CANADA REBOUNDS FROM OPENING UNDER-22 LOSS WITH BIG WIN

PIERREFONDS, QC – On Wednesday, in the first game of its three-game series against the United States, Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team found itself in a 3-0 hole after just one period.

On Friday night, it was Canada’s turn for a quick start.

Emmanuelle Blais (Montreal, QC/University of Minnesota-Duluth, WCHA), Jennifer Wakefield (Pickering, ON/University of New Hampshire, HE) and Vicky Bendus (Wasaga Beach, ON/Mercyhurst College, CHA) scored first-period goals as Canada jumped out to a three-goal first period advantage en route to a series-evening 7-2 win over the Americans.

The Canadian win means that Saturday’s series finale (9:30 a.m. EDT) will be winner-take-all – the USA won Wednesday night’s game 4-3 in a shootout after Canada mounted a comeback over the final 40 minutes.

Canada struck first, just over six minutes after the opening face-off, as Blais finished off a 3-on-2 by jamming the rebound off a Laura Fridfinnson (Arborg, MB/University of Minnesota-Duluth, WCHA) shot past American goaltender Brianne McLaughlin.

Wakefield pushed the lead to two just five minutes later with Canada on a powerplay, taking a pass at the side of the net from Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, ON/Cornell University, ECAC) and beating McLaughlin, and Bendus completed the big first period for the Canadians with a goal just 1:46 after Wakefield’s marker.

The Americans had a glorious opportunity to get on the board and cut the Canadian lead to two late in the period when Sam Faber was awarded a penalty shot, but the USA forward hit the crossbar behind netminder Christina Kessler (Oakville, ON/Harvard University, ECAC), keeping it a 3-0 game headed to the intermission.

The United States finally hit the scoreboard on the powerplay early in the second period as Meghan Duggan beat Kessler, but Blais restored the three-goal lead just shy of three minutes later, stripping the puck from an American defenseman and beating McLaughlin for her second of the night.

The Canadians converted on a powerplay of their own near the midway point of the period as Dominique Thibault (L’Orignal, ON/University of Connecticut, HE) stuffed the rebound of a Britni Smith (Port Perry, ON/St. Lawrence University, ECAC) point shot past the American netminder to make it 5-1.

A goal from USA defenseman Kacey Bellamy made it 5-2 after 40 minutes, but Canada got goals from Johnston and Ann-Sophie Bettez (Sept-Îles, QC/McGill University, CIS) in the final 40 minutes to provide the final margin of victory.

Canadian captain Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, ON/Mercyhurst College, CHA) and Natalie Spooner (Mississauga, ON/Durham, PWHL) added two assists each in the victory.

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Final

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2

7

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0

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Goals/Buts :
06:05 CAN Blais (Fridfinsson, Rougeau)
11:07 CAN Wakefield (Johnston, Agosta) PP
12:53 CAN Bendus (Bettez, Spooner)

Penalties/Pénalités :
03:23 CAN Haverstock (Hooking/Accrocher)
07:31 CAN Johnston (Hooking/Accrocher)
11:42 USA Sherry (Bodychecking/Mise en échec)
16:49 USA Fardelmann (Tripping/Trébucher)
18:13 USA Lawler (Hooking/Accrocher)

Missed Penalty Shot/Lancer pénalité raté :
18:23 USA Faber

Goals/Buts :
04:06 USA Duggan (Faber, Lawler) PP
06:45 CAN Blais (Irwin)
09:25 CAN Thibault (Smith, Birchard) PP
12:55 USA Bellamy (Marvin, McDonald)

Penalties/Pénalités :
02:46 CAN Ward (Holding/Retenir)
08:31 USA Sherry (Tripping/Trébucher)
18:18 CAN Wakefield (Hooking/Accrocher)
19:41 CAN Blais (Bodychecking/Mise en échec)

Goals/Buts :
3:58 CAN Johnston (Wakefield, Agosta)
10:35 CAN Bettez (Spooner)

Penalties/Pénalités :
7:12 USA J. Lamoureux (Bodychecking/Mise en échec)
9:16 CAN Ward (Hooking/Accrocher)
12:40 CAN Wakefield (Tripping/Trébucher)
14:38 CAN Wakefield (Leaving the penalty box too early/Avoir quitter le banc de punition trop tard)
15:51 CAN Larocque (Roughing/Rudesse)
15:51 USA Bellamy (Roughing/Rudesse)
15:51 USA Faber (Roughing/Rudesse)
19:44 USA J. Lamoureux (Bodychecking/Mise en échec)