Campbell stellar in Sceptres win. Could Canada role be next?

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Kristen Campbell had a little more on the line than just backstopping her Toronto Sceptres to a 2-1 win over the New York Sirens on Wednesday at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

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With news that both of Canada’s top two goaltenders for the upcoming world women’s hockey championship have been injured in recent PWHL action, there is a rather large opening on the national team for the coming worlds in Czechia next month.

Campbell, who has been the No. 3 on the team for the majority of the past few seasons, could now be in line for No. 1 duties.

Hockey Canada has yet to announce its roster for the worlds, so there was no way Troy Ryan, who handles head coaching duties both for Canada and the Sceptres, could comment, but that didn’t change the fact that there was no getting around the added importance of a big game for Campbell at this stage.

Her biggest competition for that No. 1 role with Canada, assuming neither Ann-Renee Desbiens nor Emerance Maschmeyer make a quick recovery, was in the other net last night as fellow Manitoba native Corinne Schroeder and Campbell faced off.

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Campbell turned aside 27 of 28 shots to earn the win and perhaps an edge for the job in Canada’s net next month.

In fact, four of Canada’s most likely answers for the job were at the Coca-Cola Coliseum last night with backups Raygan Kirk of the Sceptres, also a Manitoba native, and Kayle Osborne, who hails from Westport, Ont., of the Sirens the next two most likely candidates.

The lone blemish on Campbell’s night was a fluke goal from the side of the net that New York’s Alex Carpenter somehow found room to squeeze past Campbell. Other than that, Campbell was at the very top of her game.

Campbell was at her best when the Sceptres were short-handed, something that occurred five times. Campbell was a big reason all five of those player advantages were negated by the Sceptres.

Forward Daryl Watts provided all the offence Toronto would need, scoring in the first period and again in the second period for her seventh and eighth goals of the season.

Toronto now heads on the road for its final three games before the month-long world championship break. Next up is a matinee in Montreal against the league-leading Victoire on Sunday.

mganter@postmedia.com

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