Heise scores twice, adds assist as PWHL Minnesota beats Toronto to remain undefeated
The Associated Press | Posted: January 11, 2024 4:33 AM | Last Updated: January 11, 2024
Canada's Nurse pots lone goal for Toronto in 3-1 road loss
Taylor Heise scored two goals with an assist as Minnesota remained the only unbeaten team in the Professional Women's Hockey League, beating Toronto 3-1 on Wednesday night at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn.
Heise, who set a program record for most games played during her five seasons at the University of Minnesota and recorded more than 200 points, scored her second and third goals of the season to stake Minnesota (3-0) to a 2-1 lead midway through the second period.
In the third period, she skated to the faceoff circle to the right of Toronto goalkeeper Kristen Campbell and fired a centring pass to a wide-open Kendall Coyne Schofield, who one-timed the puck home before Campbell could recover.
WATCH l Heise's 3-point night leads Minnesota past Toronto:
Toronto's (1-2) lone goal came when Sarah Nurse scored in the fourth minute of the second period to even the game at 1-1.
Campbell, who has started all three of Toronto's games, had 26 saves on 29 Minnesota shots. Nicole Hensley earned her second win in goal, turning away 31 of the 32 Toronto shots she faced.
Minnesota's Grace Zumwinkle leads the PWHL in goals scored with four after posting a hat trick against Montreal on Saturday. Heise is now tied with Montreal's Marie-Philip Poulin, who scored a hat trick Wednesday at New York, with three.
Minnesota set a record with 13,316 people in attendance at its home opener Saturday. Wednesday's game had an announced attendance of 4,707.
WATCH l Nurse scores her 1st PWHL goal:
Toronto will host Ottawa on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET. You can watch the game on CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca, the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices, and CBC TV.
The full schedule of PWHL games airing on CBC Sports this season is available here.
The full schedule of PWHL games airing on CBC Sports this season is available here.
WATCH l Minnesota's Zumwinkle reflects on scoring 1st-ever PWHL hat trick: