Toronto clinches top spot in PWHL with 4
TORONTO (AP) — Natalie Spooner scored twice and Toronto clinched first place in the inaugural season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League with a 4-1 win over Minnesota on Wednesday night.
Toronto (12-4-0-7) moved ahead of Montreal (10-3-5-5) in the standings with 44 points, while holding the tiebreaker in case of a tie by regular season’s end. Both teams have one game remaining before the post-season begins next week.
“It feels great,” Spooner said of clinching first on home ice. “That was the goal the whole season, the regular season, to be the first-place team. And to be able to pull that out and build throughout the season, it feels good to be able to get that going into the playoffs.”
Earning first place means Toronto is able to choose between the third- or fourth-place team as its first playoff opponent.
“It will be, probably more of a collaboration and a joint effort than most people would think it is,” Toronto head coach Troy Ryan said of picking an opponent.