Toronto Sceptres open PWHL season with 3-1 comeback win over Boston Fleet

TORONTO (AP) — Hannah Miller scored a power-play goal with 1:38 remaining in the game, lifting the Toronto Sceptres to a 3-1 victory over the Boston Fleet in the Professional Women’s Hockey League season opener on Saturday.

With Boston standout Hilary Knight in the penalty box for a vicious boarding penalty on Sceptres defender Renata Fast, Miller made good on her rebound attempt on a shot by Daryl Watts with a half-open net.

Fast recovered for an assist on the winner before 8,089 fans at Coca-Cola Coliseum. The Fleet challenged the goal, but video review deemed Miller’s shot was good.

Sarah Nurse got Toronto on the board with a short-handed tally 11:50 into the first period and Emma Maltais added an empty-net strike with 12 seconds left.

Boston’s Hilary Knight opened the scoring 3 minutes in, sending a slap shot past Toronto goalie Kristen Campbell, who registered 18 stops on the night.

Toronto outshot Boston 41-19. Boston goalie Aerin Frankel, a big reason why her team advanced to the Walter Cup final last spring, had 38 saves.

Sceptres: Billie Jean King MVP Natalie Spooner missed the season opener. The PWHL scoring champion underwent left knee surgery in June after getting injured in Game 3 of Toronto’s first-round series against Minnesota.

Fleet: Defender Emma Greco played her first game for Boston. She was part of the Walter Cup-winning Minnesota team that defeated Boston in a three-game series last spring.

With the game tied 1-1, the Sceptres failed to score during a 59-second 5-on-3 advantage midway through the second period. Boston blocked five shots during the span.

Last year, Toronto enjoyed an 11-game win streak en route to its regular-season championship, including three wins against Boston.

Boston will play its home opener on Wednesday, a rematch with the Walter Cup-champion Minnesota. Toronto visits Ottawa on Tuesday.

AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Toronto Sceptres' Hannah Miller (34) celebrates after her goal with teammates on the bench Boston Fleet during late third-period PWHL hockey game action against the Boston Fleet in Toronto, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Sceptres' Sarah Nurse (20) celebrates her goal against the Boston Fleet with teammate goalie Kristen Campbell (50) during the first period of a PWHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Fleet goalie Aerin Frankel (31) watches the puck go wide off her net as Toronto Sceptres' Julia Gosling (88) and teammate Victoria Bach (51) look on during the second period of a PWHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Sceptres' Julia Gosling (88) watches Boston Fleet goalie Aerin Frankel (31) react as the puck goes over her during the second period of a PWHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. There was no goal on the play. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Sceptres' Kaitlin Willoughby (28) and Boston Fleet's Jessica Digirolamo (22) race towards the puck as Boston goalie Aerin Frankel (31) looks on during the second period of a PWHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Sceptres goalie Kristen Campbell (50) makes a save against the Boston Fleet during the first period of a PWHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Sceptres goalie Kristen Campbell (50) makes a save as Boston Fleet's Susanna Tapani (77) and Toronto's Kali Flanagan (6) look for a rebound during the first period of a PWHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Sceptres goalie Kristen Campbell (50) makes save as Boston Fleet's Susanna Tapani (77) looks for a rebound during the first period of a PWHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Sceptres' Jocelyne Larocque (3) battles against Boston Fleet's Hannah Bilka (19) for control of the puck during the first period of a PWHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

CHICAGO (AP) — Aidan Laughery rushed for three touchdowns and No. 22 Illinois topped Northwestern 38-28 on Saturday to reach nine victories for the first time since its 2007 Rose Bowl season.

Pat Bryant dashed in to score off Luke Altmyer’s 43-yard pass early in the third quarter as Illinois (9-3, 6-3 Big Ten) struck for touchdowns just over 4 minutes apart early in the third quarter to open a 28-10 lead in what had been a tight game. Bryant's 10th receiving touchdown tied a school record.

Altmyer, who threw for 170 yards, had a TD himself on a keeper from the 1-yard line early in the second quarter. David Olano added a field goal in the fourth to cap Illinois' scoring.

Laughery, a sophomore running back, rushed for a career-best 172 yards and topped 100 for the first time. He entered with only one TD this season and two for his career. He had a career-long 64-yard run for a score early in the second half.

Coach Bret Bielema said he wasn't surprised by Laughery's explosive performance as the Gibson City, Illinois product rounded back into form after being hampered by a hamstring injury earlier this season.

“I thought today would be a day that could happen,” Bielema said. “Today some of those turned into big home run hits we've kind of been waiting on all year.”

Laughery said he's been prepping for this kind of game, when he carried the ball 12 times for an average of 14.3 yards.

“Finally, the opportunity was there,” said Laughery, who got the game ball. “You know you gotta' hit one and it came together today.”

He credited the Illini offensive line with opening space for his breakout performance.

“Those guys were covering them (Northwestern's defense) all day long,” Laughery said. “It was awesome running behind the looks we were getting”

Northwestern’s Devin Turner intercepted Altmyer twice, including for a 13-yard touchdown return late in the first quarter. Thomas Gordon caught Jack Lausch's 15-yard TD pass with a minute left, then the Wildcats added a two-point conversion to complete the scoring.

Northwestern (4-8, 2-7 Big Ten) didn’t pack it in as hosted its second game this season at Wrigley Field, this time on a breezy sunny day with game-time temperature of 20 degrees.

It looked like the Illini might run away after Bryant’s 10th receiving touchdown 4:52 into the third. He entered tied for the Big Ten lead.

But Luke Akers kicked his second field goal of the game, a 34-yarder, with 5:35 left in the third quarter to cut it to 28-13. Lausch led the Wildcats on their next possession and finished it with an 11-yard touchdown toss to A.J. Henning to narrow the Illini lead to 28-20.

Then Mac Resetich intercepted Lausch’s pass 50 seconds into the fourth quarter. Laughery powered up the middle for 31 yards and his third TD about two minutes later to quell the Wildcats' momentum.

Northwestern dominated in possession time — 34:32 to 25:28 —and plays — 90 to 53.

The margin was even more pronounced in the first half, but the Wildcats settled for a 13-yard touchdown return on Turner’s second pick of the game with 2:14 left in the first quarter and Akers’ 21-yard field goal that opened the scoring 6:29 in.

Illinois led 14-10 at the half on Laughery’s 30-yard TD run midway through the first quarter and Altmyer’s keeper 1:39 into the second. Akers missed wide to the right on a 44-yard attempt as time ran out in the half.

Both teams’ leading pass receivers were injured. Northwestern’s Bryce Kirtz was knocked out of the game in the first quarter with a lower-body injury after two receptions that upped his total yards to 598.

Illinois’ Bryant went to the locker room with about 5 minutes left in the first half after Turner collided with him as he plucked his second interception. Bryant returned, however, for the second half.

Illinois: Is in line for a prestigious bowl game appearance and a chance to tie the school record of 10 wins, most recently set during their 2001 Sugar Bowl season. “We wanted to put ourselves in a good position on this day to get to nine wins and see where it can go,” Bielema said. “Just a fun day overall. I don't know what the future holds. It think we're a team that can play with anybody in the country.”

Northwestern: Finished its second season under coach David Braun at 4-8 overall and 2-7 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats dropped their final three and five of the last six.

Illinois is headed to a bowl game.

Northwestern opens its 2025 season at Tulane on Aug. 30.

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Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer (8) passes against Northwestern's Michael Kilbane (47) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)