After a slow start to the beginning of the season, the Toronto Six found their footing and haven’t looked back. Sunday was no exception as the team went on to crush the Whale with six goals in their final game of the regular season.
Sunday’s event started slow with neither team scoring in the first period, but the Six found success with their shots late into the second. Sarah-Eve Coutu Godbout found twine with an incredible backhanded assist from Amy Curlew. Taylor Woods lit the lamp to extend Toronto’s lead to finish off the period.
An Unrelenting Third Period
Two in the second was only the beginning of the onslaught. Mackenzie MacNeil joined the scoresheet, her first goal in the NWHL, with apples from Taylor Woods and Breanne Wilson-Bennett. MacNeil added an unassisted goal just two minutes later, pushing the lead to 4-0. Tack on two more tallies from Taytum Clairmont and Mikyla Grant-Mentis, the league leader in points (9) and goals (5), before the final buzzer sounded.
The Toronto Six looked in complete control during the third period with 10 shots on goal, connecting on four. Despite a sluggish start, the team gained a second wind that carried into the second and third period. MacNeil’s two goals in the third period helped earned her the first star. Meanwhile, Elaine Chuli stopped all 25 shots faced, earning a shutout.
Onto the Playoffs
The impressive stretch in the two-week round robin lands the Six in the top seed for the Isobel Cup. After losing their first two games, Toronto exceeded expectation, winning four straight, looking like true contenders. The biggest question for them entering the season was chemistry with just ten practice games under the belt in franchise history. However, based on their successful performances and locker room celebrations, they seem more connected than ever.
But a great deal of the team’s successful belongs on the shoulders of head coach Margaret “Digit” Murphy. An emphasis on enjoyment, pleasure and fundamentals placed the Six in position from the start to pounce in the irregular season. She has tremendous experience with coaching in both college for the Brown Bears and the Canadian Women’s Hockey League with the Boston Blades. Even with the lack of experience from the team as a whole, Murphy has led the team well and has established the Six as a force in the NWHL.
While the Six own the top spot in the four-team bracket, they must await the results of the Boston Pride-Buffalo Beauts best-of-three series to finish the round robin. Both teams present a significant challenge to the Six, but the Boston Pride have more of a chip on their shoulder after the Six stunned them with a win. But with a rest on their side, the Six match up with any opponent down the stretch. A one seed doesn’t guarantee a trip to the Isobel Cup Final, but it certainly helps. For Toronto, in their inaugural season with the NWHL, a trophy is now within reach.