2007-08 National Women's Under-18 Team

PREVOST SCORES WINNER AS CANADA TOPS USA 3-2 IN OVERTIME

It was another night of firsts for the National Women’s Under-18 Team on Friday night at the University of Ottawa Sports Complex.

One night after picking up their first-ever win, the Canadians scored their inaugural overtime win, getting the game-winner from Carolyne Prevost (Sarnia, ON) to top the USA’s National Women’s Under-18 Team 3-2.

The Canadians rebounded after a slow start, outshooting the Americans 33-16 in the final two periods of regulation time and overtime.

Brooke Ammerman and Brianna Decker got the USA on the board first in the opening 20 minutes, scoring goals 5:41 apart to give the visitors the early 2-0 lead.

But Canada, and goaltender Delayne Brian (Winnipeg, MB), settled down after that, allowing the Americans few quality chances over the final 40 minutes. When they did break through, Brian was there to close the door, giving her team a chance to come back.

Natalie Spooner (Scarborough, ON) got the Canadians on the board just over five minutes into the middle frame, picking up a loose puck in the American crease and firing it into the wide-open net, igniting a boisterous pro-Canadian crowd and pulling Canada to within one.

The Canadians controlled the play in the second period, outshooting the Americans 16-4, but were unable to get another puck past goaltender Rebecca Ruegsegger, who named her team’s Player of the Game.

Canada continued to apply the pressure opening up the third period, and was rewarded when Brianne Jenner (St. Catharines, ON) – Canada’s Player of the Game – picked up a loose puck and flipped it past a diving Ruegsegger to pull her team even at 2-2. Camille Dumais (Beaconsfield, QC) and Spooner picked up assists on the goal, while Canadian captain Lauriane Rougeau (Beaconsfield, QC) didn’t register a point on the goal, but made a crucial diving play to keep the puck in the zone seconds earlier.

After the Americans failed to score on a pair of third period powerplays, Canada applied the pressure late but was unable to get the game-winner past Ruegsegger, sending the game to overtime.

The Canadians could not convert on an early powerplay, but kept the puck in the American zone, outshooting them 6-1 in the extra frame before Prevost’s heroics.

Spooner – who finished with a goal and two assists – pushed the puck up the boards to Prevost, who sped past the American defender and broke in on Ruegsegger.

Despite being tripped, she managed to slide the puck between the American goaltender’s legs from her stomach, setting off a wild celebration as the Canadians piled off the bench and onto Prevost.

Canada will look for a sweep of the three-game series when it wraps up on Sunday morning at the University of Ottawa Sports Complex, with the puck set to drop at 10:00 a.m.