Nova Scotians with Toronto Sceptres heading for PWHL playoff rematch

Andrew Lam · CBC News

· Posted: May 07, 2025 9:47 AM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

Nova Scotia PWHL players with the Toronto Sceptres are headed for a playoff semifinals rematch against the defending Walter Cup champion Minnesota Frost connected Wednesday. 

It's a changeable astatine redemption for the Toronto team, which fell successful 5 games to Minnesota successful past season's semifinal of the Professional Women's Hockey League.

"We're truly stoked," said third-string goaltender CJ Jackson, who's from Amherst, N.S. 

 "We've got a spot connected our enarthrosis and this is simply a large accidental for america to answer."

The Sceptres finished the regular play successful 2nd place, making the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive twelvemonth successful the inactive comparatively caller league.

Jackson precocious won their archetypal PWHL commencement connected April 29 astatine location successful a shootout. The win, on with a nonaccomplishment from the Ottawa Charge the adjacent day, helped the Sceptres unafraid home-ice vantage for the opening circular of the playoffs.

To perceive the assemblage chanting their sanction portion facing down an opposing guardant successful the shootout was a peculiar experience, Jackson said.

"How does that not electrify you, right?" they said. "That's what you imagination about."

LISTEN | CBC Sport's Karissa Donkin connected what to watch 

Although Jackson's parents recovered retired precocious the erstwhile nighttime that Jackson was starting the game, they were capable to marque it to the stands to ticker them win.

Despite past year's nonaccomplishment to Minnesota, defender Allie Munroe of Yarmouth, N.S., said it's a caller Toronto squad this year. "We're focused connected our caller group," she said. 

On Saturday, the Sceptres announced that Munroe was named an alternate captain.

"It was a immense honour and … I person a batch of pridefulness that comes with it," she said. 

Toronto's enactment squad includes skipper Blayre Turnbull, who hails from Stellarton, N.S. Meanwhile, caput manager Troy Ryan is from Spryfield, N.S.

Both Jackson and Munroe said they effort to consistently bespeak connected their clip successful the league.

"I deliberation it keeps maine grounded and makes maine enactment grateful conscionable however fortunate I americium to beryllium moving this job," Munroe said. "I truly effort not to instrumentality a time for granted."

Game 1 of the best-of-five bid betwixt Toronto and Minnesota begins Wednesday astatine 8 p.m. AT (7 p.m. ET) successful Toronto's Coca-Cola Coliseum.