Team USA Takes Home Six Nations Tournament Title

By USA Hockey, 12/15/24, 3:00PM EST

Murphy tallies go-ahead goal with 4:24 in the third; U.S. tops Canada, 5-3

TAMPERE, Finland – Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park, Ill./University of Minnesota) scored the go-ahead goal with 4:24 remaining in the third period to lift the U.S. Collegiate Women’s Select Team over Canada, 5-3, in the championship game of the 2024 Six Nations Tournament on Sunday.

With the victory, Team USA finishes the tournament in first place with a 4-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record.

“This team played gritty all game,” said John Wroblewski (Neenah, Wis.), head coach of the 2024 U.S. Collegiate Women’s Select Team. “Canada came out swinging but we put our heads down and played our game. Abbey Murphy was a difference maker.”

The game opened with pace as the team traded early chances. Canada recorded the first quality opportunity, closing in on net for a breakaway chance, but goaltender Ava McNaughton (Seven Fields, Pa./University of Wisconsin) sticked the puck away to keep the contest scoreless.

GAME PHOTOS

The U.S. earned the first power play opportunity of the evening with 3:10 remaining in the first, but just over halfway through the penalty, Canada drew a penalty shot on a breakaway which Anne Cherkowski converted to put Canada up 1-0.

Team USA responded with three-straight goals in the second period to jump out to a 3-1 lead heading into the final frame.

Lacey Eden (Annapolis, Md./University of Wisconsin) split Canada’s defense at its offensive blue line breaking in on net before lifting the puck over the blocker for the U.S.’ first goal of the evening.

Tessa Janecke (Warren, Ill./Penn State University) gave the U.S. its first lead of the night with 13:51 remaining in the second after deflecting a goal-line pass from Caroline Harvey (Salem, N.H./University of Wisconsin) to go up 2-1.

Just 2:40 later, Sydney Morrow (Darien, Ct./University of Minnesota) put a one-timer away from the high slot off a drop pass from Murphy.

Team USA outpaced Canada in the middle frame, outshooting them 16-2, and opening a 3-1 lead heading into the final frame.

Canada would fight back, scoring two in the final ten minutes of the game, by Jocelyn Amos and Alex Law, to knot the game at 3-3 before Murphy’s go-ahead goal with 4:24 remaining put the U.S. up for good. Sloane Matthews (Plymouth, Minn./Ohio State University) added an empty-net goal to give the U.S. a final tally of 5-3.

NOTES: Abbey Murphy was named Team USA player of the game … Team USA outshot Canada, 38-23 … The U.S. was 0-4 on the power play, while Canada was 0-2.