Maddie Rooney makes 21 saves, Frost blank PWHL-leading Victoire 4-0

Minnesota Frost Grace Zumwinkle (13) gets in close to take a shot on Montreal Victoire goalie Elaine Chuli (20) during first period PWHL hockey action in Laval, Que. Tuesday Feb. 18, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter McCabe

LAVAL, Que. — Maddie Rooney made 21 saves for her first shutout this season to lead the Minnesota Frost past the league-leading Montreal Victoire 4-0 on Tuesday in the Professional Women’s Hockey League.

Denisa Krizova scored twice — including an empty-netter — while Liz Schepers and Kendall Coyne Schofield also found the back of the net for Minnesota (6-4-3-6).

The Frost ended a three-game losing skid, including an 8-3 defeat to Ottawa last Thursday, and halted Montreal’s winning streak at six games.

Coyne Schofield joined Toronto’s Hannah Miller as the league’s leading scorer with 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists).

Montreal (9-3-1-3) was shut out for the first time this season before 6,696 at Place Bell. Elaine Chuli stopped 24 shots in her fifth start this season. The Victoire’s last loss was on Jan. 12 against Minnesota in Denver.

The Frost moved into sole possession of second place in the six-team PWHL. Minnesota has 29 points to trail Montreal by five, but the Victoire have two games in hand.

Minnesota opened the scoring at 18:43 of the first period when Schepers tipped a point shot from Claire Thompson past Chuli for her first goal of the season.

Coyne Schofield doubled the lead with another deflection off a shot from Sophie Jaques at 10:43 in the second, before Krizova scored twice in the third.

Takeaways

Frost: Shut it down after leaking 15 goals in their previous three games.

Victoire: Started well, but quickly lost steam when Rooney shut the door. The Victoire mustered only three shots in a trying second period after posting nine in the first.

Key moment

The Frost shut down the Victoire’s power play a third time with 9:51 remaining. Krizova made it 3-0 two minutes after the penalty expired.

Key stat

The Frost wrapped up their longest road trip in team history, travelling 4,828 kilometres in 11 days from Minnesota to Toronto, Ottawa, Boston and Montreal.

Up next

Frost: Host the Toronto Sceptres on Sunday.

Victoire: Visit the Ottawa Charge on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2025.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press