Nurse OT winner breaks Montreal hearts as Toronto wins PWHL 'Duel at the Top'
Toronto's Sarah Nurse broke Montreal hearts 13 seconds into overtime whe she scored her second of the night in front of a record-setting PWHL crowd at the Bell Centre.
Toronto's 3-2 win makes it five for five wins against rivals Montreal and puts Toronto at the top of the table with 38 points, three ahead of Montreal and Minnesota.
The 21,105 fans who attended the game broke the record for attendance at a female hockey game set in Toronto at the Scotiabank Arena (home of the Toronto Maple Leafs) when 19,285 fans showed up on Feb. 16.
Before the inaugural PWHL season, the record for women's hockey was 18,013 in the IIHF Women's World Championship for a Canada-Finland preliminary gameand 16,805 in the Vancouver Olympics in 2010.
Fans of all ages waved towels, screamed and held signs reading "Girls Hockey Rules" and "2033 PWHL Draft Eligible" at the home of the NHL's most decorated team: The Montreal Canadiens.
Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin, one of hockey's all-time greats, received a deafening standings ovation followed by chants of "Pou! Pou! Pou!" when introduced in the starting lineup.
The "Duel at the Top" was a back-and-forth scorcher.
Toronto's Blayre Turnbull opened the scoring in the first, but Montreal's Sarah Bujold equalized with under 20 seconds to go in the period.
Nurse put Toronto up early in the second, but a second late goal from Montreal from Erin Ambrose tied the game with 30 seconds remaining in the period.
With no goals in the third, it was Nurse again who finished the game.
The win clinched a playoff birth for Toronto (10-4-0-7).
Toronto's Sarah Nurse (20) celebrates with teammate Emma Maltais (27) after scoring against Montreal during overtime period PWHL hockey action at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Saturday, April 20, 2024. (Graham Hughes, The Canadian Press)
With files from The Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
The Indian couple killed in a wrong-way police chase crash on Highway 401 earlier this week has been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.