Maggie Flaherty scored her first goal of the season to give Minnesota the lead in the third period. and the Frost moved into first place in the Professional Women’s Hockey League with a 4-2 win over the Montréal Victoire on Sunday at Denver’s Ball Arena.

The game, part of the league’s Takeover Tour of potential expansion venues, drew 14,018 fans to the home ice of the Colorado Avalanche, setting a new professional women’s U.S. attendance record.

Minnesota’s Maddie Rooney earned her league-leading fifth win in goal with 21 saves on 23 shots. Defender Sophie Jacques finished with a goal and an assist in her return from the injured list after missing five games.

Catherine Dubois scored early to give Montréal the lead in the first period, but Britta Curl-Salemme evened the game with a goal midway through the period, and Jaques scored on a power play to take a 2-1 lead in the second. Jennifer Gardiner evened it at 2-2 with a power-play goal that caromed off a Minnesota skate for the Victoire.

As the Victoire tried to clear the puck from its own zone 13 minutes into a scoreless third period, Flaherty jumped on an errant pass in the slot and fired a hard wrist shot past Montréal’s Elaine Chuli for the game-winner. Michela Cava took a pass from Jaques in the final two minutes and lifted a wrist shot past Chuli’s shoulder for the insurance goal.

Chuli, making her first start since December 21, made 25 saves.

Montréal lost one of its leading scorers, Laura Stacey to an apparent injury to her left leg in the second period. She was helped from the bench and did not return.

Sport

Vonn finishes fourth in World Cup super-G race

Breakout star Lauren Macuga and comeback queen Lindsey Vonn made it a classic Sunday for the United States ski team.

Macuga’s first World Cup race win — in a super-G where the 40-year-old Vonn impressed again in fourth — was no surprise to ski watchers who saw the 22-year-old American’s fast-improving results.

Vonn, in the third race of her surprise comeback season, trailed Macuga by 1.24 yet no one was faster down the steep middle section of the course.

“It was a crazy run today,” Vonn said. “I’m also really proud of my teammate Lauren. It’s really nice to be part of such a fun team. It’s great to see another American on top of the podium.”

Golf

Taylor wins another playoff at Sony Open

Nick Taylor of Canada delivered another theatrical finish Sunday, this time chipping in for eagle on the 18th hole to get into a playoff at the Sony Open and winning with a superb pitch that set up birdie to defeat Nico Echavarria.

Taylor never looked like a winner at Waialae, especially after missing two short birdie chances down the stretch. That changed all so suddenly when his eagle chip from 60 feet rolled in on the par-5 closing hole for a 5-under 65.

Echavarria joined him with a great bunker shot for a tap-in birdie on the 18th and a 65. They finished at 16-under 264.

Sport

U.S. falls to Canada at women’s world juniors

The United States u-18 women’s team earned silver on Sunday after a 3-0 loss to Canada in the gold medal game of the women’s world junior championships.

Morgan Stickney made 27 saves in goal for the U.S., which was outshot 30-14. American Bella Fanale was named the tournament’s best forward.

BRIEFLY

college football >> Notre Dame’s Anthonie Knapp has been ruled out of the College Football Playoff championship game against Ohio State with an ankle injury, but coach Marcus Freeman said Sunday Rocco Spindler is on track to play. The Buckeyes’ Denzel Burke, who has been dealing with what coach Ryan Day called an “upper extremity issue,” will be available.

NBA >> NBA games are scheduled to return to wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles on Monday night, with the Clippers planning to resume their schedule when they host the Miami Heat and the Lakers set to host Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

College basketball >> Top-ranked UCLA’s game against Penn State on Wednesday is being moved to Long Beach State’s campus because of concerns about the ongoing deadly wildfires.

NHL >> Eric Staal became the fourth player to have his number retired by the Carolina Hurricanes when his No. 12 was raised at the Lenovo Center on Sunday.

NBA >> The Philadelphia 76ers have decided not to build a $1.3 billion downtown arena, a surprising move that comes just weeks after the team received approval for the controversial project from the city council.

— From news services