Defenders Lead Offensive Charge as Minnesota Evens Series With 5-3 Win Over Toronto

Just like Game 1 was the Rookie Show, Game 2 of the 2025 PWHL semifinal series between the Toronto Sceptres and Minnesota Frost was the Defender Show. Defenders scored six of the eight combined goals as the Frost took down the Sceptres, 5-3, to even the series.

Lee Stecklein headlined the show, continuing her magical run since returning from the Worlds stage. She factored into each of her team’s second-period goals via two goals and an assist in 27:11 TOI. The typically stay-at-home defender now has five goals and seven points in five games since the Worlds break after tallying just six assists in her previous 27 games. 

“She was outstanding,” Frost head coach Ken Klee said postgame. “Obviously she’s known as a world-class defensive defenseman who always has a good stick, good gap, hard to play against, but tonight she was feeling it and driving the net… It’s playoffs, we know we have to find different ways to score goals and different people have to contribute and she knows that, she exemplifies that, and that’s why she’s one of our leaders and one of our best players.”

Stecklein wasn’t the only Minnesota defender to get on the board last night. Sophie Jaques continued her breakout offensive season by potting the game-winning goal in the third period. Then, Mellissa Channell-Watkins notched her first PWHL playoff goal on a late power play to seal the game for the Frost.

At the other end of the ice, Toronto’s defenders also got involved in the scoring fun. First, Savannah Harmon potted a power-play goal with just over three minutes remaining in the middle frame to cut Minnesota’s lead to 3-2. It was Harmon’s first goal as a Sceptre after being traded from Ottawa on December 30. Then, just 27 seconds later, newly-appointed alternate captain Allie Munroe tallied her first playoff goal to tie the game up at three.

Outside of the defenders, one forward from each team also scored. Hayley Scamurra, who came to the Sceptres in the same trade as Harmon, opened the scoring at 7:11 of the first period after her shot deflected off Natalie Buchbinder’s stick and past Maddie Rooney. Then, in the second period, Michela Cava–who was tied with teammate Taylor Heise for the 2024 playoff scoring lead–scored the second Frost goal to give her team their first lead of the series.

Notably, both clubs saw their power plays get on the board again after they each notched a goal in the series opener. Toronto went 1/1 on the advantage, while Minnesota was 2/3. Special teams were a big story coming into this series, particularly the Sceptres’ monstrous power play. So far, Minnesota has done a good job of keeping them at bay, but today’s lone look at it was a reminder of how much they need to stay out of the box if they want to win this series.

Last but not least, Kristen Campbell was a major factor in Game 2, but it wasn't for good reasons if you're Toronto. Goals 3-5 were all ones it’s easy to imagine she wants back, and they were what ultimately determined the game. Toronto was the better team in the first period and most of the third, and had they gotten timely saves, it easily could have been a different outcome. That said, head coach Troy Ryan isn’t worried about her.

“I don’t have to say a whole lot to her,” Ryan said about his message to her after the game. “We have a goalie coach that does a great job with her… I’ll obviously keep it private, but she did speak to the group after the game about her role in this... We’ve got to be better in front of her. [But] I think she knows she’s gotta be better, and she had that conversation with the players.”

This series now shifts to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4. Puck drop on Game 3 is set for 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 11 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. You can find the game on Prime Video in Canada, FanDuel Sports Network North in the Minnesota market, and the PWHL YouTube channel and thepwhl.com elsewhere.