2008-09 National Women's Under-18 Team

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION LEADS CANADA TO SEMIFINALS

FÜSSEN, GERMANY – It’s off to the semifinals for Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team.

Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, QC/Dawson College, Collégial AA), Saige Pacholok (Edmonton, AB/Edmonton, WWHL) and Jessica Wong (Baddeck, NS/Stoney Creek, PWHL) finished with four points apiece as Canada wrapped up first place in Group B with a 13-0 win over the Czech Republic on Wednesday.

Canada finished with a perfect 3-0 record in preliminary round play, outscoring the opposition 35-1. It will face either the United States or Sweden in Friday’s semifinals – the Americans and Swedes play later Wednesday to decide first and second place in Group A.

It took just 17 seconds for Canada to hit the board first, as Brigette Lacquette (Mallard, MB/Westman, Midget AA) snapped a shot from the point that found its way over the shoulder of Czech netminder Monika Pencikova for a quick 1-0 lead.

After Brittany Phillips (Lauder, MB/Westman, Midget AA) had made it 2-0 just past the midway point of the period, Brianne Jenner (Oakville, ON/Mississauga, CWHL) took the puck end-to-end for an unassisted marker just 74 seconds later, sending Canada to the dressing room up three goals.

Canada outshot the Czechs 22-2 in the first period and continued the offensive onslaught early in the second period, as Jenner and Phillips each added their second of the game before the period was half over.

Poulin made it a half-dozen Canadian goals, scoring as she was falling down, and Kaleigh Fratkin (Burnaby, BC/Detroit Little Caesars, Midget AAA) registered her first goal of the tournament, shorthanded, to make it 7-0 after two periods.

With the game well in hand, Poulin added her second of the game, Phillips finished her hat trick, Laurie Kingsbury (Valleyfield, QC/Sélects, Midget AA) scored twice and Melodie Daoust (Valleyfield, QC/Sélects, Midget AA) and Jessica Campbell (Melville, SK/Pursuit of Excellence) added goals of their own – all in the third period – as Canada scored six times in the final frame.

Roxanne Douville (Beloeil, QC/Edouard-Montpetit, Collégial AA) picked up her second win of the tournament, turning aside nine shots to record her first shutout.

Eleven players finished with multiple-point games, led by Poulin (two goals, two assists), Pacholok (four assists) and Wong (four assists). Wong and Poulin co-lead the team in scoring through the prelims, with nine points each.

Goals/Buts :
00:17 CAN Brigette Lacquette (Marie-Philip Poulin, Jessica Wong)
10:30 CAN Brittany Phillips (Melodie Daoust, Laura Fortino)
11:44 CAN Brianne Jenner (Stefanie McKeough, Saige Pacholok)

Penalties/Pénalités :
03:00 CZE Lucie Manhartova (Hooking/Accrocher)
08:03 CAN Laurie Kingsbury (Elbowing/Donne du coude)
14:46 CZE Katerina Mrazova (Hooking/Accrocher)
16:38 CAN Jamie Lee Rattray (Slashing/Cingler)
19:12 CAN Stefanie McKeough (Body Checking/Mise en échec)
19:46 CZE Team/Équipe (Delay of Game/Arrêter le match)

Goals/Buts :
07:02 CAN Brianne Jenner (Jessica Campbell, Jessica Wong) PP/AN
08:05 CAN Brittany Phillips (Melodie Daoust, Breann Frykas)
12:52 CAN Marie-Philip Poulin (Stefanie McKeough, Jessica Wong)
16:35 CAM Kaleigh Fratkin (Jessica Campbell, Marie-Philip Poulin) SH/DN

Penalties/Pénalités :
05:45 CZE Lucie Novakova (Tripping/Trébucher)
08:38 CAN Kaleigh Fratkin (Hooking/Accrocher)
14:57 CAN Melodie Daoust (Slashing/Cingler)

Goals/Buts :
01:49 CAN Laurie Kingsbury (Laura Fortino)
12:06 CAN Marie-Philip Poulin (Saige Pacholok, Jessica Wong)
15:52 CAN Laurie Kingsbury (Saige Pacholok, Brigette Lacquette)
18:43 CAN Melodie Daoust (Stefanie McKeough, Saige Pacholok)
19:12 CAN Brittany Phillips
19:37 CAN Jessica Campbell (Laurie Kingsbury)

Penalties/Pénalités :
06:47 CZE Martina Krupkova (Tripping/Trébucher)
14:46 CZE Martina Krupkova (Interference/Obstruction)
15:14 CAN Breann Frykas (Hooking/Accrocher)