DENVER, CO – The Minnesota Frost moved into first place in the standings with a 4-2 victory over the Montréal Victoire in the third game of the PWHL Takeover Tour, played before a record-setting crowd of 14,018 at Ball Arena in Denver. This attendance is the highest ever for a professional women’s hockey game in the United States.
Game Highlights
Maggie Flaherty’s first goal of the season broke a 2-2 tie midway through the third period, followed by an insurance marker from Michela Cava with 99 seconds left in regulation. The teams exchanged goals in the first two periods, with Catherine Dubois scoring for Montréal and Britta Curl-Salemme equalizing for Minnesota. The second period saw power play goals from Sophie Jaques and Jennifer Gardiner. Frost goaltender Maddie Rooney made 21 saves, while Elaine Chuli turned aside 25 shots for the Victoire.
Quotes
Frost Head Coach Ken Klee: “It was awesome, it was incredible. To showcase these ladies and their talent, that’s what it’s all about. Growing the game – the women’s hockey game and how far it’s come even since I first got involved in 2014, it’s remarkable.”
Frost Goaltender Maddie Rooney: “We responded to every goal really well. That game was a grind, and a lot of the games are a grind. But we ultimately were able to bear down…we blocked shots, got pucks out and capitalized on our opportunities.”
Victoire Head Coach Kori Cheverie: “It’s been a challenge for our group, but I think they were ready for it and we had the right mindset going into it. We’ve had some adversity on this trip, and you almost want that as a team, to go through those moments and learn early on.”
Victoire Defender Cayla Barnes: “The product we put out on the ice is what fans love to see. We wouldn’t be where we are without the fans. Hopefully, one day we’ll get to having teams all across the country.”
Notables
- The PWHL set a new U.S. attendance record for a professional women’s hockey game, with 14,018 fans in attendance.
- Maddie Rooney recorded her fifth win of the season, ranking second in the PWHL in goals-against-average (1.98).
- Sophie Jaques achieved her first multi-point performance of the year, adding a goal and an assist.
- Britta Curl-Salemme led Minnesota with five goals this season, tied for the league lead among rookies.
- Jennifer Gardiner scored her second goal of the season and first power play goal, assisted by Cayla Barnes.
- Maggie Flaherty scored her first point of the season with the game-winning goal.
- Michela Cava tallied her fourth goal and fifth point in ten games this season.
- Dara Greig recorded her first career point with an assist on Dubois’ goal.
- Taylor Heise moved into third overall in league assists (7) and fourth in overall scoring (9 points).
- Denisa Křížová recorded points in two straight games with an assist.
- Marie-Philip Poulin tallied three points in her last two games, leading the Victoire with six points.
- Erin Ambrose led all players in ice time on Montréal’s blue line, logging 22:55.
Scoresheet Recap
1st Period:
- Montréal, Dubois 1 (Greig), 2:33.
- Minnesota, Curl-Salemme 5 (Heise), 10:19.
2nd Period:
- Minnesota, Jaques 1 (Křížová, Stecklein), 9:30 (PP).
- Montréal, Gardiner 2 (Barnes, Poulin), 14:37 (PP).
3rd Period:
- Minnesota, Flaherty 1, 7:27.
- Minnesota, Cava 4 (Jaques), 18:21.
Shots on Goal:
- Montréal 9-10-4-23.
- Minnesota 9-10-10-29.
Power Play Opportunities:
- Montréal 1 / 4;
- Minnesota 1 / 3.
Goalies:
- Montréal, Chuli 2-1-0-0 (29 shots-25 saves).
- Minnesota, Rooney 5-1-0-0 (23 shots-21 saves).
Attendance: 14,018
Three Stars:
- Sophie Jaques (MIN) 1G, 1A
- Jennifer Gardiner (MTL) 1G
- Maddie Rooney (MIN) 21/23 SV
Standings Update
- Minnesota: 4-3-1-2, 19 points, 1st place
- Montréal: 4-2-1-2, 17 points, 2nd place
Upcoming Schedule
- Minnesota: Wednesday, January 15 at New York at 7:00 p.m. ET
- Montréal: Friday, January 17 vs. Minnesota at 7:00 p.m. ET
