Team Canada Red exacted a measure of revenge for their 6-1 loss to Japan on Saturday night – a loss that eliminated the Canadians from championship game contention – by scoring a convincing 7-1 win over the Japanese in Sunday morning’s third place game at the National Women’s Under-19 Program Evaluation Camp in Calgary.
Six different Canada Red players scored goals as the Canadians struck for two powerplay goals in the opening five-and-a-half minutes, and four goals overall with the man advantage.
Rayna Cruickshank (Cumberland, BC) got Canada Red started early, her point shot on the powerplay beating Japanese goaltender Azusa Nakaoku for a 1-0 Canada Red lead.
The lead was two just over 90 seconds later as Leslie Oles (Beaconsfield, QC) corralled a puck in the slot and beat Nakaoku on another Canada Red powerplay. Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, ON) and Jessica Wong (Baddeck, NS) picked up the assists on Oles’ first goal of the tournament.
She got her second before the midway point of the opening period, stripping the puck from a Japanese defender at the offensive blueline and sliding the puck around Nakaoku for an unassisted effort.
The Canadians, despite holding a 3-0 lead after less than 10 minutes, found themselves even in shots on goal at the end of the period, 11-11. Canada Red goaltender Hillary Pattenden (Surrey, BC) was solid between the pipes, turning aside everything thrown her way as the Japanese pressed to get back into the game.
Canada Red came out strong to begin the second period, and pushed their lead to 4-0 at the 3:17 mark when a centering pass from Laura McIntosh (Waterloo, ON) banked off of Nakaoku’s skate and into the goal for another powerplay marker.
After numerous chances, Japan finally got onto the scoreboard close to the midway point of the period, converting on a two-man advantage. Satomi Aramaki picked up the goal following a scramble in front of Pattenden.
The Canadians continued to come at the team from the Far East, and got their fifth goal when Vanessa Émond (Lévis, QC) picked up a loose puck in the slot and snapped a shot over the blocker of Nakaoku.
Samantha Wauer (Oakbank, MB) rounded out the second period scoring just 1:01 after Émond’s goal, her blast from the point finding its way underneath the crossbar for a 6-1 Canada Red lead heading into the intermission.
Nana Fujimoto, who played in Japan’s first two games, relieved Nakaoku to begin the third period and was beaten just once, as Johnston capitalized on another Canada Red powerplay, her third goal in four games.
Canada Red held the final advantage in shots on goal at 33-23, including 13-3 in the third period.
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