Tapani nets winner as Fleet overcome offensive struggles with 3-1 win over Sceptres

TORONTO — Susanna Tapani scored the game-winning goal with 9:40 remaining as the Boston Fleet spoiled the Toronto Sceptres’ home-opener with a 3-1 win in Professional Women’s Hockey League action Saturday.

Abby Newhook, with a goal and an assist, and Alina Mueller, with an empty-netter, also scored for Boston (2-0-0-0). Aerin Frankel stopped 24 shots.

Blayre Turnbull scored for Toronto (1-0-0-1). Raygan Kirk made 10 saves.

Turnbull opened the scoring when she took the puck off the side boards and roofed it for 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 Newhook pass was stopped by Kirk, but the rebound went off Newhook’s skate and in at 14:12 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.

Takeaways

Sceptres: 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. The Sceptres dominated possession but continuously had passes intercepted when trying to create high-danger chances, or Frankel shut the door.

Fleet: While Boston held the fort defensively, offence was hard to come by. The Fleet mustered 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.

Key moment

Jamie Lee Rattray won a puck battle at the end boards and shoved the puck into the slot from behind the goal with one hand on her stick. The puck found Tapani who fired it past Kirk to silence the home crowd.

Key stat

Toronto’s power play was 0-for-6 to start this season after leading the league last season (25.8 per cent). The Sceptres had at least one power-play goal in four of their six games against the Fleet last season.

Up next

Sceptres: Host the Ottawa Charge on Thursday.

Fleet: Host the Vancouver Goldeneyes on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 29, 2025.

Abdulhamid Ibrahim, The Canadian Press