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U.S. Women to Play Finland for 2019 WWC Gold

By USA Hockey, 04/14/19, 2:45AM EDT

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Watch live on NHL Network; puck drop set for 1 p.m. ET

The U.S. Women’s National Team (6-0-0-0/W-OTW-OTL-L) will meet Finland in the gold-medal game of the 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship tonight. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. local time/1 p.m. ET.

GAMEDAY
Today’s game against Finland marks the U.S.’s seventh and final game of the 2019 IIHF Women’s Worlds at Metro Areena in Espoo. All U.S. games are televised live on NHL Network for the first time ever this year, and fans can tune in and follow along with @USAHockey for live game updates.

DRIVE FOR FIVE
In addition to being the reigning Olympic champion, the United States enters today’s gold-medal game at the 2019 IIHF Women's World Championship having won gold in the past four Women's World Championships (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017) and is in pursuit of its fifth straight at this tournament.

BACK FOR MORE
The U.S. has competed in the gold-medal game in all 18 previous WWC events, capturing the event's top prize the last four years and a total of eight times, including seven out of the last eight tournaments. Most recently, the U.S. defeated Canada in thrilling overtime fashion, 3-2, on April 7, 2017, at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. In that game, Kacey Bellamy (Westfield, Mass.) scored twice and Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho) scored the game-winning goal with 9:43 to play in overtime to give the U.S. the 3-2 victory in Plymouth.


The USWNT celebrated gold at the 2017 IIHF WWC in Plymouth, Michigan

FLASHBACK TO THE TOURNAMENT OPENER
The U.S. met Finland in the opening game of the tournament back on April 4. Melissa Samoskevich (Sandy Hook, Conn.), Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho), Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) , Brianna Decker (Dousman, Wis.) and Annie Pankowski (Laguna Hills, Calif.) strung together five unanswered goals in the third period to power the U.S. past Finland, 6-2, after trailing 2-1 entering the final stanza.

SERIES VS. FINLAND
The U.S. has never met Finland in the gold-medal game at the Women’s World Championship, but the two teams have met 18 times overall in the tournament, including in two semifinal games. In those meetings, the U.S. owns a 16-0-1-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) record and a scoring advantage of 85-26

STILL STREAKING
Following a five-point performance in yesterday’s semifinal (two goals, three assists), Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho) jumped into sole possession of the tournament scoring lead with 11 total points on the tournament, including seven goals and four assists. Knight, who is also the tournament’s top goal-scorer, enters the gold-medal game on a six-game scoring streak. Her seven goals in the tournament bring her to a career total of 43 goals scored in WWC play, just one goal behind U.S. Women's National Team alum Cammi Granato, who holds the tournament record for most career goals scored.

MORE MILESTONES
With a win last night, Alex Rigsby (Delafield, Wis.) is now tied for the all-time tournament lead in wins by a goaltender in a single tournament with four. Meanwhile, Brianna Decker (Dousman, Wis.) is just one assist away from tying Krissy Wendell and Jenny Potter for the all-time assists record for an American-born player at the WWC. The record currently holds at 38. Finally, entering the gold-medal game, the U.S. has not allowed a goal in 278:05, marking the second-longest shutout sequence for a U.S. team in this tournament history.


2019 U.S. Schedule

All U.S. games were televised live on NHL Network
Games were held at Metro Areena

DATE OPPONENT/ROUND LOCATION TIME (LOCAL/ET) TELEVISION U.S. Player of the Game
Thu., April 4 Finland
Preliminary
Espoo, Finland W, 6-2 NHL Network Kendall Coyne Schofield
Sat., April 6 Canada
Preliminary
Espoo, Finland W, 3-2 NHL Network Dani Cameranesi
Sun., April 7 Switzerland
Preliminary
Espoo, Finland W, 8-0 NHL Network Megan Keller
Tue., April 9 Russia
Preliminary
Espoo, Finland W, 10-0 NHL Network Lee Stecklein
Thu., April 11 Japan
Quarterfinals
Espoo, Finland W, 4-0 NHL Network Maddie Rooney
Sat., April 13 Russia
Semifinals
Espoo, Finland W, 8-0 NHL Network Hilary Knight
Sun., April 14 Finland
Gold-Medal Game
Espoo, Finland W, 2-1 (SO) NHL Network Annie Pankowski


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