2010-11 National Women's Team

AMERICANS TOP SWEDEN 4-0 EN ROUTE TO SATURDAY’S GOLD MEDAL GAME

By Stephen C. Samson

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. - United States will play for 4 Nations Cup gold after blanking Sweden 4-0 inside the Mile One Centre on Friday afternoon. The Americans finish preliminary action off undefeated. A pattern that favoured the United States seemed to develop early in the game, with Hilary Knight breaking the goose egg for the red, white and blue at 3:20 in the first. Team USA would go on to score an early goal in periods two and three.

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The first period was action-packed on the ice, as penalties were handed back and forth and goaltenders from either side of the rink kept fans entertained by making several excellent saves, even while shorthanded. With the United States up 1-0 going into the second, frustration seemed to grow for the Swedish players as they struggled to find the back of the American net and ended up giving the opposition the advantage by being sent to the box four times over the course of the period.

Forward Kacey Bellamy was able to capitalize on the first power play of the period, nothing a marker at 2:24 to give the United States a comfortable 2-0 lead going into the third. Monique Lamoureux’s early period goal came just 30 seconds into the third, with help from Kendall Coyne, to put Team USA up 3-0.

As the last period ticked down, both teams continued to fight hard for bragging rights. A final chance to get on the scoreboard presented itself to Sweden when American player Meagan Mangene was sent to the box for tripping. But two minutes with the man-advantage didn’t help Sweden in the end, leaving the Europeans scoreless.

Erica Lawler had the icing on the cake with less than a minute left in the game, when she handily slid the puck into Sweden’s net to finalize the score at 4-0 and put the United States at the top of the 4 Nations Cup standings.

Swedish netminder Sara Grahn made an impressive 38 saves, but just couldn’t stop all of the American bullets fired in her direction. Player of the game awards went to USA’s Bellamy and Sweden’s Emma Eliasson.

The United States will play their final game of 4 Nations on Saturday, November 3 at 7:30 p.m. NT., and their competition for gold will be determined after Friday’s game between Canada and Finland, which airs on TSN at 7:30 p.m. NT from the Mile One Centre.

Penalties:
   03:56 SWE 28 Danijela Rundqvist (Hooking)
   10:50 USA 9 Molly Engstrom (Hooking)
   15:26 SWE 8 Erika Holst (Holding)

Penalties:
   01:32 SWE 22 Emma Eliasson (Bodychecking)
   04:27 SWE 4 Linnea Backman (Roughing)
   08:04 USA 17 Jocelyne Lamoureux (Tripping)
   11:01 SWE 6 Johanna Malmström (Bodychecking)
   13:30 SWE 6 Johanna Malmström (Tripping)

Penalties:
   16:41 USA 6 Meagan Mangene (Tripping)