Sceptres sneak past Sirens with Watts’ two-goal showcase

By Matthew Joseph

Photos by Matthew Joseph

The Toronto Sceptres defeated the New York Sirens 2-1 at Coca-Cola Coliseum on Wednesday night, marking a successful return to action after 10 days off. 

The game was also Toronto’s first Indigenous Heritage Unity Game—a celebration of Indigenous culture that showcased a ceremonial puck drop, traditional performances and the Canadian national anthem sung in Anishinaabemowin by Florence Osawamick. 

Marian Jacko, a prominent Indigenous advocate and Chief Wilton Littlechild, a residential school survivor and global leader in Indigenous rights, dropped the puck for the ceremonial faceoff. 

Both teams exchanged chances early in the game, with the Sceptres outskating the Sirens on every front. Toronto, coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to Minnesota on March 9, was eager to bounce back against a New York squad charging for their first three-game winning streak of the season. 

Daryl Watts opened the scoring late in the first period as she carved across the slot and fired the puck past Sirens’ goaltender Corinne Schroeder to put Toronto ahead 1-0. 

Sceptres head coach Troy Ryan praised Watt’s performance by highlighting her “knack to score goals.” 

“When you see her coming down that wing and you know she’s gonna cut across the middle lane of the ice, you just kind of expect it,” said Ryan. “But very few people can do that as consistently as she can.”

Watts struck again early in the second period, deflecting a shot off Schroeder’s glove and into the net. New York challenged the goal for goaltender interference, but the call stood after the review, making it 2-0 for Toronto. 

The two-goal performance brings Watts’ season total to eight. She currently sits tied for third in points in the PWHL with teammate Hannah Miller. 

Watts herself credited her success to generating momentum in the neutral zone. “It’s really challenging for the defender to have to step up and pivot,” she said.

Despite being down, the Sirens refused to go quietly. Alex Carpenter cut the lead to 2-1, capitalizing on a rebound to beat Toronto’s Kristen Campbell. The goal energized the Sirens who dominated possession the rest of the period, applying relentless pressure on every side.

Campbell, however, stood tall in net for the Sceptres, making several key saves to keep the lead intact. She ended the night with 27 saves on 28 shots, continuing her impressive run of allowing two or fewer goals in seven straight games.

“She is one of those goalies that just thrives off the confidence that she gets through her play and the confidence that our team gives her,” said Ryan. “She seems to be in a good place right now.” 

The game grew increasingly physical in the third period, with both teams exchanging words and shoves along the boards. 

New York had a chance to tie the game late in the period with a power play opportunity but Toronto’s penalty kill held strong, finishing the game four for four. 

With the win, Toronto improved to 36 points on the season, solidifying their hold on third place in the league standings. New York, meanwhile, remains in sixth place with 27 points, still searching for their elusive three-game winning streak. 

As the Sceptres embark on a four-game road trip followed by an international break in April, they have just two home games remaining. Ryan emphasized the need for his squad to improve their game with the playoffs approaching. 

“I think with our standards, we’d like to think that we are better than that performance,” he said. 

The Sceptres are back in action on Sunday as they pay a visit to the Montreal Victoire at Place Bell. They will look to build on their performance as the playoff race heats ups.