Frost get past Toronto in shootout

The night belonged to Minnesota Frost rookie defender Claire Thompson.

Playing on her 27th birthday, the Frost’s first-round pick in this year’s PWHL draft scored a pair of goals in regulation before adding the deciding goal in the shootout as the Frost beat the Toronto Sceptres, 4-3, Tuesday night at Xcel Energy Center.

Thompson’s second goal of the night midway through the third period gave the Frost a 3-2 lead. With the crowd breaking into a “Happy Birthday” chant, it was a moment dreams are made of. Then, Thompson’s hometown team did its best to spoil the party, sending the game into overtime.

But the Sceptres managed to only add another layer to Thompson’s electric performance.

“She’s dangerous, activating and jumping into the play,” said Toronto coach Troy Ryan. “She definitely got the best of us tonight.”

Thompson offered a humble response to her spectacular night.

“It was definitely a lot of fun,” she said, “and I’m happy we were able to come away with two points tonight."

Thompson has quickly established herself as one of the top players in the league. She leads the PWHL in assists with 11, and her 14 points has her among the league leaders.

“She’s obviously a great puck-mover, great skater,” Frost coach Ken Klee said. “She has fit in great with our group. We want to be a puck-possession team, we want to make plays, and I think that fits her style really well.”

Frost defender Lee Stecklein has played against Thompson for years on the international front and said she is thrilled to now play alongside her on the Frost blue line.

“Like you say tonight, she is a great offensive threat with the puck,” Stecklein said. “But she’s also someone you trust with the puck in the ‘D’ zone. She does it all, and it’s been a lot of fun to have her on the ice. Off the ice she’s been a big add to our locker room.”

The teams traded power-play goals in the first period. Michela Cava gave the Frost a 1-0 lead at 3:30 with her sixth goal of the season, redirecting a shot from the point by Thompson past Toronto goaltender Raygan Kirk.

The Frost were penalized for too many skaters on the ice at 12:44, and Toronto star Sarah Nurse made them pay 20 seconds later, batting a rebound out of the air past Frost goaltender Maddie Rooney.

Thomson scored on a power play at 8:50 of the second period to give the Frost a 2-1 lead, beating a screened Kirk on a wrist shot from the point. The lead lasted until 4:12 of the third, when Jesse Compher beat Rooney on a wrist shot from the slot on a Toronto power play.

After the Frost went up 3-2 at 10:21, the Sceptres needed only one minute, 34 seconds to pull even with their third power-play goal of the game.

The Frost have reached the midpoint of their 30-game regular season, and the defending champions are exactly where they had hoped to be — at the top of the standings.

The Frost play their next four games on the road and eight of the next 10 away from home.