ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The U.S. fell to Canada by a 3-1 score here tonight at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube in a game prior to the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championship. The U.S. squad was made up of 20 of the 30 players vying for a spot on the U.S. Women's National Team, while Canada was skating with its final 21-player tournament roster.
The two teams will face off again tomorrow night at 7 p.m. EDT before the U.S. roster is announced on Saturday (April 9). The game can be viewed live at USAHockey.FASTHockey.com.
Jen Schoullis (Erie, Pa.) scored for the U.S., while Brianne McLaughlin (Sheffield Village, Ohio) made 18 saves in her first-ever action against the Canadian National Team.
In a scoreless opening frame, the shots were 9-8 in favor of Canada. The U.S. penalty kill was successful on the team's only infraction of the frame, holding the Canadians shotless during the two-minute advantage.
Canada scored three consecutive goals in the second period to take a 3-0 lead before the U.S. tallied late in the stanza to make it 3-1.
First, Canada's Sarah Vaillancourt drove up the left side and shot the puck inside the near post at 1:55, then Meaghan Mikkelson notched a goal just after the Americans' first power play had expired at 9:14. Jayna Hefford kept the Canadian momentum going at 13:40 when she scored on a shorthanded breakaway, but the U.S. responded less than three minutes later as Schoullis, who is looking make the U.S. Women's National Team roster for the first time, scored at 16:39.
The 3-1 score held through the third period, during which time Canada held a 6-4 edge in shots.
NOTES: Both the U.S. and Canada were scoreless on three power-play opportunities ... Canada held a 21-18 advantage in shots. USA Hockey is currently holding a U.S. Women's National Team selection/training camp in Ann Arbor, Mich., with a total of 30 players. The final 21-player roster that will make up the U.S. Women's National Team for the 2011 IIHF World Women's Championship will be announced on April 9. The preliminary roster includes 16 Olympians, 15 of whom captured the world title with Team USA in 2009 ... At the last IIHF World Women's Championship, which took place in Hameenlinna, Finland, in 2009, the U.S. defeated Canada, 4-1, in the gold-medal game to earn its second straight world title ... The U.S. has captured three gold medals (2005, 2008, 2009) and nine silvers (1990, 1992, 1994,1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007) in the 12 previous IIHF World Women’s Championships. Follow @USAHockeyScores on Twitter for live scoring updates during all international events ... Find USA Hockey on Facebook atFacebook.com/USAHockey and Twitter at Twitter.com/USAHockey.
GAME SUMMARY
Scoring By Period
USA 0 1 0 -- 1
CAN 0 3 0 -- 3
First Period - Scoring: None. Penalties: USA, Steadman (body checking), 12:33.
Second Period - Scoring: 1, CAN, Vaillancourt (Wickenheiser), 1:55; 2, CAN, Mikkelson (Ward, Vaillancourt), 9:14; 3, CAN, Hefford (Szabados), 13:40 (sh); 4, USA, Schoullis (Chu), 16:39. Penalties: CAN, Irwin (tripping), 6:54; CAN, Bonhomme (body checking), 11:48.
Third Period - Scoring: None. Penalties: USA, Thatcher (high sticking), 2:22; USA, Ruggiero (roughing), 7:03; CAN, Wakefield (slashing), 7:03; USA, Engstrom (tripping), 8:55; CAN, Slusar (tripping), 19:26.
Shots by Period 1 2 3 Total
USA 8 6 4 18
CAN 9 6 6 21
Goaltenders (SH/SV) 1 2 3 Total
USA, McLaughlin, 59:30 9-9 6-3 6-6 21-18
CAN, Szabados, 60:00 8-8 6-5 4-4 18-17
Power Play: USA 0-3; CAN 0-3
Penalties: USA 4-8; CAN 4-8
Officials: Referee-Krissy Langley; Linesmen-Jerylyn Glenn, Erin Blair
Tag(s): 2011
