SELKIRK, Man. -- The 2007 U.S. Women’s National Team opened the 2007 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship with a 9-0 win over Kazakhstan at the Selkirk Recreation Complex. Sarah Parsons (Dover, Mass.) tallied four points (two goals, two assists) for Team USA, while Jessie Vetter (Cottage Grove, Wis.) earned both her first career win and shutout in net.
“We got off to a really good, quick start,” said Team USA head coach Mark Johnson. “Overall, it was a good night and everybody got to play. Now we just have to make sure we keep making progress from here.”
Team USA came out strong in the first period, maintaining control of the puck for the majority of the 20-minute frame and taking a 5-0 lead with a 22-2 shots advantage.
Angela Ruggiero (Harper Woods, Mich.) scored the first of two first-period power play goals on a low slap shot from the left point at 2: 40. Just 25 seconds later, the United States took a 2-0 lead on a Krissy Wendell (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) goal at even strength.
Wendell’s top line converted on Team USA’s next power play opportunity at 8:20. Wendell sent a pass from behind the net to Erika Lawler (Fitchburg, Mass.), who tipped in her first U.S. Women's National Team tally from the goalmouth.
The second half of the opening period saw two more goals for the United States -- first from Caitlin Cahow (Branford, Conn.) at 11:39, then from Parsons at 15:22, shortly after Kazakhstan changed goaltenders.
In a penalty-free middle frame, Team USA potted another pair of goals to take a seven-goal lead. Gigi Marvin (Warroad, Minn.) scored her first U.S. Women's National Team goal at 7:31 when she tipped a Ruggiero shot in from the left point. Parsons followed it up with goal No. 2 of the evening, as she took a feed from Kristin King (Piqua, Ohio) and wristed the puck into the net from the right post at 9:24.
Jinelle Zaugg (Eagle River, Wis.) and Jenny Potter (Edina, Minn.) capped off the scoring in the third period with goals at 1:47 and 14:14, respectively. It was also Zaugg’s first goal for the U.S. Women's Natioanl Team.
While Team USA was successful on both of its power plays, Kazakhstan failed to convert on two opportunities.
The United States will face China in the second of two Preliminary Round games on Wednesday (April 5) at 7:30 p.m. at the Selkirk Recreation Complex.
NOTES: Ruggiero was named the U.S. Player of the Game ... Twelve of the 18 U.S. skaters factored in the scoring ... The United States outshot Kazakhstan, 44-14, including the 22-2 margin in the first period ... Team USA has won one gold medal and eight silvers in the nine previous IIHF Women’s World Championships … Hilary Witt, head women’s ice hockey coach at Yale University, and Erin Whitten Hamlen, associate head women’s ice hockey coach at the University of New Hampshire, are serving as assistant coaches for Team USA.
GAME SUMMARY
Scoring By Period
USA 5-2-2 -- 9
KAZ 0-0-0 -- 0
First Period – Scoring: 1, USA, Ruggiero (Engstrom), 2:40 (pp); 2, USA, Wendell (Resor, Lawler), 3:05; 3, USA, Lawler (Wendell, Darwitz), 8:20 (pp); 4, USA Cahow (Engstrom, Wendell), 11:39; 5, USA, Parsons (unassisted), 15:22. Penalties: KAZ, Shtelmaister (hooking), : 57; KAZ, Shu (tripping), 7:36; USA, Lawler (hooking), 19:22.
Second Period – Scoring: 6, USA, Marvin (Ruggiero), 7:31; 7, USA, Parsons (King), 9:24. Penalties: None.
Third Period – Scoring: 8, USA, Zaugg (Parsons), 1:47; 9, USA, Potter (Parsons), 14:14. Penalties: USA, Marvin (slashing), 11:24.
Shots By Period 1 2 3 Total
USA 22 10 12 44
KAZ 2 9 3 14
Goaltending (SH-SV) 1 2 3 Total
USA, Vetter, 60:00 2-2 9-9 3-3 14-14
KAZ, Ryzhova, 12:34 18-14 x-x x-x 18-14
KAZ, Obydennova, 47:26 4-3 10-8 12-10 26-21
Power Play: USA 2-2; KAZ 0-2
Penalties: USA 2-4; KAZ 2-4
Officials: Referee-Aina Hove; Linesmen-Anne Sophie Boniface, Kerri Rumble
Team USA 2007 IIHF Women’s World Championship Schedule
April 3-10 • Winnipeg & Selkirk, Man.
Date Opponent Location Time (CDT)/Result
March 30 Sweden (ex.) Grand Forks, N.D. W, 7-1
April 1 Sweden (ex.) Warroad, Minn. W, 5-0
April 3 Kazakhstan Selkirk W, 9-0
April 5 China Selkirk 7:30 p.m.
April 7 Playoff Round Winnipeg TBA
April 8 Playoff Round Winnipeg TBA
April 10 Bronze-Medal Game Winnipeg 3:30 p.m.
Gold-Medal Game Winnipeg 7:30 p.m.
Tag(s): 2007
