CUP
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we were consistent and controlling our energy. eng this win
tonight feels great.”
began with Finland vs. anada, the teams started out
slowly and the shots were surprisingly low during the rst period
with Finland outshoong anada 3-1. The teams played a physical,
chippy game that resulted in numerous penales for both
sides. anada was eventually able to convert on a ve on three
and score the rst goal of the night. reat goaltending kept Finland
in the game in the beginning but as anada slowly began
to nd their legs they began hammering Finland with shots. The
nal score was 4-0 anada who also outshot Finland 28-8.
The last game of the preliminary round was team USA vs.
Sweden. The U.S. dominated play for most of the game but Sweden
was able to eecvely break up passes and play by using
their scks well to take away any open ice the U.S. had in the offensive
one. Despite Sweden defending well in their own one,
the U.S. emerged victorious with a nal score of -0, outshooting
Sweden 44-9. Aer the game Meghan Duggan talked about
how the team had played and the upcoming championship game
against anada, “egardless of who we play we focus on ourselves,
we’ve done that for the last three games and played to
our strengths and dictang the play the way we want the game
to go. Even with the ebbs and ows of the games, we’ve done a
great job at maintaining that.”
was the nal game of the tournament and took place
at Amalie Arena, the third-place game was played between Sweden
and Finland at noon. The game started o slowly, the most
ecing moments coming in the rst and second period when
each team tallied a goal. egulaon would not be enough to decide
a winner, the teams remained ed at 1-1 aer three periods.
The overme period consisted of four on four hockey and a
ten-minute period of play. Eventually Finland was able to score
on the power play and win the game and take third place overall
in the tournament.
The championship game between anada and the U.S.
would make the second me the teams had met during the tournament.
Team USA was sll undefeated going into the game, the
last me the U.S. had won the Four Naons up undefeated was
2003. The two teams had met 1 mes in the championship of
the Four Naons up leading up to that game; the U.S. had been
outscored by anada 39-31 in the championship since 2000 but
had won si of the last 1 meengs between the two teams,
including the last four of si. The game started with each team
playing like they were already on the world stage at the lympics
in South orea, both teams playing fast, skillful hockey. oalies
ooney and Lacasse stand tall early on, making beauful saves
and keeping their teams in the game. The momentum was swinging
in anada’s favor aer the rst period, they had out played
and outskated the U.S. for most of the period and eecvely
shung down the U.S. power play unit.
The second period was the rst me the “U-S-A” chant was
heard in the game aer ooney made an incredible stop on a
three on one early in the period. ooney went on to make more
unbelievable saves as the U.S. suddenly found themselves in penalty
trouble only half way through the period with anada ercely
pushing the pace of play. With just under ve minutes le to play
in the period team USA was nally able to break through, Hannah
randt scored two uick goals as the period began to wind down,
-
the “U-S-A” chants immediately began to ll the building again.
The third period started with a franc pace of play, the sense
of urgency from anada was nearly palpable. The physical play
escalated into pushing and shoving as anada began to show
frustraon when the U.S. blue would hold strong under oensive
pressure. ust aer the halfway mark of the period, anada pulls
within one aer a power play goal nds its way into the back of
the U.S. net. The teams traded penales as momentum swung
from one side to the other, both ooney and Lacasse standing on
their heads again for their teams. The U.S. was able to score their
third goal of the night on the power play, Hilary night scored
with assists from endall oyne and acey ellamy. anada then
began taking mulple penales as the minutes cked by on the
clock, allowing Amanda essel to score for the U.S. on the power
play to make it 4-1. With the period about to end, endall oyne
added one more goal to make it -1 in favor of the U.S. before the
horn sounded and team USA was ocially victorious.
With this win, the U.S. has now won the Four Naons up
three consecuve years. The team will face anada several mes
yet again as they travel to anada and other parts of the United
States to wrap up their season before turning their aenon to
the 2018 Winter lympic ames in Pyeonghang, South orea.
Aer the win at Amalie Arena, Amanda essel discussed what it
felt like to be a part of such a presgious event, “There’s nothing
beer than standing on the line and hearing your anthem play.
ou’re just so lucky to be in that spot, you can never take a single
second for granted.”
RICH PIGNATARO
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