The Montreal Victoire hosted the Toronto Sceptres for a Sunday matinee (Dec. 7) at Place Bell. Both teams were looking for a win to really get some legs under their seasons and take some momentum into the short break coming up.
Related: 3 Takeaways From the Torrent’s 2-1 Victory Over the Sirens
The Sceptres got a goal from Emma Gentry, but it wasn’t quite enough. The Victoire played an all-around strong game and neutralized anything Toronto wanted to do on offence. They beat the Sceptres 3-1, dropping them to 2-2-0-0.
Sceptres Need to Be More Aggressive
This Toronto team has a lot of skill up front, but it’s another part of their game that needs some help. They have been outdone in the hit column in every game so far this season, sometimes by double digits. There was also a moment in the first period of Sunday’s matchup when captain Blayre Turnbull took a heavy shot in the back, and there was no response from her teammates.
A hard edge from the Sceptres could prove to be valuable down the line. They’ll need their leaders in this category in Emma Maltais and Renata Fast to continue to be physical and others to take on more of a role in this area. A team that finishes their checks and stands up for their teammates (especially their captain) is a team that can win in the postseason.
Penalty Kill Stays Hot Despite Allowing First Goal
Although they’ve had some struggles on the power play, the other half of Toronto’s special teams is firing on all cylinders. The penalty kill unit has killed off 10 of 11 penalties the team has taken so far, including a five-on-three in Sunday’s game. While their first goal allowed shorthanded caused them to drop in the league rankings, operating at around 90% is still pretty good, I would say.
It looks good both on paper and on the ice. They have been able to keep teams on the perimeter and limit most of the high-danger chances that typically happen on these advantages (minus the one Montreal got past). This is a good sign for this team moving forward.
Jesse Compher Needs to Get Going
The team’s first-line winger, who really became a star last season, has had a slow start so far. Jesse Compher posted a career-high 18 points last season, and she very well could post similar numbers again. However, she hasn’t quite looked like the same player to start the 2025-26 season. She has just one assist through four games as she looks for the touch she had when she scored nine goals.
If Compher can catch fire and renew the confidence and power she had last season, it would be a game-changer for this Toronto team. There’s still plenty of time to ramp it up, but the sooner, the better for her teammates.
Sceptres Begin Takeover Tour Trip Following Break
After the PWHL takes roughly 10 days off for some of their players to compete in the Rivalry Series, Toronto will return to action by taking a short, but unique road trip. They first head to Halifax, Nova Scotia, to once again play the Victoire at the Scotiabank Centre. That game is on Dec. 17 with puck drop set for 4:30 p.m. MDT.
After that, they’ll head south to Newark, New Jersey to play the New York Sirens at the Prudential Center. That one is another Sunday matinee (Dec. 21) starting at 10 a.m. MDT.
