Taylor Heise scores in OT to help Frost eliminate Sceptres with 4-3 victory in PWHL playoffs

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Taylor Heise played the hero in overtime, capping off a thrilling comeback for the Minnesota Frost as they edged out the second-seeded Toronto Sceptres 4-3 on Wednesday night, clinching the series and advancing in the playoffs.

Kendall Coyne Schofield netted two goals for the defending champions, who fought back from a 2-0 deficit to eliminate Toronto. With the victory, Minnesota became the first team in the league’s short two-season history to win a best-of-five series in fewer than five games. The Frost, seeded fourth in both of their postseason appearances, had split the first two games on the road in Toronto before closing out the series at home.

Despite a dominant regular season at home, Minnesota had only one prior loss on their ice — a double-overtime Game 4 defeat in last year’s Walter Cup Finals against Boston.

Toronto struck first, with Julia Gosling scoring just over five minutes into the game — her third of the series. Emma Woods and Anna Kjellbin picked up assists. Hannah Miller extended the Sceptres’ lead midway through the second period, with Natalie Spooner contributing her first assist of the series.

Minnesota responded immediately. Just 14 seconds later, Coyne Schofield scored her first goal of the postseason, assisted by Heise (her sixth) and Michela Cava (her first). Then, with just over a minute left in the second period, Kelly Pannek tied it 2-2. Brooke McQuigge and Mellissa Channell-Watkins earned assists, the latter’s third of the series.

Toronto briefly regained the lead early in the third on Emma Maltais’ first goal, assisted by Kali Flanagan and Sarah Nurse. But Coyne Schofield struck again at 8:33 to even the score once more, assisted by Cava and Sophie Jacques — her third assist of the series.

The game went to overtime, where Heise ended it with an unassisted goal, sealing the Frost’s dramatic 4-3 win.

Minnesota goalie Nicole Hensley stopped 26 shots in the victory, while Carly Jackson made 22 saves for Toronto.

Underdogs have thrived in the league’s young postseason history — lower-seeded teams are now 14-6 across both playoff years. Meanwhile, in the other semifinal matchup, Ottawa leads top-seeded Montreal 2-1, with Game 4 set for Friday in Ottawa.