A new milestone in the history of professional women’s hockey was reached on Monday when teams from Toronto and New York took to the ice at the Mattamy Athletic Center in the Ontario capital.
The New York team soundly beat Toronto 4-0 in this first clash of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (LPHF), a new organization which was created six months ago.
Defender Ella Shelton, from New York, scored the first goal in circuit history. Her shot from distance slipped between the pads of Toronto goalie Kristen Campbell.
At the start of the third period, Alex Carpenter doubled New York’s lead with a powerful and precise shot that beat Campbell. Carpenter also set up Shelton’s goal in the first period.
Jill Saulnier made it 3-0 moments later. Rushing towards the opposing cage, she accepted a pass from Jade Downie-Landry at the mouth of the net.
Kayla Vespa added to New York’s lead a little more than two minutes later.
Corinne Schroeder made 29 saves to record a shutout. Kristen Campbell stopped 24 pucks in front of the Toronto net.
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Team New York won the first-ever game in LPHF history played in Toronto.
Photo: The Canadian Press / Frank Gunn
Blaire Turnbull and Micah Zandee-Hart participated in the ceremonial puck drop, carried out by Billie Jean King, one of the architects of this new circuit.
Toronto has several members of the national team in its ranks. On the ice, we can think of Sarah Nurse, Nathalie Spooner or Jocelyn Larocque. The head coach is Troy Ryan and the general manager is Gina Kingsbury. The latter two have the same role with Hockey Canada.
New York, on the other hand, has a strong Quebec contingent, headed by general manager Pascal Daoust. Several players come from Quebec, notably from the universities of Montreal and McGill.
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Pascal Daoust
Photo: Radio-Canada / Sébastien Lauzon
In June 2023, a group of investors purchased the assets of the Premier Hockey Federation and negotiated a collective agreement with the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association.
In total, there are 157 players from 12 different countries who are divided into six teams: Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, New York, Boston and Minnesota.
Montreal will play its first game Tuesday, on the road, in Ottawa, before opening its season at home on January 13 against Boston, at the Auditorium de Verdun.
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With information from The Canadian Press
2024-01-01 20:24:59
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