2009-10 National Women's Team

OUELLETTE SCORES TWICE AND SZABADOS STOPS 32 SHOTS AS CANADA TOPS U.S. 5-2

SPOKANE, Wash. – Special teams are often the difference between a win and a loss, which is why Caroline Ouellette never takes a power-play opportunity for granted.

On Friday night, she had multiple reasons to be thankful.

Ouellette scored two power-play goals and Canada killed eight of nine penalties as the Canadians topped the United States for the second time in as many weeks with a 5-2 victory.

“We got the opportunities and fortunately we were able to create good chances out of it,” said Ouellette, a Montreal native. “I think the effort to put us on the power play was huge, and we've been working a lot on special teams in the last month and I think that made the difference tonight.”

The Canadians and Americans will meet at least five more times before the puck drops at the Vancouver Olympics. Canada is 2-0 in exhibition play against the U.S., as the Canadians also won 3-1 on Oct. 5 in Victoria.

“I love it – I wish we could play each other every week,” Ouellette said. “They are the best games, and it's the best rivalry – we know each other so well. It's great for women's hockey and it's great to get ready (for the Olympics).”

Meghan Agosta put Canada on the board at 17:47 into the opening period when she popped in the rebound of teammate Cherie Piper's shot.

Gigi Marvin tied the score with a power-play goal for the Americans at 19:06, but Canada retook the lead – which it never surrendered – when Haley Irwin scored at 19:35.

“We knew we had to come out better in the second, and create some opportunities,” Ouellette said.

Create is exactly what the Canadians proceeded to do.

Ouellette scored twice in the middle period, giving Canada a commanding 4-1 lead, with back-to-back power-play goals – first on a 5-on-3, and then again less than two minutes later at 6:14 while Canada had a one-man advantage.

“We knew we didn't have a long time to score on the 5-on-3, we only had about 30 seconds,” said Ouellette. “Once we scored that goal, we didn't want to let up we wanted to keep putting the puck on their goalie and make them stop us – which they didn't, so it was good.”

Hayley Wickenheiser scored Canada's final goal at 16:24 before Jenny Potter buried the Americans' second and final goal at 18:35.

Shannon Szabados made 32 saves in net for Canada, while U.S. goalie Jessie Vetter stopped 36 of Canada's 41 shots.

“I think it was a very good game for us, but we have a lot of games left to play so we can feel good about this one but not for long,” Ouellette added. “There are always things that we should be doing better, so we will move on from this game and hopefully play even better in our next game.”

The teams meet again in Denver, Colo., on Dec. 12 before the six-game exhibition series shifts to Canada for a Dec. 15 meeting in Calgary.

Goals/Buts : 
17:47 CAN Meghan Agosta (Cherie Piper)
19:06 USA Gigi Marvin (Natalie Darwitz, Hilary Knight) PP/AN
19:35 CAN Haley Irwin (Rebecca Johnston, Sarah Vaillancourt)

Penalties/Pénalités : 
07:08 USA Natalie Darwitz (Hooking/Accrocher)
07:48 USA Kerry Weiland (Roughing/Rudesse)
07:48 CAN Meghan Agosta (Roughing/Rudesse)
09:27 CAN Gillian Ferrari (Body-checking/Mise en échec corporelle)
12:17 USA Jocelyne Lamoureux (Hooking/Accrocher)
13:47 CAN Colleen Sostorics (Body-checking/Mise en échec corporelle)
18:58 CAN Caroline Ouellette (Holding/Retenir)

Goals/Buts : 
04:38 CAN Caroline Ouellette (Hayley Wickenheiser, Jayna Hefford) PP/AN
06:14 CAN Caroline Ouellette (Jayna Hefford, Sarah Vaillancourt) PP/AN
16:24 CAN Hayley Wickenheiser (Catherine Ward)
18:35 USA Jenny Potter (Hilary Knight, Jinelle Zaugg-Siergiej)

Penalties/Pénalités : 
00:14 CAN Gillian Ferrari (Tripping/Faire trébucher)
02:50 CAN Meghan Agosta (Roughing/Rudesse)
02:50 USA Jocelyne Lamoureux (Roughing/Rudesse)
02:50 USA Monique Lamoureux (Cross-checking/Double-échec)
04:18 USA Lisa Chesson (Holding/Retenir)
08:05 CAN Hayley Wickenheiser (Cross-checking/Double-échec)
09:36 CAN Jayna Hefford (Roughing/Rudesse)

Goals/Buts : 
None/Aucun

Penalties/Pénalités : 
05:56 CAN Gillian Apps (Hooking/Accrocher)
13:37 CAN Gillian Apps (Cross-checking/Double-échec)
17:19 USA Julie Chu (Holding/Retenir)
19:44 CAN Jennifer Botterill (Hooking/Accrocher)