2018-19 National Women's Under-18 Team

CANADA TOPS U.S. TO EVEN U18 SERIES

JESSICA GOWANS

CALGARY, Alta. - Julia Gosling (London, Ont./London, PWHL) scored twice, including the game-winner in the third period, and Danielle Serdachny (Edmonton, Alta./Pursuit of Excellence, CSSHL) added two assists to help lead Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team to a 4-3 victory over the United States in the second game of their series Friday.

The winning goal came with 6:59 left in the third and Canada on the power play. Gosling finished off a give-and-go with Serdachny, tucking the puck past the U.S. goaltender Natalie Ferenc.

The Canadians struck very early, taking a 1-0 lead 15 seconds into the game. From behind the net, Grace Shirley (Saskatoon, Sask./Saskatoon, SFMAAAHL) passed it out in front and right on to the stick of Gosling, who banged it home.

The U.S. answered back quickly, evening up the score just 1:45 later when Lacey Eden snuck a wraparound past Canadian netminder Maddie Beck (Lunenburg, N.S./St. Paul’s School, USHS), and Casey O’Brien fired home a rebound for a power-play goal and a 2-1 U.S. lead after one period.

Canada doubled up the U.S. 14-7 in shots in the opening frame but headed into the intermission trailing 2-1.

Nicole Gosling (London, Ont./London, PWHL) pulled Canada even midway through the second period, letting go a shot that hit a U.S. stick and found its way five-hole on Ferenc, and Anne Cherkowski (Vernon, B.C./Pursuit of Excellence, CSSHL) went bar-down off a drop pass form Serdachny to put the Canadians ahead again.

Canada looked primed to take the lead into the second intermission, but Abbey Murphy scored off a face-off with just four seconds left in the period to even it up at 3-3.

The Americans pushed hard after Gosling’s go-ahead goal, outshooting Canada 10-7 in the third period, but couldn't find the equalizer.

With the series even, the two teams finish off the three-game set Sunday afternoon (1 p.m. MT).