Hilary Knight and Anna Wilgren Break Through Against Minnesota, Torrent Finally Beat the Frost

Seattle got the monkey off its back Wednesday night. After getting absolutely worked in three straight losses to the two-time defending PWHL champion Minnesota Frost, the Torrent finally found the formula: Knight's leadership, Wilgren's unlikely scoring touch, and clutch defense when it mattered most. The final was 5-4 at Climate Pledge Arena, and yes, it was every bit as tight as that score suggests.

Knight and Wilgren Turn the Tide in the Third

This was not a dominant performance. Minnesota came in as the defending champs for a reason, and they showed it early. Taylor Heise put the Frost on the board first, but Seattle's Aneta Tejralova made an alert play, finding a loose puck off the end boards and tying the game. Grace Zumwinkle gave Minnesota the lead right back, but then Seattle struck twice in rapid succession: Alex Carpenter and Gabrielle David scored just 11 seconds apart to put the Torrent up 3-2.

Carpenter's goal was all about recent trade pickup Theresa Schafzahl's presence in front. She screened Minnesota goaltender Nicole Hensley (who finished with 23 saves), the initial shot bounced off a body and dropped into the crease, and Carpenter cleaned it up for her team-leading 11th goal of the season. David's tally was her first in a Torrent uniform after she signed a PWHL Standard Player Agreement in March once her Swedish league campaign wrapped.

Minnesota tied it up again before the second intermission ended, but the Torrent controlled the third period. Knight has goals in consecutive games now, and Wilgren just keeps finding the back of the net. She scored her first Torrent goal on Saturday, her second shortly after, and now has three goals in just two games. Against Minnesota, she also chipped in two assists for a three-point night. That's the kind of production you cannot ignore.

Goaltending and a Historic Win

Hannah Murphy made 34 saves for Seattle in a game that came down to every single stop. The Frost's only goal of the third period came with just 13.9 seconds left after a lengthy scramble in front of a now-stickless Murphy, but it was too little, too late.

This win matters beyond the scoreboard. Seattle entered trailing Vancouver 3-1 in the "Gold Plan" standings but pulled ahead 4-3 with the victory. Both teams are chasing draft order points since they've already been eliminated from the postseason. Seattle has one game left to play, and every point counts. The team with the most draft order points gets the No. 1 pick in the 2026 PWHL Entry Draft.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.