Tapani nets winner as Fleet defeat Sceptres 3-1

TORONTO (AP) — Susanna Tapani scored the game-winning goal with 9:41 remaining as the Boston Fleet spoiled the Toronto Sceptres’ home opener with a 3-1 win on Saturday.

Abby Newhook also scored and Alina Mueller added an empty-netter for Boston. Aerin Frankel stopped 24 shots.

Blayre Turnbull scored for Toronto. Raygan Kirk made 10 saves.

Turnbull opened the scoring with a short-handed goal at 6:26 of the opening period.

Newhook outhustled a Toronto defender for the puck, resulting in a 2-on-1 rush with Jill Saulnier. Saulnier’s shot off a pass from Newhook was stopped by Kirk, but the rebound went off Newhook’s skate and in at 14:10 of the second period to tie the score.

With 49.2 seconds left, Natalie Spooner was stopped on a wraparound shot and Turnbull had a chance in front while Frankel’s head was turned but failed to score.

Toronto signed forward Lauren Messier to a 10-day contract earlier Saturday. Star forward Daryl Watts was sidelined with an upper-body injury and listed as day to day.

While Boston held the fort defensively, offense was hard to come by. The Fleet managed only two shots on goal in the opening period despite two power-play chances. They finished with 12 shots overall, a far cry from the 28 shots on net in their 2-0 season-opening win over Montreal on Sunday.

Up next

Fleet: Host the Vancouver Goldeneyes on Wednesday.

Sceptres: Host the Ottawa Charge on Thursday.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey