DEFENCE PROVIDES OFFENCE AS GOLD WRAPS UP INTRASQUAD SWEEP AT U22 CAMP

CALGARY, Alta. – Hayleigh Cudmore (Oakville, Ont./Cornell University, ECAC) scored the game-winning goal on a power play with just under seven minutes remaining as Gold completed an intrasquad sweep at Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team selection camp with a 3-1 win over Blue on Saturday afternoon.

Gold won the camp opener 4-2 last Monday before posting a 1-0 shootout win Wednesday in the middle contest of the three-game series.

Erin Ambrose (Keswick, Ont./Toronto, PWHL), on an early first period power play, and Jillian Saulnier (Halifax, N.S./Cornell University, ECAC), into an empty net, also scored goals for Gold, which got goals on the man advantage from a pair of defencemen – Ambrose and Cudmore – to help it to the sweep.

Sarah Lefort (Ormstown, Que./Stanstead College, NAPHA) had the lone goal for Blue, ending its goalless drought at just over 130 minutes – it hadn’t scored since Lefort did the honours midway through the second period of Monday’s game.

After the two teams went 65 minutes of regulation and overtime without a goal on Wednesday, it took just 2:14 for Ambrose to open the scoring Saturday, as she poked a loose puck past Blue netminder Erica Howe (Orleans, Ont./Clarkson University, ECAC).

Lefort tied it on an unassisted effort 12 minutes into the second period before Cudmore took a beautiful cross-ice feed from Kayla Tutino and beat Ann-Renée Desbiens (La Malbaie, Que./Beauport, LDHAAEQ), who replaced Howe midway through the second.

The Blue goaltending tandem of Howe and Desbiens combined to make 20 saves, while Gold’s Roxanne Douville (Beloeil, Que./University of Vermont, HE) and Emerance Maschmeyer (Bruderheim, Alta./Lloydminster, AJHL) turned aside 28 of 29.

With camp done, the Team Canada coaching staff will announce a final roster of 20 players on Sunday morning before the Canadians face the United States in a three-game series in Calgary, beginning Aug. 16.