Sceptres look to continue battling for Walter Cup after another early playoff exit

By Canadian Press on May 16, 2025.

TORONTO — Toronto Sceptres head coach Troy Ryan says being unhappy with the result shouldn’t mean being unhappy with where the team is headed.

The Sceptres fell 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday to lose its best-of-five semifinal against the defending Walter Cup champion Minnesota Frost in four games.

It’s the second consecutive year Toronto has fallen to Minnesota in the semifinals despite being the higher seed entering the playoffs.

Toronto finished second in the PWHL standings behind Montreal and clinched a playoff berth a week before its regular-season finale.

The Sceptres faced their share of injury troubles, especially with last season’s MVP Natalie Spooner out of the lineup until Feb. 11 after knee surgery. They also lost top rookie defender Megan Carter before season’s start until Jan. 25, and star forward Sarah Nurse missed almost two months before returning late March.

Ryan was content with his team’s effort in Game 4 loss after two tough losses and acknowledged the difficulty of winning in the PWHL.