for the team.

You’ve played center and now you’re back on the wing - which do you prefer?

I played the first few few games at center and I'm back on the wing and have been for the last maybe two or three games. So that's where I'm at now. And it's all good – it doesn't matter to me if I'm center or wing. There are lots of different combinations on any team in our league. It’s so deep and there's so much depth.

I think it's something I pride myself in is being versatile and whatever situation I'm put in I try to make the most of it, and a lot of it is mentality as well. It doesn't really matter if you're center or wing, it's just, how can I best impact the game and and help the team win?

The team has had a bumpy last few games, and some close losses. How do you handle that as a leader?

I think ultimately it hasn't been the start that that we want – we want to be winning every game that we that we play but I'm fully confident. I don’t think anybody's worried in our locker room. We have a really great group of people in there. And I think through this just sticking together, leaning on each other, and just having that belief and trusting each other. I think even [like a game vs. Ottawa that finished 2-1 for the Charge], out-shooting them 38 to 13, we’ve got to bear down.

We've got to find ways to to win a game like that. When you're out-shooting a team, dominating a team like that. But I think we're trending in the right direction and despite the outcomes, everyone still has that belief in our locker room.

What can you say about your knack for scoring big goals? (Miller scored the game-winning goal in the opener, and the game-tying goal against Ottawa)?

I think a lot of it is the opportunity that you're given from the coaching staff to first of all be on a power play, to be put on the ice in that position. Sometimes the fans see just the end result of the goal, but there's a lot of things that go into a play on the ice or the power play. And I've been fortunate to be finishing off those plays a couple of times this year.

Toronto plays its next game on Sunday, Jan. 12 at New York against the Sirens.