Zumwinkle scores historic hat trick as Minnesota blanks Montreal before record crowd in PWHL home opener

Homegrown forward Grace Zumwinkle scored the first hat trick in Professional Women's Hockey League history as Minnesota won its home opener before a record crowd with a 3-0 victory over Montreal on Saturday in Saint Paul.

The Olympian from Excelsior, Minn., scored once in the first period and twice in the third as the game at Xcel Energy Center set a pro women's hockey attendance record with 13,316 fans, breaking the mark of 8,318 from Ottawa's home opener on Tuesday.

Maddie Rooney of Duluth, Minn., posted a 24-save shutout to help Minnesota become the first PWHL team to win at home.

Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 19-of-21 shots for Montreal.

WATCH l Zumwinkle's hat trick leads Minnesota past Montreal:

Zumwinkle, who scored a goal in the season opener in Boston, played her collegiate hockey at the University of Minnesota. Rooney played collegiately at the Univeristy of Minnesota-Duluth before winning a gold medal in goal for the United States at the 2018 Olympic Games.

Zumwinkle earned silver with the U.S. in Beijing 2022, losing out to Canada in the final.

Zumwinkle backhanded a shot past Desbiens with 2:39 left in the first period, beating the 2022 Gold medalist for Canada to her stick side.

After a scoreless second period Zumwinkle skated to the top of the slot and rocketed a shot past Desbien at the 1:47 mark of the third and added an empty net goal at 17:13 of the period.

Montreal did not get a shot on goal through the first 11 minutes of the third period.

WATCH l Canadian defender Ella Shelton joins CBC Sports' Hockey North:

Minnesota remained undefeated after opening its season with a 3-2 win over Boston on Wednesday. Montreal dropped to 1-1, having defeated Ottawa 3-2 on Tuesday.

The full schedule of PWHL