USA Women's Hockey

CALGARY, Alta. – Paced by two-goals apiece from Kendall Coyne (Palos Heights, Ill.) and Brianna Decker (Dousman, Wis.), the U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team earned a 6-2 victory over Sweden at the inaugural 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's U18 Championship here tonight at the Father David Bauer Arena. With the win, the undefeated Americans (3-0-0-0) finished first in Group B and will face the winner of tonight's Germany vs. Czech Republic game in the semifinal round on Friday (Jan. 11).

After taking an early 1-0 lead, Team USA fell behind 2-1 early in the second frame before tallying five unanswered goals for the 6-2 win.

"It was a good struggle for us tonight," said Katey Stone, head coach for Team USA and also the head women's ice hockey coach at Harvard University. "We gained a lot of confidence coming from behind and weathering a few of Sweden's storms. We were flying in the second and third periods, put a lot of pressure on and made some big plays. Sweden presented us with a great challenge that helped us for the next round."

Team USA was quick to get on the board in the opening frame, as Decker potted her first of the tournament at the 3:18 mark by sweeping the puck inside the right post from the goalmouth. Brooke Ammerman (River Vale, N.J.) and Alev Kelter (Eagle River, Alaska) earned assists on the play.

Using their first power-play chance of the contest, the Swedes knotted the game at 7:49 of the first. Klara Myren's shot from the left faceoff circle was re-directed to the open right side of the net by Annie Svedin's skate. The 1-1 score held through the remainder of the period, with Team USA holding the 10-7 shots advantage after 20 minutes.

After Sweden took a 2-1 lead on a Cecilia Ostberg goal at 5:29 of the middle stanza during a two-man advantage, Team USA came back and controlled play through much of the remainder of the period, outshooting Sweden 15-4 and putting two on the board to re-gain the lead for good.

Decker netted her second of the game when she skated into the Swedish zone on a shorthanded breakaway, shifted to her backhand in front of the net and slid the puck in the left side of the net as goaltender Hanna Emanuelsson went down on the right at 7:42 for a 2-2 score. Amanda Kessel (Madison, Wis.) then broke the tie to put the United States up 3-2 at 18:37. As she was knocked down in front of the net just after a U.S. power play expired, Kessel shoveled in Coyne's rebound.

In the final frame, Kessel skated the puck into Sweden's zone on the right side and sent a centering pass to captain Sarah Erickson (LaPorte, Minn.), who took an initial shot then scored off her own rebound at 3:33 for a 4-2 U.S. advantage. Team USA extended its lead at the 8:00 mark when Coyne wrapped around the back of the Swedish net during a delayed penalty and banked the puck off an opposing player and into the net.

Coyne closed out the scoring in the closing minutes when Kessel found her on the doorstep at 17:25 to account for the 6-2 final score.

NOTES: Kendall Coyne was named the U.S. Player of the Game ... Alyssa Grogan(Eagan, Minn.) recorded the U.S. win with 12 saves ... Team USA out shot Sweden 41-14 ... Team USA went 0-for-5 on the power play, while Sweden was 2-for-7 with the man advantage ... Joining Katey Stone on the coaching staff as assistant coaches are Erin Whitten Hamlen, associate women’s ice hockey coach at the University of New Hampshire, and Bob Deraney, head women’s ice hockey coach at Providence College.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

USA 1 2 3 -- 6

SWE 1 1 0 -- 2

First Period - Scoring: 1, USA, Decker (Ammerman, Kelter), 3:18; 2, SWE, Svedin (Myren, Ostberg), 7:49 (pp). Penalties: SWE, Jordansson (interference), 1:06; USA, Schleper (slashing), 7:01; USA, Coyne (interference), 16:50.

Second Period - Scoring: 3, SWE, Ostberg (Jordansson), 5:29 (5x3pp); 4, USA, Decker (unassisted), 7:42; 5, USA, Kessel (Coyne, Erickson), 18:37. Penalties: USA, Ammerman (slashing), 4:18; USA, Schleper (high-sticking), 5:14; USA, Erickson (tripping), 6:57; SWE, Myren (interference), 9:45; SWE, Tjarnstrom (holding), 16:43.

Third Period - Scoring: 6, USA, Erickson (Kessel, Schleper), 3:33; 7, USA, Coyne (Decker), 8:00; 8, USA, Coyne (Kessel, Sherry), 17:25. Penalties: SWE, Johansson (tripping), 15:22; USA, Kelter (cross-checking), 17:40; USA, Packer (body-checking), 18:23. 

Shots by Period 1 2 3 Total
USA   10 15 16 41
SWE   7 4 3 14
           
Goaltenders (SH/SV)   1 2 3 Total
USA, Grogan, 60:00   7-6 4-3 3-3 14-12
SWE, Emanuelsson, 60:00   10-9 15-13 16-13 41-35

Power Play:USA 0-5; SWE 2-7

Penalties: USA 7-14; SWE 5-10
Officials: Referee-Mary Anne Gage (CAN); Linesmen-Marina Konstantinova (RUS), Kerri Rumble (CAN)