The second game of the weekend series between the Toronto Six and the Connecticut Whale took place this afternoon. The Six won the first match up in overtime by a final score of 5-4.
Today is a hugely important game, as a regulation win by the Connecticut Whale will earn them a top seed in the playoffs. While any other result will see the Six earn the top spot.
Here is how the two teams would line up:
There was no scoring in the first period, as the goalies came up with the saves on offensive chances. There wasn’t much sustained pressure, as both defenses were playing very well. The Whale led in the shot department by a count of 8-5.
In the second period, the home Whale would break the ice, and get on the board first. A pass from Allie Munroe in the defensive zone, found a streaking Kennedy Marchment behind the defense. On the breakaway, she attempted to outwait Chuli. She ran out of real estate, and threw the puck off the net. The bounce off the net got past Chuli and sat in the crease, where Taylor Girard would backhand the rebound into the wide open net.
Seven minutes later, the Connecticut Whale would double their lead in the game. A bad turnover in the defensive zone by the Six led to a 2 on 1 rush for the Whale. Kennedy Marchment had the puck on the right side, outwaited the defender, and found Amanda Conway in front of the net. Conway slid the puck through Chuli’s five hole. It would be Conway’s tenth goal of the year, and Marchment’s second point of the game.
Before the end of the period, the Whale would add another goal, once again from the top line. Alyssa Wohlfeiler carried the puck 1 on 2, but evenutally got some help from her teammates. Wohlfeiler left a drop pass in the high slot, that was picked up by a streaking Kennedy Marchment. Marchment went around the defender behind the net. She would then feed a puck in front that would go off of Allie Munroe’s skate, and off Elaine Chuli. The rebound would kick right to Alyssa Wohlfeiler, who slotted the puck into the net. The period would end with the Whale having a 3-0 advantage.
In the third period, the Whale would add an insurance marker. A puck that would escape the Toronto Six defender in the offensive zone was picked up by Amanda Conway. It led to a 2 on 1 rush, with Conway carrying the puck on the left side. She would feed a nice saucer pass to Janine Weber, who dragged the puck to her backhand and roofed a shot over Chuli’s glove, and in the net.
The Whale would add one more insurance marker, while on the power play. In the dying seconds of the power play, a puck would be kicked to the point by Amanda Conway to Allie Munroe. Monroe would take the shot, and the puck would get through a maze of bodies, pop up in the air, and over Chuli. The puck somehow floated it’s way into the net.
The Whale defense took care of the rest, as they held the Toronto Six to only 1 shot in the third period. Another point of business in the session was for Mariah Fujimagari to earn the shutout, which she did, spectacularly. The Whale would take the second game by a score of 5-0. With that regulation win, the Whale would win the regular season, and earn themselves the top seed heading into the playoffs!
Elaine Chuli of the Six would face 27 shots, making 22 saves; while Mariah Fujimagari of the Whale would stop all 9 shots that she faced, earning her second shutout of the season!
Next Game:
These two teams were first and second place in the regular season standings, they both earned the first round bye. The Six will await for the winner of the Metropolitan Riveters and Minnesota Whitecaps. That game scheduled for March 27th at 430p. While the Whale will wait for the winner of the Boston Pride and Buffalo Beauts. That semifinal matchup also scheduled for March 27th at 1p.
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