Ste Anne’s Kirk storms into Sceptres crease

Raygan Kirk seized her opportunity to to take over the Toronto Sceptres crease in the Professional Women’s Hockey League.

The rookie goaltender from Ste Anne picked up her first professional win Dec. 27, as the Sceptres took down the Boston Fleet 4-2 to snap a four-game losing streak.

Kirk made 26 saves and was named the game’s second star, making several key stops when Toronto was leading 2-1.

”I definitely was grateful for Kali (Flanagan’s) empty net goal,” Kirk said a few days after the game.

“It was definitely really special getting that puck. I really wanted that win against Montreal so to finally get the team a win and it being my first pro win during the 100th PWHL game was so surreal for me too.”

Kirk made her professional debut a week earlier, relieving starter Kristen Campbell and stopping all nine shots she faced in a loss to Montreal. She was named the starter for the team’s next game, stopping 34 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss to that same Montreal team.

“I’ve been really focusing on preparing myself and building confidence throughout practice to help me get ready for when the opportunity came,” Kirk said when asked about the mentality shift from back-up to starter.

“I would take notes on the rinks/teams we were playing against while I was backing up to help my future self for whenever I’d get the chance to get in. Since every game is going to be new for me I think it’s a lot of just learning as you go and just focusing on one puck at a time.”

The loss didn’t stop Toronto coach Troy Ryan from naming Kirk the starter for the team’s next game.

“I don’t know if it was necessarily fair for (Kirk) to get her first PWHL game when we weren’t as a team playing our best, and I think she responded really, really well with that opportunity,” Ryan said in a post-game news conference following the Boston game.

“We thought long and hard and decided she deserved another start and I she looked even more comfortable I thought tonight.”

Campbell struggled to start last season, before rebounding to earn goaltender of the year honours. She’s is off to another slow start this year, with a save percentage under 0.900 through three games.

Toronto overall hasn’t been good to start this season, and currently sit at the bottom of the six-team loop’s standings. That position prompted their management to make a drastic change.

The Sceptres sent out fellow Ste Anne-product Jocelyne Larocque to the Ottawa Charge in the first blockbuster trade in league history Dec. 30. Larocque said the trade was a complete surprise to her.

Also heading to Ottawa in the deal was forward Victoria Bach, with the Sceptres receiving defender Savannah Harmon and forward Hayley Scamurra.

There was no chance for any of the traded players to get fully settled, as the Charge and Sceptres faced off on New Year’s Eve, with Larocque’s Ottawa team squeaking by Toronto 2-1 in a game Kirk started. In a post-game press conference, Larocque called it the “craziest and weirdest,” game of her life.

“I don’t even think I’ve allowed myself to process it, just seeing there was a game so close,” Larocque said, adding she hadn’t even begun to think about her actual move to Ottawa.

“(The Charge have) been so welcoming, the staff, the players. I had a lot of fun today, and honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was going to.”

Larocque was the second overall pick in the league’s inaugural draft, when every great women’s hockey player was up for grabs for each PWHL team.

Despite the young league, Larocque brings a wealth of experience to the Ottawa line-up, having suited up for Team Canada in high-leverage games throughout the years, including in the Olympics.

“I’ve been playing hockey a long time,” Larocque said with a smile in a YouTube video posted by the Charge.

“I’m physical, I’m aggressive and I just try to be the best teammate I can be on and off the ice, so I hope I can bring that to Ottawa.”

Larocque even reflected on the historic nature of the trade in the post-game news conference.

“That’s part of pro sports, it’s the reality,” she said.

“This league is what we fought so hard for, and (trades) are a part of it.”