Kirk Backstops Sceptres to Road Win over Goldeneyes
PWHL Toronto Sceptres

Kirk Backstops Sceptres to Road Win over Goldeneyes

Published on March 1, 2026 under Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL)
Toronto Sceptres News Release


VANCOUVER - Raygan Kirk was outstanding between the pipes for the Toronto Sceptres on Sunday afternoon, backstopping her team to a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Goldeneyes before a crowd of 13,264 at Pacific Coliseum. Kirk's 25 saves gave the Sceptres a second straight west coast win post Olympics, bringing them into a tie with Ottawa for fifth in the PWHL standings. Emerance Maschmeyer, fresh off representing Canada in Milan, was equally impressive with 22 saves for the seventh-place Goldeneyes, who took the ice for the first time following the break. The Sceptres struck for two goals in 57 seconds early in the first period. First, Sara Hjalmarsson stayed hot with her second goal in as many games at 7:10, then rookie Lauren Messier cashed in her first PWHL goal at 8:07, both off passes from Claire Dalton. A pair of former Sceptres connected for the Goldeneyes goal at 9:07 of the third period when Izzy Daniel buried a centering feed from Hannah Miller to cut the deficit to one. Kirk stood tall down the final stretch as the Goldeneyes sustained pressure in the offensive zone with the extra attacker in search of the equalizer. This was the first time in three games of the season series where the visiting team emerged victorious, following a 2-1 Sceptres overtime win in Toronto on Jan. 17, and a 5-0 Goldeneyes win in Vancouver on Jan. 22. The teams will meet one more time in Toronto on Mar. 29. In the meantime, the Sceptres are back in action Tuesday when they host first-place Montréal, while the Goldeneyes will play the second of a five-game homestand on Mar. 10 against Boston.

QUOTES

Sceptres forward Claire Dalton on the game: "I think we've had really good energy coming back from the break, and it's been a big reason that we've been able to get six points on the road. It's a testament to the work that the group did in-market, and how good the Olympians were while they were there. We started a roll and will keep going."

Toronto Head Coach Troy Ryan on the difference between this game and the last visit to Vancouver: "I thought the game [at the end of January] was a little bit uncharacteristic of what we're capable of doing as a team. The game just got away from us-it was just sloppy all around. After that game, the Olympic break couldn't come soon enough. Sometimes you just need to separate yourself from situations like that. As [Claire] Dalton said, just getting back together as a group, we're in a much better place than we were a month ago."

Goldeneyes forward Izzy Daniel on her goal: "We wanted to get more pucks on the net, that was something we were talking about, especially with traffic in front. I would say for myself, I'm a passer, so not always looking to shoot, but when you get the puck in the slot, I think that's the time when you have to bear down and fire it on net. That's something I continually try to work on, is being more shot ready. I'm just looking for the right play and that was the right play there."

Vancouver Head Coach Brian Idalski on what he'd like to see from his team next game: "As much as the game is involved with individual skill and ability, hockey still at its core is a one-on-one physical competition. Having a little more of a chip on your shoulders, having a little more grit sandpaper to go along with our skill to get to the inside, to battle to get net front presence and to be heavier to play against, specifically offensively, that's the missing piece for me. I think we start stringing some of that together - we're a good hockey club, and we still have faith in that."

NOTABLES

Toronto has won consecutive games for the first time this season and are the last PWHL team to do so in 2025-26. Both of their wins came on the west coast, including Friday's 5-2 victory in Seattle, after previously losing both games of their first west coast trip in January by a combined score of 11-4.

The Sceptres lead the PWHL with 15 points on the road but rank last with only eight points in home games.

Toronto has now played in nine one-goal decisions, tied with Montréal for the most in the league. Both teams have won five such games, tied with Ottawa for the most one-goal victories.

Vancouver was held to one goal for the first time in six games at Pacific Coliseum this season. This was their ninth game overall scoring one or fewer goals, the most in the PWHL, having previously been tied with Toronto with eight such games.

The Goldeneyes have outshot the Sceptres twice this season, accounting for two of the four total games in which they have outshot their opponent. They are tied with the Torrent for the fewest wins when leading the game in shots with one each.

Raygan Kirk has won consecutive games for the first time this season after stringing together a career-high three straight victories to end her Sceptres rookie campaign in 2024-25. She has now allowed one goal against in four of her 12 starts this season, with today's save percentage (.962) counting as her third best.

Sara Hjalmarsson has goals in consecutive games after beginning her PWHL career without a point in her first 16 games. Both goals by the Sceptres fifth-round pick were scored post Olympics where she represented Sweden on the world stage and recorded two goals and five points in seven games.

Lauren Messier scored her first career PWHL goal in just her fourth career game and on her second shot on goal. The former Dartmouth College captain was signed to a 10-day contract from the team's Reserve Player list on Friday and has slotted on the left wing of the team's fourth line during the west coast road trip.

Izzy Daniel scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season and third in her last four games. The Goldeneyes forward now has seven points in 17 games, matching her rookie point total (2G, 5A) produced in 30 games with the Sceptres last season.

Claire Dalton put together her first multi-point performance as a member of the Sceptres with a pair of primary assists. The forward now has six assists in 18 games, which ties her assist total produced in a second straight nine-point campaign with Montréal in 2024-25.

Kali Flanagan has her first point streak of the season with a secondary assist today following an empty net goal on Friday in Seattle. With two goals and three assists in 18 games, she makes the Sceptres the only team in the PWHL to have four defenders with five or more points this season.

Hannah Miller picked up a primary helper for her sixth assist of the season and second in three games. The Goldeneyes forward is in a three-way tie for fourth in team scoring with seven points in 17 games.

Sarah Nurse was held off the scoresheet for the first time in six games as a member of the Goldeneyes, but the Canadian Olympian led today's skaters with a season-high six shots on goal.

Emerance Maschmeyer suffered her sixth loss of the season when allowing two or fewer goals against. For the season, the Canadian Olympian has surrendered two or fewer goals in eight of her 12 starts as a member of the Goldeneyes. Today's 24 shots against were the fewest she's faced in a game this season.

Brianna Brooks, Vancouver's fourth-round pick in the 2025 PWHL Draft, made her first appearance in the Goldeneyes lineup after being signed to a 10-day contract earlier today.

Claire Thompson missed Vancouver's first game back from the Olympic break and is listed day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Rookie forward Katie Chan was also scratched from the Goldeneyes lineup due to an upper-body injury and is day-to-day.

Daryl Watts was scratched from Toronto's lineup after the Olympian exited Friday's game prematurely due to illness. Rookie forward Emma Gentry missed a second straight game for the Sceptres and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

THREE STARS

1. Raygan Kirk (TOR) 25/26 SV

2. Claire Dalton (TOR) 2A

3. Izzy Daniel (VAN) 1G

STANDINGS

Toronto: 23 PTS (6-1-3-8) - 5th Place (Tied)

Vancouver: 19 PTS (5-1-2-9) - 7th Place

UPCOMING SCHEDULES

Toronto: Tuesday, Mar. 3 vs. Montréal at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT

Vancouver: Tuesday, Mar. 10 vs. Boston at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET

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Professional Women's Hockey League Stories from March 1, 2026


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