2014-15 National Women's Team

JENNER, WAKEFIELD SCORE BUT CANADA DROPS WORLDS OPENER

WENDY GRAVES

MALMÖ, Sweden – Brianne Jenner (Oakville, Ont./Cornell University, ECAC) and Jennifer Wakefield (Pickering, Ont./IK Guts, SWE) both scored, but Canada’s National Women’s Team surrendered three power play goals and fell 4-2 to the United States in its opening game of the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship on Saturday.

It was the 22nd meeting between the two countries at the women’s world championship. Canada still leads the all-time series 13-9.

Natalie Spooner (Scarborough, Ont./Toronto, CWHL) picked up the first assist on both goals. Wakefield and Halli Krzyzaniak (Neepawa, Man./University of North Dakota, WCHA) had an assist each. Krzyzaniak was one of 10 players making their world championship debut for Canada.

Geneviève Lacasse (Kingston, Ont./Boston, CWHL) made 30 saves in her first start at an IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship.

Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson, Hannah Brandt, Kendall Coyne and Hilary Knight scored for the United States.

Jessie Vetter made nine saves in the win.

A pair of penalties only five seconds apart had Canada playing on its heels before the game was even four minutes old. The team would get whistled for two more before the first period was over, with the Americans capitalizing on three of their four man-advantages.

With Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que./Boston University, HE) and Krzyzaniak sitting, the Americans had plenty of space and time to move the puck around the perimeter of the Canadian zone before it made its way to Lamoureux-Davidson on the doorstep, where she went top shelf to beat Lacasse.

Canada was able to pull even three minutes later when Spooner sprung Jenner on a breakaway. Jenner sent a backhand over Vetter’s blocker.

But two holding calls in the second half of the first period allowed the Americans to build a two-goal cushion. First, Brandt tipped Kacey Bellamy’s point shot past Lacasse. Then, Coyne had an easy tap in after Bellamy’s shot hit the post and fell just outside the crease.

Wakefield’s goal only 57 seconds into the second gave Canada the early momentum, but the Canadians were unable to build on it the rest of the period, failing to register a shot on two power play opportunities.

Knight restored the Americans’ two-goal lead early in the third, getting behind her defender to finish off a pass from Brianna Decker.

Canada is back on the ice on Sunday to take on Russia (10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT).