Some very tough news and a little good news for the Toronto Sceptres coming out of the Rivalry Series break.
The tough news is going to hurt with Sarah Nurse, one of the Sceptres’ leading scorers, being placed on the long term injury list with a lower body injury she suffered during a Rivalry Series games against the United States on Feb. 6 in Halifax.
Nurse, who also plays a leading role on Canada’s national team, collided with Jesse Compher of the U.S. (her teammate on the Sceptres) and did not return to the ice.
She sat out Canada’s series-clinching win in Summerside, P.E.I., two nights later.
Nurse is third on the team in scoring with five points and seven assists, a point back of both Hannah Miller and Renata Fast.
With an open spot on the roster, the team announced it has signed German forward Laura Kluge to a Standard Player Agreement for the remainder of the season.
Kluge was with the team in training camp but had to return to Germany to satisfy her military obligations to her native country.
Kluge was recently part of the German national team’s successful qualification for next winter’s Olympics. Kluge had two assists in three games as Germany booked its spot for the Games.
“We are excited to welcome Laura back to our organization,” Sceptres GM Gina Kingsbury said. “Laura had a great training camp with us and left a great impression on our entire teams. She will add to our team both on and off the ice.”
Nurse’s loss to the team could also be somewhat mitigated with the expected return to action of last year’s MVP and leading scorer Natalie Spooner. Spooner, who tore her ACL in last spring’s playoffs, has been ramping up her return of late joining the team on the road and taking part in full-contact practices. It would not be a surprise to see the Sceptres activate her for their game on Tuesday versus Minnesota at the Coca-Cola Coliseum (7 p.m. start). That move would also entail someone coming off the active roster.