Toronto captures its first Isobel Cup
Six score early in OT to defeat Minnesota
The most parity in the eight years of the Premier Hockey Federation was on display Sunday night when the Toronto Six defeated the Minnesota Whitecaps for the organization’s first Isobel Cup.
Tereza Vanisova scored four minutes into overtime to give the No. 2 Six a 4-3 win over the No. 4 Whitecaps to earn the league title at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Ariz.
In three-on-three overtime, Toronto dominated off the opening faceoff, recording six shots on net in the first four minutes before Vanisova beat a defender on the boards and sent a shot ricocheting into the net for the winner.
The Six (20-6) scored on their first shot of the game. Michela Cava skated down the left side of the Whitecaps’ zone and passed to Merrimack College product Dominika Lásková to get Toronto on the board first 7:22 into the game.
Six goalie Elaine Chuli, formerly of UConn, made three smart saves during a penalty kill 10 seconds later, even though Minnesota (12-12) pressured in the zone much like it did during its semifinal sweep of Boston last weekend. Minnesota outshot Toronto, 8-1, in the first, but still trailed going into the first intermission.
Brittyn Fleming tied the score for the Whitecaps four minutes into the second period. Fleming skated around the Six’ net, pulling Chuli far out, and was able to shoot diagonally into a wide-open net.
Halfway through the second, Toronto took advantage of bad positioning by Minnesota goalie Amanda Leveille. Breanne Wilson-Bennett found an open net when Leveille mis-timed a chance to play the puck, putting the Six up, 2-1.
With four minutes to go before the second intermission, a great display of passing by the Whitecaps set up their second goal. Liz Schepers and Natalie Snodgrass passed back and forth in front of Toronto’s net before Brooke Madsen tipped in Snodgrass’s pass.
Jonna Albers led the Whitecaps in goals in their semifinal sweep of Boston, and continued her well-timed scoring early in the third period. A mere 20 seconds into the frame, Snodgrass fed Albers, who scored her fifth goal of the playoffs to give Minnesota a 3-2 lead. It was short-lived, with Taylor Woods shoveling a shot over Leveille to tie the game for Toronto.