ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – Both the U.S. Women’s Collegiate Select Team and the U.S. Under-18 Women’s Select Team dropped its second game of a three-game series against Canada today at Canada Games Park.
The U.S. Women’s Collegiate Select Team fell 5-3, while the U.S. Under-18 Women’s Select Team faltered 3-1.
The final game of both series are set for Saturday (Aug. 17), with the U.S. Under-18 Women’s Select Team hitting the ice at 4 p.m. ET, while the U.S. Women’s Collegiate Select Team will drop the puck at 7:30 p.m.
Canada controlled the pace in the first period, jumping out to a 2-0 lead. With 5:09 remaining Emma Venusio snuck a shot from the right faceoff circle through the five hole of Callie Shanahan (Commerce Township, Mich.), before Avi Adam extended the lead from right outside the crease with just 30 seconds to go in the period.
The U.S. responded with two unanswered goals in the middle frame to knot the game at 2-2. With 15:28 remaining in the period, Tessa Janecke (Warren, Ill.) sent a pass from behind the net to Joy Dunne (O’Fallon, Mo.) who chipped the puck in from right outside the crease. Kirsten Simms (Plymouth, Mich.) recorded Team USA’s second goal of the period, converting a rising shot from the high slot with 11:05 remaining in the period.
Canada regained a 3-2 lead capitalizing on a power play with 5:33 remaining in the period and added its fourth of the game midway through the third.
Laila Edwards (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) pulled the U.S. back within one on a 5-on-3 power play, picking the top corner from the right faceoff dot, but an empty-net goal for Canada iced the 5-3 victory.
Team USA’s defense opened the game strong, after an early first-period penalty put them on the kill. Despite a few chances, Natalia Dilbone (South Lyon, Mich.) kept the sheet clean. The U.S. drew back-to-back power plays shortly after but could not convert on either.
Jane Daley (Medfield, Mass.) opened the game’s scoring with 3:34 remaining in the period, pushing an unassisted score past Canadian netminder Amelia Wilkinson. Just 58 seconds later, Canada knotted the game at 1-1 after Haley McDonald, snuck a short shot into the back of the net.
Midway through the second Canada broke open a 2-1 lead on a shorthanded tally from Aubrey Morrison. After a neutral-zone turnover Morrison split the defense before lifting a puck over Dilbone’s blocker. Just 45 seconds later, Maxine Cimoroni followed with another score, to extend the lead to 3-1.
An uneventful third saw the tally of 3-1 hold final.
Team USA was outshot, 36-18. The U.S. was 0-6 on the power play, while Canada was 2-9.