NEW YORK AND TORONTO – Minnesota goaltender Maddie Rooney, Minnesota center Taylor Heise, and Boston center Susanna Tapani have been named the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) ‘3 Stars of the Week’ for the week ending May 19.
FIRST STAR – MADDIE ROONEY, G, PWHL MINNESOTA
Rooney is named first star of the week after backstopping her team to three straight victories over Toronto in the PWHL Playoffs, clinching a series win for Minnesota. With Minnesota down 2-0 in their best-of-five series against Toronto, Rooney posted back-to-back shutouts at home in Games 3 and 4— including a double-overtime shutout in Game 4 — forcing a Game 5 in Toronto. In the series-deciding game, Rooney posted a .964 save percentage, while allowing just one goal against, as Minnesota clinched the series to punch their ticket to the PWHL Finals. The goaltender started four games last week and played a league-high 263 minutes with a record of 3-1. Her save percentage was tops among goaltenders at .943% — as was her goals-against-average at 1.14. She allowed just five goals in four games played while making a PWHL-high 87 saves.
SECOND STAR – TAYLOR HEISE, C, PWHL MINNESOTA
Heise is named second star of the week after leading the PWHL in scoring with five points (4G, 1A) in four games played. In a winner-takes-all Game 5 against Toronto, Heise scored twice—including the game-winning goal—and added an empty netter to seal a series victory for Minnesota. She followed up her Game 5 performance by recording three points against Boston in Game 1 of the PWHL Finals. The forward recorded two goals for the second consecutive game, and added an assist, hitting the scoresheet on each of her team’s goals in the contest. With her scoring output against Boston, Heise, along with linemate Michela Cava, became the first PWHL players to record a three-point playoff game. The 24-year-old was +4 for the week— and wasn’t on the ice for a single goal against in Game 1 against Boston. She had a 55.1% face-off percentage — including winning 68.8% of her draws in Game 5 against Toronto — while averaging 20:10 minutes per game. Heise now leads the PWHL Playoffs in both points (5) and goals (4).
THIRD STAR – SUSANNA TAPANI, C, PWHL BOSTON
Tapani is named third star of the week after scoring a goal in each of her two games played. First, in Game 3 of Boston’s semi-final series against Montréal, Tapani was the hero, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime to complete the sweep for her team to advance to the PWHL Finals. The goal was Tapani’s second overtime-winner of the series, as Boston won all three games in extra time. In Game 1 of the PWHL Finals against Minnesota, Tapani scored a momentum-shifting goal in the first period, tying the game 1-1 less than three minutes after her team fell behind early in the opening frame. The forward added six shots on net last week while averaging north of 27 minutes per game, including a game-high 34:06 in Game 3 against Montréal. Tapani now sits first in game-winning goals in the PWHL playoffs with two, and is tied for second in total goals scored with three through four games played.
The ‘3 Stars of the Week’ will continue throughout the PWHL postseason. Points will be awarded to each selection and will help determine rankings at the end of PWHL Playoffs.
First Star = 30 Points
Second Star = 20 Points
Third Star = 10 Points
1. Natalie Spooner (TOR) = 100 Points
T2. Kristen Campbell (TOR) = 70 Points
T2. Brianne Jenner (OTT) = 70 Points
T3. Marie-Philip Poulin (MTL) = 60 Points
T3. Sarah Nurse (TOR) = 60 Points
T6. Ella Shelton (NY) = 50 Points
T6. Daryl Watts (OTT) = 50 Points
T8. Alex Carpenter (NY) = 40 Points
T8. Kendall Coyne Schofield (MIN) = 40 Points
T8. Aerin Frankel (BOS) = 40 Points
T8. Alina Müller (BOS) = 40 Points
T12. Erin Ambrose (MTL) = 30 Points
T12. Claire Dalton (MTL) = 30 Points
T12. Taylor Heise (MIN) = 30 Points
T12. Kateřina Mrázová (OTT) = 30 Points
T12. Maddie Rooney (MIN) = 30 Points
T12. Grace Zumwinkle (MIN) = 30 Points
T18. Michela Cava (MIN) = 20 Points
T18. Ann-Renée Desbiens (MTL) = 20 Points
T18. Jade Downie-Landry (NY) = 20 Points
T18. Sophie Jaques (MIN) = 20 Points
T22. Hannah Brandt (BOS) = 10 Points
T22. Renata Fast (TOR) = 10 Points
T22. Kali Flanagan (Tor) = 10 Points
T22. Hilary Knight (BOS) = 10 Points
T22. Abby Roque (NY) = 10 Points
T22. Corinne Schroeder (NY) = 10 Points
T22. Susanna Tapani (BOS) = 10 Points
T22. Blayre Turnbull (TOR) = 10 Points
