Upon return to the Xcel Energy Center in front of 3344 fans for Game 3, Ken Klee would start goaltender Maddie Rooney for a second straight game. Minnesota was dominant right out of the gates, winning puck battles and accumulating offensive zone possession time. Flaherty would set the tone two minutes in with a bone crushing hit on Jesse Compher. After the first ten minutes, the shots were 2-0 in favor of Minnesota. 10:20 into the first, Maddie Rooney would stop Turnbull off the rush, the first significant scoring chance of the night. Minnesota would immediately counter attack with their own scoring chance off the rush, Abby Boreen found Zumwinkle glove side but she missed over the net. Kendall Coyne would draw a tripping call on Sarah Nurse. Minnesota’s power play engineered several scoring chances, including a Zumwinkle one timer and Boreen walking down low with the puck from a feed from Heise. A few minutes later, Minnesota would draw another tripping call and go on the powerplay again. The power play began with Maddie Rooney making an incredible split pad save on Turnbull back door to keep the score at zero. Minnesota tallied four shots on the power play and finished the period leading shots 11-2. This was Minnesota’s best period of the series thus far. Much tighter neutral zone play, dominant offensive zone possession time, great puck suppression, and kept Toronto’s offense to the perimeter. 

Toronto came out with a much better effort. 1:17 into the period, Turnbull threw the puck at the net and it took a crazy bounce off of Spooner and Rooney made a sprawling save to keep it out of the net. Minnesota’s offense struck 55 seconds later and ended Campbell’s shutout streak at 175:46. Maggie Flaherty snapped a shot blocker side from the point through traffic to take the 1-0 lead and register Minnesota’s first ever playoff goal. In the first four minutes, Toronto generated four scoring chances. Rooney would make a glove save on Jocelyne Larocque and a pad save on Spooner who was at the front of the net. At about 6:20 into the period Taylor Heise gave us her best Crosby impersonation with her strength and skating ability by skating around the offensive zone and guarding the puck, eventually leading to a quality scoring chance. A few minutes later, Toronto would have another scoring chance, Sarah Nurse found Olivia Knowles crashing the net but Rooney closed the door on the one timer. About thirty seconds later, Minnesota scored again off of a rare Campbell mistake. Minnesota shot the puck in from the blue line and Campbell stopped it but lost track of the puck and Denisa Krizova tapped it in. Campbell would make a gigantic save on Kendall Coyne on a breakaway a little over three minutes later. Minnesota would get a third power play but Toronto’s penalty would kill it. 

Both teams would exchange offensive zone time in the first few minutes of the third period. Campbell would make a glove save on a streaking Kunin to keep Minnesota at two. A little over a minute later, Natalie Spooner would draw a slash leading to Toronto’s first power player of the game. Minnesota would have a 2-on-1 scoring chance shorthanded but Hannah Miller made a great defensive play breaking up the pass with her stick. Rooney came up clutch on the penalty kill with a kick save on a Larocque wrister. Toronto’s offense created another scoring chance where Nurse found Brittany Howard in front of the net but Rooney cut down the angle and absorbed the shot at the top of her crease.  9:55 into the period a streaking Sophia Kunin drew a hooking penalty from Renata Fast. Boreen had another scoring chance down low off of the set play from Heise off the faceoff but Campbell sealed the post. A little over twelve minutes left, Natalie Spooner collided with Grace Zumwinkle and unfortunately crawled off the ice and went down the tunnel with a lower body injury and didn’t return. With a little under five minutes left, Toronto would go back on the power play. Minnesota’s PK silenced Toronto’s power play and after the kill had a 3-on-1 but Campbell made a sensational save. Toronto would pull Campbell in hopes of cutting down the deficit but Heise fired the puck into the empty net. To Minnesota’s dismay the goal was called off because of a delayed offside. Minnesota held on to win the game 2-0. 

Minnesota dominated the offensive possession time in this game; they utilized their speed to stretch the neutral zone and create scoring chances all night off of the rush.Their defense did an excellent job of keeping Toronto’s offense to the perimeter, winning puck battles, and blocking shots. Maddie Rooney had another excellent performance stopping all eighteen shots in the victory. The power play was much improved tonight, as well, and they did a great job of getting bodies to the front of the net. Ken Klee did a great job getting the most from his team tonight, with his most visible impact being via the line changes which definitely helped create more offense. Liz Schepers was an impact player tallying assists on both goals. Krizova and Kunin created several scoring off the rush with their speed and willingness to crash the net. Minnesota’s bottom six forwards were significant contributors to their victory. 

Toronto fought back in the last two periods but weren’t able to finish the scoring chances they were able to create. Sarah Nurse was an offensive highlight for Toronto with her ability to consistently find open teammates in the offensive and neutral zone. Campbell still had a strong outing stopping 24 of 26 shots despite the loss. The most concerning news is the injury to Natalie Spooner, with there being plenty of worry over what the potential severity of it is. Both teams will look to be ready for Game 4 in Saint Paul on Wednesday night.