LINKOPING, Sweden -- Team USA scored four unanswered goals to defeat Sweden, 4-1, in the semifinal match at the International Ice Hockey Federation Womens World Championship here tonight. With the win, the U.S. preserved its perfect record (4-0-0) and earned its ninth consecutive appearance in the Gold Medal game. The championship game will be held in Linkoping, Sweden, at 8 p.m. (2 p.m. EDT) tomorrow.
Kelly Stephens (Seattle, Wash.) scored two points (goal, assist) in the game, while Krissy Wendell (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) recorded two assists. Goaltender Chanda Gunn (Huntington Beach, Calif.) stopped 13 of 14 shots to earn her third win of the tournament.
Team USA killed three penalties in the opening period before Sweden took its only lead of the game with under a minute remaining. Therese Sjolanders power play goal sailed through traffic and into the high short-side corner of the net for a 1-0 Team Sweden lead at the first intermission.
Team USA took control in the second period, outshooting Sweden, 13-3. With the Americans on the power play, Stephens evened the game, redirecting a wide shot from low in the crease. Thirteen minutes elapsed before Katie King (Salem, N.H.) scored the go-ahead goal, burying a low shot off a centering pass. Less than two minutes later, Molly Engstrom (Siren, Wis.) scored from the Swedish blue line to give the U.S. a 3-1 lead at the end of the second period.
With 3:40 gone in the final stanza, Natalie Darwitz (Eagan, Minn.) made it 4-1 for Team USA, when she stickhandled around Swedish goaltender Kim Martin and shot low to wrap up the scoring.
NOTES: The U.S. and Canada will meet for the ninth time in the Gold Medal game of the Womens World Championship tomorrow (Saturday). ... Team USA has taken the silver medal in every Womens World Championship to date. ... The Gold Medal game will be broadcast via live audiostream on www.usahockey.com. CSTV will broadcast the game on a tape-delayed basis. Broadcast date(s) are TBA.
GAME SUMMARY
SWE 1 0 0 -- 1
USA 0 3 1 -- 4
First Period - Scoring: 1, SWE, Sjolander (Lindberg, Winberg), 19:09 (PP). Penalties: USA, Ruggiero (hooking), 6:33; SWE, Rooth, (highsticking) 6:52; SWE, Holmlov (cross-checking), 7:47; USA, Engstrom (highsticking), 9:36; USA, Hagerman (highsticking), 12:49; USA, Hagerman (highsticking), 18:16.
Second Period - Scoring: 2, USA, Stephens (Wendell, Chu), 3:38 (PP); 3, USA, Ka. King (Stephens), 16:38; 4, USA, Engstrom (Resor, Chu), 18:27 (PP). Penalties: SWE, Lundberg (crosschecking) 2:08; SWE, Okonor (hooking), 18:00.
Third Period - Scoring: 5, USA, Darwitz (Wendell), 3:40. Penalties: USA, Kennedy (bodychecking), 1:23; USA, Chu (roughing) 10:31; SWE, Edstrand (slashing), 17:06.
Tag(s): 2005
