ZUG, Switzerland – The U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team advanced to the gold medal game of the 2024 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship, taking down Finland, 4-2, in the semifinals at Bossard Arena on Saturday.
With the victory, Team USA advances to the gold medal game and will face Czechia at 7 p.m. CET (1 p.m. ET) on Sunday (Jan. 14). The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and aired on a tape delay on NHL Network at 7 p.m. ET.
Team USA has made the gold medal game in 15 of the 16 Under-18 Women’s World Championships staged.
“It’s really nice to get the win,” said Liz Keady Norton (Boston, Mass.), head coach of the 2024 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team. “I was really proud of our effort. I thought the players really gave what we asked them for.”
Josie St. Martin (Stillwater, Minn.) stuffed a rebound into an open net to give the U.S. an early 1-0 lead just 4:55 into the game. The goal came off the back of a Jordyn Petrie (Lincoln, Neb.) shot, where she picked up the puck behind the U.S. net and skated the length of the ice, putting a backhand shot on the Finnish goalie.
Finland tied the game at 11:36 in the second on a power play. Following a neutral-zone turnover, Tinja Tapani put a shot from between the faceoff circles over the U.S. goaltender’s glove.
The U.S. jumped back ahead with a power-play goal of its own just minutes later. Mary Derrenbacher (Raleigh, N.C.) cleaned up a rebound from the left side after a scramble in front of the net.
The U.S. and Finland exchanged goals at the end of the second, with the U.S. up 3-2 heading into the locker room. Maggie Scannell (Wynantskill, N.Y.) put a rebound home for Team USA’s third of the game. Just two minutes later, Finland got one back via a screen on the power play later in the period.
Early in the third, goaltender Layla Hemp (Chanhassen, Minn.) made a sliding save on the breakaway to maintain the U.S.’ one-goal lead.
St. Martin netted her second of the game with time winding down in the final period to seal Team USA’s 4-2 victory.
Hemp made 14 saves in net in the winning effort.
NOTES: Josie St. Martin (Stillwater, Minn.) was named Team USA’s Player of the Game… Maggie Scannell (Wynantskill, N.Y.), Josie St. Martin (Stillwater, Minn.) and Layla Hemp (Chanhassen, Minn.) were named Team USA’s Three Best Players… The U.S. outshot Finland, 44-16.
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