Heise's Three Points Lift Minnesota to Overtime Win in Toronto
PWHL Minnesota Frost

Heise's Three Points Lift Minnesota to Overtime Win in Toronto

Published on March 8, 2026 under Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL)
Minnesota Frost News Release


TORONTO - The Minnesota Frost outlasted the Toronto Sceptres in a 3-2 overtime victory for their first win after the Olympic break on Sunday afternoon at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Kelly Pannek buried the winning goal off a feed from fellow Olympic gold medalist Taylor Heise 17 seconds into a Frost power play midway through the extra frame. The assist was Heise's third point of the game, and second three-point performance against the Sceptres this season, lifting her into first in the PWHL scoring race. Denisa Křížová tallied her first goal of the season with a backhand deke to make it 1-0 for the Frost at 10:11 of the first period. With less than two minutes remaining in the opening frame, Emma Woods' first of the season put Toronto on the board to tie the game on a rebound after a flurry of Sceptres chances. In the middle frame, Daryl Watts provided the lone offensive spark when she gave the Sceptres the lead at 8:04 with a skillful play, batting the puck out of mid-air from behind the goal line and off a Frost player and into the net. Heise recorded the game-tying goal at 5:18 in the third period when she buried a slap shot from the top of the left circle. Maddie Rooney stopped 22 of 24 shots to seal her fourth consecutive win for the Frost, while Raygan Kirk turned away 32 of 35 attempts in her fourth straight start for the Sceptres post-Olympics.

Both teams will host Seattle in their next game, with Minnesota playing the Torrent on Friday, March 13 for an 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT) start and Toronto on Sunday, March 15 for a 1 p.m. ET puck drop.

QUOTES

Frost forward Taylor Heise on finding what is necessary to prepare for games when practices may be limited: "It's all trust. I think it's trust in your coaches, trust in the people out there with you. We've changed things enough where everyone knows which spot they're in, and they should also know every other spot on the ice. If you get caught in a different spot, you shouldn't feel uncomfortable. I think we work on it enough but also video and trusting your people out there. We have such an amazing group, and we have an amazing [penalty kill] we practice against. I think it's all the practice and also just trusting in what you have."

Frost Head Coach Ken Klee on the preparation for today's game: "I don't think any of our coaches or players were happy with how we played last weekend. We knew it was going to be a tough game, but we know we can show better than we did. I think we had a good week of practice, and then these guys played extremely hard today. We know it's going to be a tight game every game, but when we play that hard, we give ourselves a chance to win which is what we got done today."

Sceptres forward Natalie Spooner on if playing with a lead is talked about in the locker room: "I don't think we've ever talked about it [in that way]. We've got to be able to put a full game together. In that third period, we took [our foot] off the gas a little bit. I think more of the talk is about putting more minutes together. I thought we came out really good in the first, had the ups and downs. We're riding a bit of a wave sometimes, so I think just trying to find a level that we maintain the whole game and I think when we're good, we're playing great. Just finding that for longer."

Toronto Head Coach Troy Ryan on an increase in physicality on the boards: "Minnesota is a really good team when they're pressing down on you, pinching on breakouts. You've just got to be okay to protect the puck, surround the puck and embrace that a little bit. I thought that in the first part of the game we were letting them dictate that play, but as the game went on, we surrounded the puck, supported it well, were comfortable stalling it a bit longer. Doesn't always need to be a slow breakout, so I think they managed it much better as the game went on."

NOTABLES

Minnesota earned its first win of the season in six games when trailing after two periods. This was Toronto's second overtime loss in six games when leading after two periods.

The Frost have points in seven of their last eight games (3-2-2-1) since Jan. 4. They have a 3-3 record in overtime games this season and are one of two teams (Vancouver) that have not played in a shootout yet this season.

Toronto has points in four straight games (2-0-2-0) since returning from the Olympic break. They are now 1-2 in overtime games and lead the league with five losses beyond regulation, after leading the league with six OT/SO losses in 2024-25.

The Frost outshot Toronto 35-24 today, marking just the third time Minnesota has outshot their opponent in 10 road games this season. The team is now 1-1-0-1 in road games when outshooting their opponent. The Sceptres have not won at home this season when outshot by their opponent, with two shootout losses and one overtime loss in such games.

Minnesota's power play, that went 2-for-3 today, is now the best in the PWHL with 10 power play goals in 46 opportunities for a 21.7% rating. Their 51 goals overall lead the league, while the team's 37 goals allowed rank third best behind Boston and Montréal's 25.

Toronto is one of three teams with 15 or more points on the road this season but rank last in points earned as the home team with 10.

Taylor Heise now has six points in two games played in Toronto this season, following a three-assist game on Dec. 30, bringing her season points total to 19 atop the league leaderboard. Her fourth goal, and first on the power play, in 17 games this season matches her total from the inaugural season in 19 games. The Minnesota forward's 15 assists surpass her career high of 14 from last season's 29 games and brings her league-leading career assist total to 38. She has recorded 13 of her points in her last eight games.

Kelly Pannek is now tied for the PWHL lead with four power play goals, netting her second game-winner and first overtime winner for the Frost this season. The Minnesota alternate captain's ninth goal of the season exceeds the seven she amassed over her first two seasons, while matching her career high total of 16 points set in 24 games during the inaugural season.

Daryl Watts recorded her fourth multi-point performance of the season and extended her assist streak to three games (1G, 3A) since returning from Milan. She became just the sixth player in PWHL history to reach 30 career assists, while the Toronto native has seven points (4G, 3A) in six games at Coca-Cola Coliseum this season.

Denisa Křížová recorded her first goal of the season in her 17th game, ending an 11-game pointless streak that tied the longest of her career in the inaugural season. The Minnesota forward is a third of the way to her career high points total of nine from last season, where she tallied a career high four goals and five assists in 30 games.

Emma Woods' goal was her first after going 32 regular-season games without a goal since Feb. 14, 2025. Half of the Toronto forward's six career goals have been game winners, including one in the inaugural season as a member of the Sirens and two in her first year with the Sceptres in 2024-25.

Maddie Rooney recorded her fourth consecutive win in goal after opening the season with five straight losses. She has allowed two or fewer goals in six of her nine starts for the Frost this season and is tied with teammate Nicole Hensley for the fifth most goaltender wins this season with five.

Lee Stecklein has now set up three different teammates across her four assists this season, with three of her helpers coming in the first period. The Frost alternate captain is the team's all-time scoring leader among defenders with 21 points (5G, 16A) in 69 career games.

Grace Zumwinkle reached the double-digit mark in points with her fourth assist of the season, making her one of 15 players to achieve the milestone in each of the league's three seasons. The Minnesota native is one point away from becoming the 22nd player in PWHL history to reach 40 career points as she currently sits with 21 goals and 18 assists all-time.

Kendall Cooper became the first rookie defender to reach 10 points this season in her 17th game, improving her points total on the power play (4A). The Frost first-round pick tied teammate Mae Batherson (2G, 8A) for the second most points among league defenders, behind Megan Keller with 12 (5G, 7A). The two are the only Minnesota defenders with points on the power play this season.

Britta Curl-Salemme recorded her 17th point of 2025-26 and is the only Frost player with points in each of the team's matchups with Toronto this season (1G, 2A). She reached the double-digit mark in a points category for the first time with her 10th assist in 17 games this season. The former Wisconsin Badger is tied for the second most points among PWHL players this season with Ottawa's Rebecca Leslie (10G, 7A) and Brianne Jenner (9G, 8A).

Renata Fast recorded her 12th career point (5G, 7A) in 12 games against Minnesota, her most against any PWHL team through three seasons. Toronto's alternate captain has her second point streak of the season, after previously recording an assist in back-to-back games on Dec. 30 and Jan. 1, and has four points (1G, 3A) in four games since the Olympics.

Kali Flanagan recorded her fourth assist and sixth point of the season in 20 games, matching her six points (3G, 3A) in 24 games during the inaugural season and putting her one shy of her career high from 2024-25. The Sceptres defender has produced three of her six points in her last four games since the break.

Blayre Turnbull's assist made her the 32nd player in league history and seventh current Sceptre to reach 30 career points. Toronto's captain is the 18th player to record at least 10 points in each of the league's last two seasons (5G, 5A in 2025-26 and 5G, 6A in 2024-25), marking the first time she has reached the double-digit milestone in consecutive seasons.

Raygan Kirk's 32 saves marks the sixth time this season where she's had 30 or more saves in a game, with only Gwyneth Philips (eight) having more among PWHL goaltenders. Her save percentage of .919 and goals against average of 2.33 rank 6th and 8th, respectively, among league goaltenders.

Abby Hustler led all players with six shots on goal, a career-high for the Frost rookie.

Emma Gentry returned to the Sceptres lineup after missing three games with a lower-body injury, recording one shot on goal in 8:59 of ice time.

On an International Women's Day that has been cut short to 23 hours due to Daylight Savings, Natalie Spooner (TOR) and Vanessa Upson (MIN), players who usually wear #24, took the ice wearing #23 in a symbolic call to action that equality means girls and women should never fall short in their access to funding, resources, and opportunity as part of the PWHL's #23HourPlay campaign.

THREE STARS

1.Kelly Pannek (MIN) OTWG

2.Taylor Heise (MIN) 1G, 2A

3.Raygan Kirk (TOR) 32/35 SV

STANDINGS

Minnesota:30PTS (7-3-3-4) -3rdPlace

Toronto:25PTS (6-1-5-8) -6thPlace

UPCOMING SCHEDULES

Minnesota: Friday, Mar. 13 vs. Seattle at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT

Toronto: Sunday, Mar. 15 vs. Seattle at 1 p.m. ET

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Professional Women's Hockey League Stories from March 8, 2026


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