2007-08 National Women's Under-18 Team

CANADA TUNES UP FOR SEMI-FINAL WITH 17-0 ROUT OF FINLAND

If Wednesday night’s game against Finland is any indication, Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team is ready for the medal round.

Eight players recorded at least three points and 17 of the 18 skaters picked up at least one as Canada romped 17-0 over the Finns, setting a tournament-high for goals in a game.

Bailey Bram (Ste-Anne, MB), Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, QC) and Camille Dumais (Beaconsfield, QC) got the ball rolling for the Canadians, scoring three times in the opening 4:01 as Canada racked up six goals in the opening 15-and-a-half minutes.

Bram opened the scoring just 1:01 in, batting a loose puck past Jenna Juutilainen, who, because of an injury suffered to Piia Raty during Tuesday night’s game against the Czech Republic, played all 60 minutes for the Finns, allowed 17 goals on 49 shots.

Poulin made it 2-0 just 57 seconds later, ripping a one-timer past Juutilainen after a perfect set-up from Audrey Bélanger-Cournoyer (Montreal, QC), and Dumais tipped a Laura Fortino (Hamilton, ON) point shot in to put the game out of reach very early.

Poulin added her second later in the frame, and Tara Watchorn (Newcastle, ON) and Jess Jones (Picton, ON) also scored in the half-dozen-goal outburst.

The second period was even more dominant than the first, as Canada scored eight times on 16 shots and held the Finns shotless.

Poulin finished off her hat trick in the middle frame, while Brianne Jenner (St. Catharines, ON) and Leslie Oles (Beaconsfield, QC) scored twice and Watchorn, Bélanger-Cournoyer and Fortino each added goals to their point totals.

Amanda Mazzotta (London, ON) replaced Delayne Brian (Winnipeg, MB) in the Canadian goal midway through the period; Brian made just two saves in her 30 minutes of work, one coming in the game’s opening 15 seconds.

Bram, Dumais and Carolyne Prevost (Sarnia, ON) finished off the scoring in the third period as the Canadians topped Sweden’s mark of 14 goals set one night earlier against Russia.

Fortino (one goal, four assists) and Natalie Spooner (five assists) led the way for the Canadians point-wise, with Bram (two goals, two assists), Watchorn (two goals, two assists), Dumais (two goals, two assists) and Poulin (three goals, one assist) right behind.

Bélanger-Cournoyer, Jones and Laura McIntosh (Waterloo, ON) had three points apiece.

The Canadians will practice Thursday before taking on Sweden in a semi-final at 7:45 p.m. MT at Father David Bauer. The winner will meet the winner of the USA/Czech Republic semi-final in Saturday’s gold medal game, which is sold out.

The Finns, who finished fourth in Pool B with an 0-3 record, will meet Switzerland on Friday at 7:30 p.m. MT at Norma Bush Arena in a placement game.