2016 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship

CANADA FALLS IN PRELIMS CLOSER TO U.S.

WENDY GRAVES

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – Stephanie Neatby (Toronto, Ont./Toronto, PWHL) made 28 saves, but penalty trouble proved to be the undoing for Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team on Monday night, as it allowed three power play goals and fell 4-1 to the United States to close out the preliminary round of the 2016 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.

Julia Edgar (Oakville, Ont./Oakville, PWHL) scored with 3:36 remaining in the third period to prevent Canada from being shut out at the event for the first time.

On a night when the event not only set a single-game attendance record (4,016) but also a tournament attendance mark (21,879), the home crowd spent as much time jeering the officials as cheering the home team.

Penalties did Canada in early. The team was called for three minors only 8:40 into the game, with the Americans capitalizing on two of those man-advantages.

Cayla Barnes’ point shot took a pair of funny bounces en route to the Canadian net, making it only as far as the low slot, where Sydney Brodt slid it under Neatby at the 5:52 mark.

Then 3:42 later Gilmore one-timed a pass Barnes sent face-off circle to face-off circle.

Canada fell into more penalty trouble early in the second. Back-to-back minors on Kayla Friesen (Winnipeg, Man./St. Mary’s, CAHS) and Malia Schneider (Millarville, Alta./Pursuit of Excellence, CSSHL) left Canada two players down for a minute. The team successfully killed off the first penalty, but not the second.

Seconds after a one-timer ringed off the Canadian post, Natalie Snodgrass, waiting in the slot, one-timed a pass from below the goal line to give the Americans a three-goal lead. Emma Maltais (Burlington, Ont./Oakville, PWHL) appeared to score with 10:36 to play in the third, but a quick whistle stopped the play and upon further review it was determined the puck never crossed the goal line.

Canada outshot the U.S. 19 to nine in the third period and began putting more bodies in front of the net. But only Edgar’s marker in a sea of bodies down low got past American goaltender Alex Gulstene.

Neatby left the net with 1:39 to play in regulation; 13 seconds later Gilmore potted her second of the game into the empty net.

Canada next plays in the semifinals on Thursday night (7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT).