Maggie Flaherty and Denisa Krizova each scored in the second period and Minnesota blanked Toronto 2-0 on Monday night in Game 3 of their Professional Women’s Hockey League semifinal series.
Minnesota (9-4-3-9) ended a seven-game losing streak, while Toronto (13-4-0-8) had a six-game winning streak snapped. Toronto had won the previous five games against Minnesota since losing 3-1 at Xcel Energy Center on Jan. 10.
Maddie Rooney made 18 saves for Minnesota for her third shutout of the season.
WATCH | Minnesota blanks Toronto, forces Game 4:
Minnesota gets a franchise first playoff win, defeating Toronto 2-0 Monday night in semi-final PWHL playoff action in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Flaherty scored Minnesota’s first playoff goal with 17:48 left in the second period, ending a seven-period scoreless stretch and breaking Kristen Campbell’s shutout streak.
Krizova doubled the lead midway through the second by poking in a loose puck after Campbell lost it under her leg pads.
Minnesota outshot Toronto 26-18 and went 0-for-4 on the power play. Toronto was 0-for-1 on the power play.
Toronto opened the series with a 4-0 win last Wednesday, then won Game 2 on Friday 2-0.
WATCH | Spooner exits Game 3 with lower-body injury:
PWHL Toronto’s Natalie Spooner left the game with a lower-body injury in the third period of game three against Minnesota Monday night.
Minnesota general manager Natalie Darwitz will be among the eight inductees into the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in a ceremony to be held near the end of the Men’s World Championship, currently underway in the Czech Republic.
Darwitz represented the U.S. at 11 straight events between 1999 and 2010, winning three gold medals and five silver at the Women’s World Championship and two silver and a bronze in three Olympics. In 55 games across those events, she had 43 goals and 83 points.