OTTAWA, ON – Kendall Coyne Schofield scored her first PWHL hat trick to lead the Minnesota Frost to a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Charge on Tuesday night at TD Place. 
The Frost captain’s first goal came just 24 seconds into the first period – the quickest goal to start a game so far this season – and opened a trio of goals in the first seven minutes from Minnesota forwards Dominique Petrie and Grace Zumwinkle which set a PWHL record for the fastest three goals to start a game.
After a scoreless second, Coyne Schofield tallied her second goal of the game 4:14 into the third to bring the Frost’s lead to 4-0, before scoring an empty netter to round out the hat trick. Ottawa rookie defender Rory Guilday netted her first career goal on a third period power play to make the scoring to 4-1.
Charge captain Brianne Jenner recorded a primary assist to bring her to a four-way tie for the league lead in scoring with five points, alongside Coyne Schofield and Frost forwards Kelly Pannek and Britta Curl-Salemme, who each contributed two assists in the game.
Frost goaltender Nicole Hensley made a career-high 35 saves in her second straight road start and victory, while Gwyneth Philips turned aside 28 shots in Ottawa’s second loss in a three-game homestand to open the season.
QUOTES
Minnesota Head Coach Ken Klee on his team’s fast start: “There’s no question we have a really skilled forward group, and we know if we get to work, are good on the forecheck, and have good sticks then we’re going to create opportunities, and we were fortunate to bury a couple right away. Kendall jumped on it quick and had a nice shot to be able to score but then the other lines following it back up was really big for us.”
Frost forward Kendall Coyne Schofield shares her thoughts on Carla MacLeod: “It was definitely tough when the news broke. It’s not something you read and just move forward with your day. Whether you know Carla or not, you find a way to reach out and let her know that she’s in our hearts and on our minds and we’re behind her in this battle. I look forward to seeing her back on the bench and back with Czechia when the time comes. It’s something you carry with you, and we want her to know we’re thinking about her and we’re with her in any way, shape, or form throughout her battle.”
Ottawa alternate captain Emily Clark on the emotions without Carla MacLeod behind the bench: “It’s been an emotional big week for us. Everyone is still processing the news. We wanted to come out hard for Carla. It was definitely not the start we wanted, but I think we can be proud that we never gave up. We took the lessons where they were. We got better as the game went on, ending with the shots as close as they were between the two teams. Some good things to come out of that, but not the start we wanted.”
Charge rookie defender Rory Guilday on her first PWHL goal: “It was really fun to score in front of our home crowd with these girls beside me. We work hard on the power play, and we are gaining confidence on it. Brianne Jenner set me up with a chance for a great shot. Sometimes you’ve just got to rip it; in that moment, I wasn’t thinking of much else.”
NOTABLES
Minnesota became the first team to score three goals in the first period of a game this season. In the 2024-25 season, they led the league with three first period goals in two games including Mar. 7 in a 5-0 win against Ottawa during the Takeover Tour in Raleigh, and on May 3 in an 8-1 win over Boston.
Ottawa entered tonight’s game without having allowed any goals in the first period this season. 
Haley Irwin served in her first game as Head Coach for the Charge in place of Carla MacLeod who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Kendall Coyne Schofield’s first career hat trick came on a season-high six shots on goal and is just her second career multi-goal game (Dec. 22, 2024). She leads the league with four goals and has extended her point streak to three straight games to open the season (4G, 1A). The Frost captain became just the sixth player in PWHL history to reach 20 career goals with her opening tally becoming the quickest of the PWHL season thus far (0:24).
Kelly Pannek has recorded consecutive multi-point games for the first time in her career with two assists tonight on the heels of her two-goal performance on Friday in Seattle. The Frost alternate captain has a three-game point streak (2G, 3A) to open the season.
Britta Curl-Salemme recorded her second straight multi-assist game, also marking her first time with consecutive multi-point efforts. She leads the league with five assists, one shy of her rookie total of six in 28 games, while her three-game point streak (5A) ties her career-high.
Nicole Hensley has made 30 or more saves in consecutive starts (35 tonight, 30 on Nov. 28) for the first time since her first two games of the inaugural season (33 on Jan. 3, 2024 and 31 on Jan. 10, 2024).
Dominique Petrie scored her first goal of the season and has points in consecutive games (1G, 1A). As a rookie last season, Petrie opened her PWHL career with a goal in each of her first three games.
Grace Zumwinkle has scored in back-to-back games for the first time since the inaugural season when she had a pair of two-game goal streaks (Jan. 3 to 6, 2024 and Mar. 13 to 16, 2024).
Rory Guilday scored her first career goal after recording the first multi-point game of her career last Wednesday against Vancouver (2A). The Chanhassen, MN, native selected fifth overall by the Charge is tied for the rookie lead in scoring and is just the second rookie defender to find the back of the net this season.
Brianne Jenner followed her record tying four point performance with a primary assist to give her five points (2G, 3A) in two games.
Gabbie Hughes recorded her third assist in two games and leads the league with two power play helpers. Last season, the Lino Lakes, MN, native did not record her third point of the season until her 15th game.
Denisa Křížová picked up her first point of the season with an assist on Petrie’s goal. Last season, three of Křížová’s five helpers were primary.
Lee Stecklein recorded her first point of the season with an assist on Petrie’s goal. Last season, her first point came in her seventh game before leading the 2025 PWHL Playoffs in scoring with eight points (4G, 4A).
Emily Clark recorded six shots on goal for the fifth time in her career and is now tied for the PWHL lead in the category with 14, yet she is still looking for her first goal of the season.
Minnesota’s five-goal flurry is more than they scored through the first two games of the season (4G) and ties Ottawa and New York for the highest single game total in the PWHL so far this season.
The Frost have won both of their games this season when being outshot by their opponent.
THREE STARS
- Kendall Coyne Schofield (MIN) 3G
- Nicole Hensley (MIN) 35/36 SV
- Rory Guilday (OTT) 1G
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