Gabel scores twice, including winner, as PWHL Boston sends Toronto to 3rd straight loss
Keller adds goal for Boston in 3-2 victory; Miller provides all the offence for Toronto
Toronto put on its best showing of the Professional Women's Hockey League season. But it was heartbreak in the end on Wednesday night.
Loren Gabel capped a two-goal, one-assist effort with the game-winning goal with 1:50 remaining to lift visiting Boston to a 3-2 victory and hand Toronto its third straight loss. Toronto outshot Boston 32-22, with improved scoring chances from previous games but couldn't capitalize enough.
"That one stings," Toronto head coach Troy Ryan said. "Losing a game where you for the most part outplayed Boston. That's the best 60 minutes we've played by far this year.
"I think there's a lot of things to look back and reflect on and be proud [of], but ultimately we got to find a way to win. You got to at least find a way to get that to overtime and to get a point [with] where we're at right now."
WATCH l Gabel leads PWHL Boston to 2nd straight road win:
Ryan made multiple line changes, including moving winger Sarah Nurse to centre on the top line alongside Natalie Spooner and Maggie Connors. The home team got off to a hot start, outshooting Boston 10-3 and taking a 1-0 lead into the second period.
"Right off the bat, we forechecked well," said Ryan, who also mentioned being pleased with his team's 5-on-5 play. "Offensively, some of the below-goal-line offence was good, it was generating substantial [offensive-zone] possession time. We still got to find a way to score some of those goals.
Megan Keller also scored for Boston (2-1-0), which came in off its first-ever win, a 3-2 overtime victory over Montreal on Saturday. Alina Müller dished out three assists.
Emma Soderberg stopped 30 shots in her first start of the season after backing up Aerin Frankel in Boston's opening two games.
"A huge team win there," said Boston head coach Courtney Kessel. "Good battle back, we obviously didn't have the start we wanted but it's good to see us be able to battle back."
"We had a really long travel day because of the snowstorm in Boston and so I think we knew that our legs were going to be a little bit heavy."
Last place, winless at home
Hannah Miller scored twice for Toronto (1-4-0), which dropped to 0-3-0 at home this season and into last place in the PWHL standings. Kristen Campbell made 19 saves.
"You can look at it that way, or you can look at it as we're getting the chances and eventually it is going to come," Miller said of the missed scoring opportunities. "I think just taking the positives and moving forward and just continuing to build is what we're going to focus on."
Campbell said there's no time to ponder on such losses.
"The turnover is quick, we play again Saturday. So we don't have time to sit on a loss like that," she said. "We have to take the positives and build off those because that's what's going to bring us the wins here in the next few games.
"That's the best I've seen us play and we know that the wins are going to come here."
WATCH l CBC Sports' Hockey North breaks down Week 3 in PWHL:
Miller opened the scoring nine minutes into the first period, firing in a rebound off a Jocelyne Larocque shot in front.
Gabel knotted the contest 12:38 into the second, beating Campbell glove side with a wrist shot on a 2-on-1 rush.
Keller put Boston ahead with 1:22 remaining in the middle frame, firing in a one-timer.
Miller scored her second to tie the contest at 7:46 of the third period, earning a standing ovation from the sold-out Mattamy Athletic Centre crowd of 2,491. She knocked in a rebound off a Jesse Compher shot in front.
Toronto heads east for a matchup against Montreal on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, with live coverage available on CBC Sports.
Boston flies home to host New York on Saturday.
The full schedule of PWHL games airing on CBC Sports this season is available here.
The post-game handshake made its return Wednesday after a miscommunication led to its absence following Montreal's home win over New York on Tuesday, the league said in a statement.
"The PWHL regrets this lapse in protocol and apologizes for any confusion it may have caused our fans."
WATCH l PWHL players discuss which player they're least looking forward to facing:
With files from CBC Sports
