2008-09 National Women's Under-18 Team

CANADA DROPS HEARTBREAKER TO USA AT UNDER-18 SERIES

LAKE PLACID, NY – It was another strong effort but the same result for Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team in their three-game series against the United States.

For the second straight game Canada outchanced the Americans but could not convert the opportunities they had, falling 3-2 on Friday night on a goal with less than 30 seconds remaining.

The Canadians have dropped the first two games of the series – the USA scored a 4-1 win in the series opener on Wednesday night – and will look to score a win in the finale on Saturday (10 a.m. EDT).

After a scoreless opening 20 minutes in which the Americans held a slight 8-7 advantage in shots on goal, it was the Canadians who found the scoreboard first, thanks to a little help from American goaltender Corinne Boyles.

Leaving her crease to play a dump-in from Canadian forward Breann Frykas (East St. Paul, MB/Balmoral Hall, MB MAAA), Boyles attempted to play the puck into the corner but instead played it into her own goal, giving Frykas her second international goal – she scored for Canada in its series against the USA in Ottawa last August.

Trailing for the first time in the series, the Americans struck back less than four minutes later as Madison Packer beat Canadian netminder Cassie Seguin (Ingleside, ON/Ottawa, PWHL) to draw even at 1-1.

Branna Decker, who scored twice and added an assist in Wednesday night’s win, then scored with the Americans on the powerplay, converting two minutes after Packer’s goal to give the USA its first lead at 2-1, a lead it took into the second intermission.

The Canadians pressured for the tying goal in the third period and had plenty of opportunities – they had a 90-second two-man advantage early in the frame – but could not beat Boyles until Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, QC/Montreal, CWHL) batted the puck out of mid-air and past the American goaltender with the Canadians on the powerplay, Seguin on the bench for an extra attacker and just 47 seconds remaining.

With overtime looming, Decker struck again, jumping on a loose puck in the slot and blasting a low shot past Seguin just 14 seconds after Poulin’s goal to give the Americans the win.

The USA has now won three straight games against Canada at the women’s U18 level, dating back to the gold medal game at the IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship in Calgary in January.

Canada outshot the Americans 32-26 overall, including 25-18 over the final 40 minutes.

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Final

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Goals/Buts :
NO SCORING

Penalties/Pénalités :
02:35 CAN Phillips (Hooking/Accrocher)
09:50 CAN Kingsbury (Tripping/Trébucher)
16:48 USA Campbell (Boarding/Donner de la bande)

Goals/Buts :
04:33 CAN Frykas (Pacholok)
08:26 USA Packer (Wasylk)
10:25 USA Decker (Kelter) PP

Penalties/Pénalités :
09:23 CAN Lacquette (Interference/Obstruction)

Goals/Buts :
19:13 CAN Poulin (Wong) PP
19:27 USA Decker (Ammerman, Kessel)

Penalties/Pénalités :
02:55 USA Kenyon (Hooking/Accrocher)
07:09 USA Bolden (Bodychecking/Mise en échec)
07:39 USA Kelter (Crosschecking/Double-échec)
09:45 CAN Fratkin (Tripping/Trébucher)
16:03 USA Kessel (Tripping/Trébucher)
19:05 USA Wasylk (Crosschecking/Double-échec)