FIRST OF MANY

Team USA played in its first game of the IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship today, defeating Russia, 3-2. 

"We’re really happy to get our first win of the tournament tonight against a quality opponent like Russia," said Maura Crowell (Mansfield, Mass.), head coach of the 2019 U.S. Under-18 Women's National Team. "It’s really important to get a win in the opening game and I think tonight is a good boost to the confidence in our locker room as we move ahead in the tournament."

Makenna Webster (St. Louis, Mo.) scored the first goal for the U.S. just 4:55 into the contest with Hannah Bilka (Coppell, Texas) recording her first assist of the tournament.

Casey O'Brien (Milton, Mass.) and Sydney Shearen (Hugo, Minn.) would each add goals for the U.S. while Skylar Vetter (Lakeville, Minn.) made 19 saves in the victory.