Kirk backstops Toronto Sceptres to 4-2 win over Boston Fleet
CBC
Blayre Turnbull and Jess Kondas scored their first goals of the season to lift the Toronto Sceptres to a 4-2 win against the Boston Fleet on Friday.
Rookie goalie Raygan Kirk stopped 26 shots to pluck her first Professional Women's Hockey League victory as the Sceptres snapped a four-game losing streak before 8,264 at Coca-Cola Coliseum.
Emma Woods restored Toronto's two-goal cushion off the rush with 5:40 remaining, and Kali Flanagan scored an empty-netter.
Loren Gabel replied late in the second period for the Fleet as their two-game win streak went by the wayside. Hannah Bilka scored with 65 seconds remaining.
Toronto outshot Boston 30-28. Aerin Frankel stopped 26 shots for the visitors.
Toronto built a 2-0 lead with a power-play goal from Turnbull in the first period and Kondras in the second as she moved in from her blue line position to bang in a pass from Daryl Watts.
Calgary's Kondas made her PWHL debut. The Sceptres defender signed a 10-day contract from Toronto's reserve player list after Rylind MacKinnon's one-game suspension for an illegal check to the head.
Gabel of Kitchener, Ont., snuck a shot over the right pad of Kirk on the power play to give Boston life at 2-1, 3:24 before the second intermission.
Sceptres: Toronto was without star Natalie Spooner for the sixth straight game as she continues to recover from knee surgery last spring.
Fleet: Boston's two goals were on the power play to give them a league-leading 4-for-10 in five games.
With the outcome still in doubt, Kirk made an excellent stop in close on Theresa Schafzahl with 11:58 remaining in the third period to keep Toronto in front 2-1.
Toronto defender Renta Fast has an assist in her first six games this season.
Boston: Visits the Montreal Victoire on Tuesday.
Toronto: Hosts the Ottawa Charge on New Year's Eve.
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