2004 IIHF Women's World Championship

USA 9
Sweden 2

Qualifier
Halifax Metro Centre
Monday, April 5, 2004

USA skates by Team Sweden
By Joel Mac Dougall
 
After two periods of a tightly played hockey game, Sweden just could not match the USA once the Americans turned it up a notch. 

Going into the third USA was only up by two goals, despite out-shooting Sweden 23-9.
 
“Their goaltending was solid,” said USA head coach Ben Smith.
 
Sweden’s Kim Martin made 19 saves in the first two periods to keep her team in the game.
 
On the American side, Natalie Darwitz continued to be the offensive leader, scoring three goals for the hat-trick.
 
Up front the USA sustained another key injury in the game against Sweden. Krissy Wendell went hard into the boards midway through the second period.
 
“We hope it’s just a bruise,” said Smith. “She’s gone for x-rays right now, and she’s just day-to-day right now.”
 
Shelley Looney has already been side-lined for the rest of the tournament with a torn left MCL and ACL, while Julie Chu is fighting off a bout of the flu.
 
Tonight did mark the return of Team USA’s most experienced player, Cammi Granato, who played her first game since the first of the tournament, when she went down due to injury.
 
“It’s the game of hockey,” remarked American forward Jenny Potter. “We’ve got a lot of players with heart, and a lot of talent, that can step in.”
 
The first period saw the USA jump out to a 3-1 lead. Darwitz opened up the scoring, with Wendell and Potter rounding out the first period with markers of their own.
 
Team Sweden’s first period goal came after a collision between two American defenders and a Swedish forward. Erika Holst snagged the puck and went around the pile to let off a neat backhander in the top shelf of Chanda Gunn’s net.
 
The teams traded goals in the second, with the USA scoring an early power-play goal. Kathleen Kauth finished off a nice pass down low, to push the lead back up to three. Less than two minutes later Sweden pulled back to within two, after Gunn let a weak backhander from Nanna Jansson slip between her legs.
 
In the third period the USA opened up the flood gates, scoring five unanswered markers to put the game away once and for all.
 
Frida Glavhammar started the third period for the Swedish side, and looked shaky between the posts. She let in a weak shot from Angela Ruggiero that seemed to fool her. She settled down after awhile, making some key saves on a USA power-play, but the USA would not be stopped. The United States almost doubled their shot total in the third, firing 22 shots at Glavhammar.
 
Darwitz pocketed the next to complete the hat-trick, scoring one on the power-play and one at even strength. Katie King and Andrea Kilbourne ended the scoring and any slim hopes Sweden may have been clinging to.
 
The win for the USA sets up a rematch of Saturday’s game against Canada, but this time they’ll be going for the gold medal.
 
“It’s going to be a back and forth game,” said Potter. “We just have to stick to our game.”

IIHF GAME SUMMARY
 Box Score
 USA

3

1

5

9

0
Compte
 SWE

1

1

0

2

0

Scoring/Buts :
15.40 3 - 1 EQ Sweden 8. HOLST, Erika
4.10 3 - 0 EQ USA 12. POTTER, Jenny (20. KING, Katie) (21. GRANATO, Cammi) 
13.17 2 - 0 EQ USA 17. WENDELL, Krissy (4. RUGGIERO, Angela)
06.06 1 - 0 EQ USA 22. DARWITZ, Natalie Game Winning Goal (17. WENDELL, Krissy)

Penalties/Pénalités :
18.25 2 min USA 26. HALCISAK, Kelli Tripping
00.51 2 min Sweden 2. HOLMLOV, Elin Body Checking
Scoring/Buts :
24.04 4 - 2 EQ Sweden 24. JANSSON, Nanna (27. LINDBERG, Ylva) (2. HOLMLOV, Elin)
22.23 4 - 1 PP1 USA 18. KAUTH, Kathleen (19. KING, Kristin) (9. KILBOURNE, Andrea)

Penalties/Pénalités :
35.56 2 min Sweden 18. LUNDBERG, Kristina Body Checking
24.22 2 min Sweden 9. VIKMAN, Anna Tripping
21.35 2 min Sweden TEAM PENALTY Too many players on the ice
Scoring/Buts :
59.23 9 - 2 PP1 USA 9. KILBOURNE, Andrea
49.57 8 - 2 EQ USA 20. KING, Katie
49.19 7 - 2 EQ USA 22. DARWITZ, Natalie (7. STEPHENS, Kelly) (21. GRANATO, Cammi)
47.23 6 - 2 PP1 USA 22. DARWITZ, Natalie (12. POTTER, Jenny) (3. ENGSTROM, Molly) 40.07 5 - 2 EQ USA 4. RUGGIERO, Angela

Penalties/Pénalités :
58.46 2 min Sweden 4. ASSERHOLT, Jenni Roughing
57.05 2 min Sweden TEAM PENALTY Too many players on the ice
45.41 2 min Sweden 18. LUNDBERG, Kristina Roughing
42.39 2 min Sweden 4. ASSERHOLT, Jenni Interference
Players of the Game USA -
Joueurs du partie SWE -
Goaltenders USA 30. GUNN, Chanda
Gardiens de but SWE 1. GLAVHAMMAR, Frida
30. MARTIN, Kim
Shots on Goal by Shots on Goal by

1st/1re

2nd/2e

3rd/3e

Final 
Shots on Goal by USA

8

15

22

45
Tirs au but par SWE

5

4

6

15
Officials Referee/Arbitre REDDY Janet
Officiels Linesmen/
Juges des lignes

HAAPANEN Eeva, KONSTANTINOVA Marina
Attendance/Assistance 4,971

USA wins 9-2
By Joel Mac Dougall

HALIFAX- After keeping it close for the first two periods, Sweden just couldn’t keep up when the US turned it up a notch in the third.

Natalie Darwitz added two goals in the third to go with a goal and assist and pick up the hat trick. Kathleen Kauth picked up her second of the night, while Angela Ruggiero, Katie King and Andrea Kilbourne added singles in the third.

After a solid two periods from Kim Martin in net for Sweden, coach Peter Elander opted to go with Frida Gkavhammer for the third.

US remains up by two
By Joel Mac Dougall

HALIFAX- The US and Sweden traded goals in the second period.

Despite being outshot 15-4 in the second, Sweden played a strong period. They limited most of the States’ chances to shots from the outside.

The only US goal came early in the period on the power-play. Andrea Kilbourne made a nice pass right in front of the net where Kathleen Kauth put it away.

Sweden got their goal on a weak backhand. Nanna Jansson just threw the puck on net from the slot, Chanda Gunn, the US netminder let the puck slip right between her legs along the ice.

The second period saw yet another key US forward go down to injury. Krissy Wendell slid hard into the boards at centre ice. After played had been stopped, Wendell tried to get up, but only made it a few strides before needing help to get to the bench.

The US is already missing Shelley Looney for the rest of tournament, and this is Cammi Granato’s first game back since leaving the first game of the tournament due to injury.

USA takes 3-1 lead in first period
By Joel Mac Dougall

HALIFAX- The US jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first period of their game against team Sweden tonight at the Metro Centre.

Krissy Wendell led the States with a goal and an assist.

The score could have been much higher except for a number of fine defensive plays by Sweden. Goaltender, Kim Martin also made a number of key saves to keep her team close.

Natalie Darwitz opened the scoring for the US. Wendell drove hard to the net off the right-wing and slid the puck out front, where Darwitz deposited it into the back of the net.

Wendell’s goal came off a Swedish giveaway at their own blueline. Wendell moved in, made a nice move to make Martin commit then slid the puck home.

Jenny Potter rounded out the scoring for the US.

Sweden’s only goal came as two American defenders converge on a Swedish forechecker and ended up in a pile. Erika Holst took the puck around the pile and then roofed a sharp backhander top shelf on US netminder, Chanda Gunn.

The United States will meet Sweden in the final game before the medal round of the IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship. Game time is 8:00 p.m. Monday at the Halifax Metro Centre.

USA has looked impressive at this year’s tournament. They are coming off a confidence building victory over Team Canada Saturday. Not that they needed it. Team USA is looking to maintain its perfect record so far at the 2004 World Championships.

An intense forecheck and strong goaltending have been the backbone of the US game. Canada had trouble moving the puck out of their own zone against the States, especially in the first period of their match-up. When they were able to get some pressure in the American zone, US goalie Pam Dreyer was rock solid between the pipes.

While the United States had the day off on Sunday, the Swedish team finished up its qualifying round with a game against Canada last night. The Swedes were able to capitalize on a slow start from the Canadians. They jumped out to a one goal lead that they took into the second period before Canada took control of the game.

For the Swedish team to have any chance of advancing to the gold medal match they will have to hope for the impressive US team to come out slow and stay that way.

The tournament can still be seen as a victory for the team from Sweden. Canada and the USA were the favourites by a wide margin coming into the World Championship this year. By guaranteeing themselves a spot in the bronze medal game at least, the Swedes have also qualified for a spot in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, ITA. With the youth on this team, the tournament has provided an abundance of experience for a team that should remain relatively intact for those Olympics.