UTICA, N.Y. – Behind two goals from defender Haley Winn (Rochester, N.Y.), the U.S. Women’s National Team skated past Switzerland, 4-0, in its first preliminary round game of the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship here at the Adirondack Bank Center tonight.

“There’s a lot of respect there for Switzerland, they stood tough and blocked a lot of our shots coming out in the game,” said John Wroblewski (Neenah, Wis.), head coach of the 2024 U.S. Women’s National Team. “We made some adjustments at the blue line to manufacture our offense. We diversified how we attacked in the offensive zone and it paid off.”

Team USA controlled the pace early, but Switzerland had a breakaway opportunity just under midway through the first. U.S. goaltender Aerin Frankel (Chappaqua, N.Y.) gloved the shot to keep the Swiss off the board. 

The U.S. blueline broke the ice just over five minutes into the middle frame. After winning a battle behind the net, Hayley Scamurra (Getzville, N.Y.) circled the puck up to Savannah Harmon (Downers Grove, Ill.) at the right point. Harmon passed the puck over to a waiting Haley Winn (Rochester, N.Y.) who fluttered a shot past the Swiss goaltender Andrea Braendli to open the scoring.

HIGHLIGHTS

The goal marked Winn’s first career goal as a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team. 

Kendall Coyne Schofield (Palos Heights, Ill.) doubled Team USA’s lead with four minutes left in the second. Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) ripped a shot from the faceoff circle that fluttered through the legs of Switzerland’s goaltender, with Coyne Schofield waiting in the crease to put the puck across the goal line.

Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho) opened a 3-0 lead for the U.S. on a power play goal with nine minutes remaining in the game. Cayla Barnes (Eastvale, Calif.) walked a shot in from the middle of the ice, which Knight redirected into the back of the net. 

Winn added her second of the game with just over five minutes remaining in the third ripping a rising shot that beat Braendli.

Frankel got the shutout stopping all 11 Switzerland shots on goal. 

The U.S. continues preliminary round play on Friday (April 5) against Czechia. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET and the game can be viewed live on NHL Network. Limited tickets remain for the game, to purchase tickets, CLICK HERE.

NOTES: Haley Winn (Rochester, N.Y.) was named Team USA’s player of the game … The U.S. outshot the Swiss, 55-11 … Team USA was 1-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill … Team USA won 88 percent of faceoffs in the contest, with Kelly Pannek (Plymouth, Minn.) winning 14 of 15 draws to lead the way.

GAME PHOTOS