CARLSSON SCORES OT WINNER TO HELP SWEDES BEAT CIS

JASON LA ROSE

CALGARY, Alta. – Olivia Carlsson converted a breakaway opportunity two minutes into overtime, giving Sweden a 2-1 win over a team of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) all-stars Monday night at Canada’s National Women’s Development Team selection camp.

With plenty of open ice available in the three-on-three extra period, Carlsson took a pass off the boards from Emilia Ramboldt and pulled away before snapping a quick shot to the blocker side of CIS goaltender Valerie Lamenta (Montreal, Que./University of Guelph, OUA).

It was Lamenta’s Swedish counterpart, Sara Grahn, who was the story, turning aside 35 of 36 CIS shots through 62 minutes of work. The university all-stars finished with a 36-16 advantage in shots on goal.

The Canadians carried the play in the opening period, outshooting Sweden 11-4 in the frame, but couldn’t get a puck past Grahn.

It was more of the same in the second, with CIS holding a 12-4 advantage, but both teams struck for goals before the end of 40 minutes.

Daley Oddy (Waterloo, Ont./St. Francis Xavier University, AUS) finally got the scoring started just past the midway mark of the middle stanza, jumping in off the blue-line and snapping a shot off the post, off Grahn and in for the long-awaited 1-0 goal.

But the Swedes would answer in the final minute of the period; Lisa Johansson gathered in a loose puck behind the net and circled into the slot before beating Lamenta over the blocker.

The Johansson goal came on just the seventh shot on goal for Sweden. It didn’t reach double digits until the 14:51 mark of the third period, when CIS had already directed 32 shots at Grahn.

The Swedes had the best chance of the final frame, ringing a shot off the crossbar with less than three minutes to go, but Carlsson made sure the close-call didn’t matter.

Camp play continues Tuesday, with both teams taking on Team Canada hopefuls; the Swedes face off against White in the early game (4 p.m. MT), while the CIS side will take on Red (7:30 p.m. MT).