Toronto staying focused on ‘the little things’

Top seed used suffocating defence to win series opener against Minnesota

It’s usually the little things that lead to big success and Toronto is hoping to carry what worked Wednesday — a suffocating defence — into the rest of the PWHL post-season.

“It’s doing things that sometimes other groups aren’t prepared to do,” Toronto head coach Troy Ryan said after Toronto shut out Minnesota 4-0 to open their best-of-five semifinal.

Those things, Ryan said, include staying aggressive in the offensive zone, having a good stick in the defensive zone, and supporting teammates all over the ice.

“We tried to make it an expectation in this group that we wanted to play a playoff brand of hockey right from day one,” Ryan said.

“And the group has done an amazing job just doing the little things that can separate you from other teams.”

Toronto came out aggressively Wednesday but allowed more shots (26) than it put on net (20). Still, Ryan said he “loved the quality of goals” and how connected the players looked on breakouts and possessions.

The team’s confidence might start at the back. Goaltender Kristen Campbell led the PWHL in wins (16), shutouts (3) and goals-against average (1.99) for those that played 10 or more games in the regular season.

“She’s had an incredible year … She’s been outstanding,” said Ryan, who never felt his team was “in danger” Wednesday even as Minnesota pressed in the second period. “It’s a good feeling when someone has had such a consistent year and her demeanour remains the same. It just gives us confidence.”

“She’s been really stable for us in her emotions,” said Toronto captain Blayre Turnbull, who scored twice. “When your goalie gives you that calmness and the sense that everything is under control, you feel really good no matter what’s happening on the ice.”

Campbell said her motto all season has been about playing “one puck at a time.”

“I thought that our team did a good job of helping me out (Wednesday) when blocking shots and clearing pucks,” she said.

Toronto got its first two goals from some regular sources, with league leader Natalie Spooner scoring the opener and Sarah Nurse, second in points to Spooner, setting up Emma Maltais for the second. But Ryan said it will be imperative for the third and fourth lines to step up.

“When you’re trying to jam potentially five games into a short period, you can’t be relying on one or two lines,” he said. “They played the right way, they stepped right in and played playoffs-type hockey (and) that’s what we’re going to need if we’re going to be successful.”

Game 2 is Friday at the Coca-Cola Coliseum.

“We know that we can still take it to another level,” said Turnbull, who liked the team’s breakout plays and chances created off the rush in the first game.

“We were in good positions and spots on our breakouts, and I think we were doing a good job of making sure we had a net driver and that the puck carrier had some options as we entered the zone.

“That’s something that we’ll try to carry over into our next games.”