“It’s nice to get the win,” said Liz Keady Norton (Boston, Mass.), head coach of the 2024 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team. “Our team at times played exactly how we needed to play this game. We got an excellent performance from Layla in net. Performances like that help give the rest of us confidence.”

Sweden drew a penalty with just under nine minutes remaining in the first period. On the extra-skater opportunity, Sweden hammered a few close-range shots on goaltender Layla Hemp (Chanhassen, Minn.), but Hemp made the saves, keeping the contest scoreless.

With time winding down in the first, Team USA got its first power play. Jordyn Petrie (Lincoln, Neb.) passed up the boards to Ellie Dimatos (Princeton, N.J.) who walked the puck along the blue line and ripped a shot from the center of the ice. An unmarked Haley Box (Eden Prairie, Minn.) put home the rebound to open the game’s scoring.

Mary Derrenbacher (Raleigh, N.C.) tallied the U.S.’ second goal of the game shortly into the second when Maggie Scannell (Wynantskill, N.Y.) won the puck along the right side coming in for a short-range 2-on-1 opportunity where Scannell found a waiting Derrenbacher who tapped it in blocker side.

Morgan McGathey (Braintree, Mass.) put Team USA up 3-0 tapping in a rebound during a scramble in front of the net. Kassidy Carmichael (Westford, Mass.) added the U.S.’ fourth with just under two minutes remaining in the middle frame. After a turnover along the boards, Carmichael skated in on a 2-on-1, ripping a rising shot above the Swedish goaltender’s glove.

The U.S. entered the final intermission up 4-0 and held strong for the remainder of the game.

NOTES: Layla Hemp (Chanhassen, Minn.) was named Team USA’s Player of the Game… The U.S. outshot Sweden, 35-28.

GAME PHOTOS