Minnesota Frost win highest-scoring game in PWHL history, take series lead
The Minnesota Frost took down the Toronto Sceptres in a 7-5 thriller on Sunday night, and they're now only one win away from advancing to the Walter Cup Finals.
Minnesota took a commanding 3-0 lead less than eight minutes into the game. Lee Stecklein scored the third goal in the flurry, and it was her third of the postseason, but Toronto wasn't going away.
The Sceptres added one before the end of the first period, and added one more to open the second. Minnesota regained momentum when Brooke McQuigge found the back of the net for her second goal of the evening. Both teams added one more goal before the end of the second period, and it was 5-3 heading into the final 20 minutes.
Toronto opened the scoring in the third period, but Minnesota responded. Michela Cava scored her second goal of the night before Stecklein finished a hat trick in a thrilling 7-5 win.
Twelve total goals made it the highest-scoring game in PWHL history.
The Frost lead the best-of-five series two games to one, and they'll look to close things out in Minnesota on Wednesday night, with a trip back to the Walter Cup Finals on the line.

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New York Times
36 minutes ago
- New York Times
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EAGAN, Minn. — Locating Dallas Turner on the field is not tricky. Look for the green mouth guard flopping beneath the facemask. It's usually near the line of scrimmage, swaying back and forth before the snap. But not this time, not amid an early seven-on-seven rep during Tuesday afternoon's mandatory minicamp practice for the Minnesota Vikings. Advertisement On this play, Turner lined up as an off-ball linebacker in the middle of the field, his eyes watching the quarterback and his bright red no-contact jersey. Most drills feel like walk-throughs this time of year, especially with how the Vikings value player health over the summer. This one differed in that the wideouts sprinted off the line of scrimmage. Turner floated backward into coverage. His vision shifted back and forth between the quarterback and the nearest receiver. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores had called a zone coverage, and here Turner was, moving fluidly, looking like he was meant to be there, roaming perfectly in the receiver's window. Just as the ball arrived, he batted it away. His teammates noticed. When asked after practice about Turner's growth, veteran safety Josh Metellus mentioned the deflection. 'I'm loving what I'm seeing,' he said. 'He is able to show that growth right now, and that's what you want.' The bar to clear may be low given the number of full-speed reps, but if there were an award for minicamp play of the day, that would take the cake. It's not that Turner's play was a huge surprise. Rewatch last year's game in Seattle against Geno Smith and the Seahawks, and you'll stumble upon a well-read, second-quarter interception by Turner in the flat. 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Advertisement Flores didn't view Turner as a backup-level player — 'I see it as three starters,' he said Tuesday. Two additional factors were working against Turner. First, he injured his knee in Week 2 against San Francisco, sidelining him the following week and halting whatever momentum he had created. Second, he was new to a complex defensive system. Learning to be an edge rusher at the pro level is a challenge in itself, but Turner is also athletic and smart enough to play inside linebacker. Each spot requires different techniques. Mastery requires patience, a quality that is rare in NFL circles. Outwardly, Turner didn't struggle with the minimal snaps. He said all of the right things in interviews throughout the season. That he was absorbing knowledge from Greenard and Van Ginkel. That he knew his time would come. These comments showed his professionalism, but privately, he had a burning desire to see more of the field. 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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
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CBS News
3 hours ago
- CBS News
Brian Flores has new weapons on Vikings defense, but don't forget the old ones
The Minnesota Vikings added plenty of defensive talent this offseason, but Brian Flores is as excited about the returning players as the new guys. The Vikings' defensive coordinator spoke to the press from minicamp on Tuesday, and unsurprisingly, the first question was about the two new faces on the defensive line: Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Flores offered praise, but quickly pivoted to the developing players on the roster. "Those are two great additions, excited to have both guys," Flores said. "But also excited about guys like Jalen Redmond who came on, really, the entire year. He just got better and better day after day and week after week. Levi [Drake Rodriguez] who has, I would say, grown significantly from year one to year two. Bigger, stronger, faster, more confident." "We got a lot of guys who have played, there's a good amount of depth in that room," Flores added. "We're excited about all the pieces, and as coaches, it's about who fits where and how do we get the most out of each individual player and the collective unit." Another returning player Flores clearly has high hopes for is pass rusher Dallas Turner. A first-round pick last year, Turner showed flashes in his rookie season, but ultimately played a limited role behind Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel, both of whom had standout first seasons in Minnesota. "All positive with him. Definitely see some growth, or a lot of growth, from his standpoint and excited to see where this goes," Flores said. "I think any time you're behind — or with, I shouldn't even say behind, because in that room I really see it as three starters, so you're with two guys who receive all the accolades and obviously are good players who've been in the league, have made a lot of plays, are significant contributors to the team, the best thing you can do — and I think Dallas did this — is just soak up that information." Not all the talent is up front, though. In the secondary, the Vikings' defense will feature new faces, players stepping into larger roles and promising prospects returning from injury. One of those new faces: Isaiah Rodgers, of whom Flores and head coach Kevin O'Connell have spoken highly. "I've always thought he was a good player and was ascending, and when the opportunity presented itself that we could maybe acquire him, I was all in," Flores said. "And I'm happy we got him, he's been a great addition. He's got great football IQ and acumen." Rodgers will likely have the largest role of his career this season thanks to the Vikings' thin cornerback room. Behind star Byron Murphy Jr., the room features a handful of players with uncertain upside, including Mekhi Blackmon. Blackmon showed promise in his rookie season, then missed his entire sophomore year with a torn ACL. "As a rookie, you saw the quickness, the speed, the acumen. I think he needs to build right on that," Flores said. "It was unfortunate when he went down last year, because we were excited about the possibility of him playing quite a bit. The way he rehabbed, it was incredible, honestly." Flores also gave a shoutout to Theo Jackson, a safety who has been buried on the depth chart but earned a new contract and will see his role increased this season after Cam Bynum's departure in free agency. "Theo's been great, and that's something we've been saying for two years," Flores said. "I think he's steadily built his communication skills, his techniques, his fundamentals, his disguises, his playmaking ability. He's one of the hardest workers we have." The Vikings' defense finished fifth in points allowed and tied for first in turnovers last season. While it will be tough to replicate those numbers this year, Flores has all of the pieces he needs to field a fearsome unit on that side of the ball once again.