Eight U.S. skaters registered points as the U.S. Women's National Team fell to Canada, 4-3, here tonight at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto in the second game of the 2019 Rivalry Series.
“Though we got off to a good start with a couple of goals in the first period, we spent too much time playing with a player down in the second to be able to play our game and really hit our stride,” said Bob Corkum (Salisbury, Mass.), U.S. Women's National Team head coach. “With that said, I’m proud of the way we competed until the final buzzer. We know we have some things to work on, and we’ll be ready to go again on Sunday in Detroit.”
The U.S. got on the board early, taking a 1-0 lead seven minutes into the opening period. Canada was called for a tripping infraction 5:36 into play and Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) was able to take advantage, firing a shot from above the left face-off circle that found the back of the net for the first goal of the game. Kacey Bellamy (Westfield, Mass.) and Emily Pfalzer (Buffalo, N.Y.) registered assists on the play.
Canada struck back two minutes later when Marie-Philip Poulin caught a pass at the left hash mark and beat Katie Burt (Lynn, Mass.) to the far post for the equalizer.
Halfway through the period, Dani Cameranesi (Plymouth, Minn.), Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho) and Hannah Brandt (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) all battled with Canadian defenders at the top of the crease for a bouncing puck that Brandt was eventually able to corral for the go-ahead score.
With 6:47 remaining in the first period, Canada evened the score again when Laura Fortino took a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that got past Burt for a power-play tally. Canada added another power-play score with 36 seconds remaining after Brianne Jenner got the best of a net-front scramble to send the game into the first intermission with Canada ahead 3-2.
The 3-2 score would hold for the majority of the middle frame, with the U.S. killing off three straight penalties to keep the deficit at one.
An interference penalty with 2:43 remaining sent Team USA to its second power play of the game. The U.S. generated multiple chances, including a shot off the outside of the left post, but could not convert and remained down by one heading into the third period.
After back-and-forth chances by both teams to start the third period, Canada capitalized with 12:54 remaining to go up by two.
The U.S. responded immediately with pressure before Brianna Decker (Dousman, Wis.) scored to bring the U.S. within one. After using her body to protect the puck from a Canadian defender in the offensive zone, Knight sent the puck behind the net to Kendall Coyne Schofield (Palos Heights, Ill.) who fed a pass into the slot where Decker was waiting to fire a shot past Lacasse.
Down 4-3, Team USA continued to apply pressure for the final 10 minutes of the period. After pulling Burt for a sixth attacker, the U.S. generated multiple chances, but not could score a fourth goal to even the score.
Burt made 26 saves on 30 shots in her first career start for the U.S. Women's National Team.