UTICA, N.Y. – Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) recorded a hat trick, Laila Edwards (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) scored twice and Nicole Hensley (Lakewood, Colo.) stopped all 19 shots she faced to help the U.S. Women’s National Team to a 6-0 victory over Czechia in its second preliminary round game here at the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship. 

“You have to earn your bounces at this level and tonight was reflective of Alex Carpenter earning her bounces,” said John Wroblewski (Neenah, Wis.), head coach of the 2024 U.S. Women’s National Team. “Our younger players provided a ton of momentum and are playing really strong games for us.”

After killing a Czechia power play early on in the first period, Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park, Ill.) nearly staked the U.S. to the lead after a Czechia turnover but netminder Klara Peslarova got a piece of her shot from the high slot to keep the game scoreless.

HIGHLIGHTS

Moments later Carpenter put her own rebound into the back of the net after Kendall Coyne Schofield (Palos Heights, Ill.) dug the puck out from behind the goal, sending it to a waiting Carpenter in front. 

Czechia opened the second stanza with a 5-on-3 power play, but Team USA’s defense held strong to keep the U.S. in the lead. 

Carpenter scored her second of the game on the power play, deflecting Caroline Harvey’s (Salem, N.H.) shot from the point from slot.

Just 59 seconds later, Edwards tallied her first goal as a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team converting on a 2-on-1 pass from Britta Curl (Bismarck, N.D.) from the high slot. 

The U.S. entered the final frame up 3-0. 

Edwards scored shorthanded at 3:42 of the third to make it 4-0. The play started when Coyne Schofield carried the puck into the offensive zone along the right side and found a streaking Edwards up the middle. Edwards then lasered a shot above Klara Peslarova’s glove to extend the U.S. lead to 4-0. 

Taylor Heise (Lake City, Minn.) recorded Team USA’s fifth goal of the game less than two minutes later, ripping a near-side shot over the Peslarova’s shoulder. 

Carpenter’s third of the game came when the puck deflected off her leg in front of the net with just under 10 minutes to play in the game.

Team USA continues preliminary round play tomorrow (April 6) against Finland. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET and can be viewed on NHL Network. Limited tickets remain, to purchase tickets, CLICK HERE.

NOTES: Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) was named the U.S. Player of the Game … Team USA outshot Czechia, 48-19 … The U.S. was 1-for-4 on the power play, while Czechia was 0-7 … The U.S. has not allowed a goal through its first two games of the IIHF Women’s World Championship.

GAME PHOTOS