UTICA, N.Y. - Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park, Ill.) and Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) each tallied a pair of goals to lift the U.S. National Women’s Team past Japan, 10-0, and advance to the semifinals of the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship at the Adirondack Bank Center on Thursday.  

The U.S. will face Finland in the semifinals on Saturday (April 13). Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. ET and will be live on NHL Network.  

“They’re learning on the job,” said John Wroblewski (Neenah, Wis.), head coach of the 2024 U.S. Women’s National Team. “Credit to our veterans, they showed up to play like they should and scored some big goals.” 

Lacey Eden (Annapolis, Md.) opened the scoring for Team USA 3:59 into the first period when she scored unassisted after she threw the puck on net from behind the goal line, before it deflected off a Japanese defender’s skate past goaltender Riko Kawaguchi. 

Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho) put the U.S. up by two at the 8:35 mark. Caroline Harvey (Salem, N.H.) started the play on the half wall and found Carpenter behind the net where she set up Knight for a one-timer as she sailed into the slot, hammering the puck into the net.

HIGHLIGHTS

Minutes later, Carpenter popped one off in the slot to bring the U.S. lead to 3-0, assisted by Kendall Coyne Schofield (Palos Heights, Ill.). 

Team USA took a 4-0 lead just 1:05 into the middle frame. Hayley Scamurra (Getzville, N.Y.) dropped the puck for Taylor Heise (Lake City, Minn.) in the corner where she threaded a pass to Kirsten Simms (Plymouth, Mich.) as she came through the high slot. Simms weaved through the Japanese defenders before slipping the puck past Kawaguchi. 

Murphy added a goal less than two minutes later after she picked the corner on a feed from Megan Keller (Farmington Hills, Mich.). 

Joy Dunne (O’Fallon, Mo.) buried a rebound from Eden at 8:19 in the second frame for her first tally as a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, to bring the U.S. lead to 6-0.  

Murphy, Tessa Janecke (Orangeville, Ill.), and Harvey added to the tally in the bottom half of the second period to give Team USA a 9-0 advantage heading into the final third. 

Carpenter netted her second goal of the game 5:45 into the third period on a rush with Knight and Coyne Schofield for a 10-0 quarterfinal victory over Japan. 

Aerin Frankel (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.) made 14 saves in the shutout effort in net. Frankel now has three shutouts in the tournament. 

NOTES: Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) was named the U.S. Player of the Game... The U.S. outshot Japan 48-14... The U.S. was 0-0 on the power play while Japan was 0-1. 

GAME PHOTOS