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ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Professional Women’s Hockey League game between Minnesota and Montreal on Saturday set an attendance record for the most watched professional women’s ice hockey event with 13,316 people at Xcel Energy Center, the league said.

The record crowd, which came five days after the PWHL held its first game, easily outnumbered the 8,318 fans Tuesday who watched the clash between Montreal and host Ottawa in the inaugural game for both clubs.

“Living in the State of Hockey, I knew our fans would show up for us, but today they have taken it to a whole new level,” Minnesota general manager and former U.S. national team player Natalie Darwitz said. “I’ve enjoyed numerous amazing hockey experiences in Minnesota over my career, and experiencing today and the record crowd was emotional and ranks near the top of the list.”

Grace Zumwinkle scored the first hat trick in league history, and Maddie Rooney earned the shutout as Minnesota blanked Montreal 3-0 at the home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.

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

Montreal pushed and set the pace for the game early and had three power plays without committing a penalty through the first two periods, outshooting Minnesota 21-12, but trailed 1-0 to start the third period.

Zumwinkle backhanded a shot past Ann-Renée 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, 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. Desbiens finished with 19 saves on 21 shots. Rooney stopped all 24 Montreal shots on goal.

The PWHL, which features three teams in the United States and three in Canada, is the latest bid to create a sustainable business model around women’s hockey after previous leagues failed to deliver.

Prior to the PWHL season, the Swedish Women’s Hockey League’s championship game for the 2021-22 season held the professional women’s ice hockey record with a crowd of 7,765.

The previous North American record for a regular-season professional women’s hockey game was 5,938, set during a 2016 game in the now-defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League.

Up next, Montreal will play at New York and Minnesota plays host to Toronto on Wednesday.

Information from Reuters and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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3B Ramirez (ankle) returns to Guardians’ lineup

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3B Ramirez (ankle) returns to Guardians' lineup

TORONTO — Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez was back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, two days after the third baseman left in the third inning because of a mild right ankle sprain.

The six-time All-Star was injured when he stumbled and fell while crossing first base on an infield single. Ramirez went down after being struck in the back by a throw from Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt.

Ramirez was batting third Sunday against right-hander Bowden Francis.

Ramírez sat out Saturday when Cleveland beat Toronto 5-3. He went 2 for 2 before departing Friday, boosting his average to .274. He has five home runs and 15 RBIs in 31 games.

In last Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Minnesota, Ramirez became the first primary third baseman to reach 250 homers and 250 stolen bases.

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Yankees’ Volpe day-to-day after tests on shoulder

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Yankees' Volpe day-to-day after tests on shoulder

NEW YORK — Shortstop Anthony Volpe was not in the New York Yankees‘ starting lineup Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays, a day after he injured his left shoulder on a dive while trying to get to a grounder.

“X-rays, MRI — good news,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s sore today, but I feel like we’re probably in a good spot. We’ll see. Kind of day to day right now.”

Volpe remained in the game after his unsuccessful attempt for a backhand stab on Christopher Morel‘s eighth-inning single, which sparked a two-run rally in Tampa Bay’s 3-2 win Saturday.

Volpe said after the game he heard a pop in the shoulder.

“It’s a little unclear in there. He’s got some stuff that they feel like is older stuff, so hard to know exactly,” Boone said. “He’s definitely a little cranky in the shoulder today.”

Volpe, 24, is hitting .233 with five homers, 19 RBIs and four stolen bases in his third season with the Yankees.

Oswald Peraza was listed to start at shortstop, batting ninth.

New York already is missing second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (strained right oblique), third baseman DJ LeMahieu (strained left calf), ace Gerrit Cole (Tommy John surgery) and right-hander Luis Gil (right lat strain), the reigning AL Rookie of the Year.

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Marlins reinstate C Fortes, place 2B Lopez on IL

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Marlins reinstate C Fortes, place 2B Lopez on IL

The Miami Marlins activated catcher Nick Fortes from the 10-day injured list Sunday morning. To make room for him on the active roster, starting second baseman Otto Lopez was placed on the 10-day injured list.

Fortes, the Marlins’ Opening Day catcher, posted six hits in 20 at-bats with two doubles, one triple and one RBI in seven appearances before going on the IL on April 10 with an injured left oblique muscle. The 28-year-old missed 20 games as the Marlins went 7-13 without him. To prepare for Sunday’s return, he rehabbed for two games at Triple-A Jacksonville and went 0-for-6.

Fortes figures to split time with 23-year-old rookie catcher Agustin Ramirez, who has delivered a .256/.293/.615 slash line with three homers and five RBIs in 10 games during his first stint in the bigs.

The 26-year-old Lopez hits the injured list, retroactive to Saturday, with a sprained right ankle. Lopez started the season hot with a .400 average to go with two homers, six RBIs and one stolen base during five games in March. Since then, he has batted .191 (17-for-89) with no homers, five RBIs and two steals.

Rookie Javier Sanoja, 22, has filled Lopez’s spot at second base the last two games and provided two doubles, two runs and one RBI in seven at-bats.

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