McQuigge and Cava each score 2 goals, Frost beat Sceptres 7-5, take 2-1 series lead
McQuigge and Cava each score 2 goals, Frost beat Sceptres 7-5, take 2-1 series lead
Minnesota Frost forward Michela Cava (86) shoots against Toronto Sceptres goaltender Kristen Campbell, right, in the first period of a PWHL hockey playoff game on Sunday, May 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Minnesota Frost forward Liz Schepers celebrates after her goal against the Toronto Sceptres in the first period of a PWHL hockey playoff game Sunday, May 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Toronto Sceptres defender Kali Flanagan, second from right, scores past Minnesota Frost goaltender Maddie Rooney, front left, in the second period of a PWHL hockey playoff game Sunday, May 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Toronto Sceptres goaltender Kristen Campbell watches the puck go past her for a goal by Minnesota Frost’s Lee Stecklein in the first period of a PWHL hockey playoff game Sunday, May 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Minnesota Frost forward Michela Cava (86) shoots against Toronto Sceptres goaltender Kristen Campbell, right, in the first period of a PWHL hockey playoff game on Sunday, May 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Minnesota Frost forward Michela Cava (86) shoots against Toronto Sceptres goaltender Kristen Campbell, right, in the first period of a PWHL hockey playoff game on Sunday, May 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Minnesota Frost forward Liz Schepers celebrates after her goal against the Toronto Sceptres in the first period of a PWHL hockey playoff game Sunday, May 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Minnesota Frost forward Liz Schepers celebrates after her goal against the Toronto Sceptres in the first period of a PWHL hockey playoff game Sunday, May 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Toronto Sceptres defender Kali Flanagan, second from right, scores past Minnesota Frost goaltender Maddie Rooney, front left, in the second period of a PWHL hockey playoff game Sunday, May 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Toronto Sceptres defender Kali Flanagan, second from right, scores past Minnesota Frost goaltender Maddie Rooney, front left, in the second period of a PWHL hockey playoff game Sunday, May 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Toronto Sceptres goaltender Kristen Campbell watches the puck go past her for a goal by Minnesota Frost’s Lee Stecklein in the first period of a PWHL hockey playoff game Sunday, May 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Toronto Sceptres goaltender Kristen Campbell watches the puck go past her for a goal by Minnesota Frost’s Lee Stecklein in the first period of a PWHL hockey playoff game Sunday, May 11, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Brooke McQuigge and Michela Cava scored two goals apiece on Sunday night and the Minnesota Frost beat the Toronto Sceptres 7-5 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five semifinal series.
The Frost, who tied the series with a 5-3 win in Game 2, can advance to the PWHL championship with a win in Game 4 on Wednesday.
Liz Schepers, Lee Stecklein and Sophie Jaques also scored goals for Minnesota, and Taylor Heise had three assists.
Anna Kjellbin scored her first PWHL goal with 14:13 left in the game to cut Toronto’s deficit to 5-4, but Cava answered with a back-hand goal less than two minutes later and then scored a power-play goal to make it 7-4 with 10:39 to go.
Maddie Rooney had 18 saves in her second consecutive win for the Frost
Daryl Watts scored for the Sceptres with about five minutes left in the first period. Maggie Connors added a goal early in the second and Kali Flanagan’s goal made it 5-3 going into the third.
Blayre Turnbull capped the scoring with 7:56 to left in the game.
Kristen Campbell had 17 saves for Toronto.
Key moment
After Schepers opened the scoring 2:33 into the game, McQuigge and Stecklein scored 52 seconds apart to make it 3-0 a little more than five minutes later and the Frost never trailed.
Key stat
The Frost was 2 for 4 on power plays while Toronto was 0 for 2. Minnesota has converted 5 of 9 power-play opportunities in the series compared to 2 of 6 for the Sceptres.
Up next
The series remains at Xcel Energy Center for Game 4 on Wednesday.
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AP Women’s Hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey