Sceptres gain a point but lose in shootout in Halifax

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The Toronto Sceptres matched, perhaps even bettered, the physicality by the Montreal Victoire, but solving Ann-Renee Desbiens remains a mystery.

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The Victoire goalie turned aside 34 of 35 shots the Sceptres threw at her and was a perfect 5-for-5 in the shootout to earn her side the 2-1 victory.

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Marie-Philip Poulin (who else?) was the lone scorer in the shootout, beating Toronto netminder Raygan Kirk on the opener.

It was the first PWHL game played in Halifax and the Maritime crowd didn’t disappoint as a sellout of 10,438 kept things lively throughout the evening.

The city gets another crack at impressing the PWHL brass later next month when Ottawa and Boston clash at Scotiabank Centre.

Then Halifax will wait to see if it showed enough to warrant one of two to four more expansion spots the league is planning for the upcoming off-season.

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THAT BAD TASTE

It was no secret that the Sceptres didn’t like the way they performed the last time these two teams crossed paths.

That one, played in Laval, ended up a 3-1 victory for the Victoire, but it was the way the Sceptres were bullied, which was a word more than one of Toronto’s forwards used after that one that stood out.

The physicality was there again, but by both teams in the second meeting. The bigger difference, however, was Toronto’s compete level on the defensive end.

Montreal is a dangerous team in transition and time and time again the Sceptres shut the Victoire down with a huge emphasis by their forwards in getting back to break things up, and that effort came from everyone in the lineup.

Daryl Watts, better known for her scoring than her defending, set the tone early for the Toronto forwards as she used her elite speed to get back and redirect a puck into the corner just before it found the stick of Poulin, who was staring at an empty net.

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A few minutes later, still in the first period, Jesse Compher hustled her way back into the Toronto zone to deny Poulin another scoring opportunity.

THE PK ON FIRE

If you can get past the fact that three of the four penalties the Sceptres took through the first two periods were not exactly the kind a coach would be OK with, you get to appreciate the four kills made by the Sceptres.

Even with what many consider the top line in the PWHL with Poulin, Laura Stacey and Abbey Rocque on the ice for well over half of those eight minutes with the advantage, the Sceptres kept them at bay.

Kirk was solid when called on, but it was the penalty-killers in front of her who kept the shots from distance and the periphery and perhaps as importantly when the Victoire did have shots it was more often than not a clean look for Kirk.

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Toronto came into the game having killed 12 of 13 short-handed situations and by game’s end had killed 17 of 18, going a perfect 5-for-5 in Halifax including an overtime kill.

IN THE NET

Raygan Kirk is going to make things very difficult for head coach Troy Ryan to even give Elaine Chuli another shot at winning the starting netminder job.

Kirk’s calm, cool, and collected manner in the Toronto net is exactly what this team has craved. Chuli has made one start thus far, and while she helped earn her team a win, did not look as strong as Kirk has in any of her four starts.

The W-L record isn’t there for Kirk personally, but she has been solid when she had to be and spectacular at the times her team has needed her, keeping them in every game and giving them a chance to win.

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Her anticipation and speed getting back across the net to deny those cross-ice feeds that are coming back at her as one-timers has been truly impressive.

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QUICK HITS

Pure class by Stellarton, N.S. native and Sceptres’ captain to insist that fellow Nova Scotian Allie Munroe take the ceremonial faceoff to begin the night. Munroe, who was born in New Glasgow, was playing her first professional game ever in her home province. Turnbull has played here previously as a member of Canada’s national women’s team … Full marks to Sceptres rookie Clara Van Wieren, who got her first PWHL assist on Toronto’s only goal and was strong throughout the night playing on a line with Emma Woods and Sara Hjalmarsson. Van Wieren earned herself some extra playing time with her effort Wednesday, easily her best game as a member of the Sceptres … The Sceptres remain on the road for the next game, travelling to New Jersey to take on the Sirens at the Prudential Centre on Sunday. Game time is 12 p.m.

Mganter@postmedia.com

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