Canada falls to USA in wild gold medal game at hockey worlds
It was a wild shootout in Malmö.
The Americans asserted dominance in the first period, securing a 3-0 lead just beyond the 11-minute mark. Annie Pankowski cracked the zeroes at 2:51 before power play goals from Hilary Knight at 6:38 and Megan Keller at 11:01.
The first Canadian tally was a Rebecca Johnston power play goal at 12:25, her first of the tournament before both teams would trade goals by the horn, making the score 4-2 after 20. Four goals on 20 shots would end the night for Ann-Renée Desbiens, bringing Geneviève Lacasse into the Canadian crease for the second period.
In the middle frame, Canada gave back the three goal lead when the USA’s Haley Skarupa would pot an even-strength goal at 7:33. With already seven goals in the game, Canada would add three more of their own over a 2:03 period of game time. At 10:03 Brigette Lacquette wired a left point slapper past US netminder Jessie Vetter, 1:38 later Rebecca Johnston one-timed a Marie-Philip Poulin feed into the back of the net. The fourth Canadian goal would eject Vetter from the American goal and her replacement, Alex Rigsby permitted the fifth and tying goal on a Caroline Ouellette re-direction at 12:06.
Facing twenty minutes left and a game tied at 5, it was the Americans who won the third period. A transition two-on-one into the Canadian zone saw Hilary Knight make a delayed feed to Brianna Decker who fired home the eventual game winner at 11:42. Kendall Coyne added the insurance later on the powerplay.
Canada ran into a offensively talented US team, losing a run and gun affair despite outshooting the Americans 36-27. The USA has now won five of the last six women’s hockey worlds, dating back to 2008. Canada falls to 10-6 at World Championship.
