2019-20 National Women's Under-18 Team

CANADA SHUTS OUT U.S. TO WIN U18 SERIES

QUINTON AMUNDSON

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Ève Gascon (Terrebonne, Que./Collège Esther-Blondin, LHMAAAQ) produced a 26-save shutout to lead Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team to a 2-0 win over the United States on Saturday in the final game of the three-game series.

Lindsay Bochna (Toronto, Ont./Etobicoke, PWHL) and Marianne Picard (Repentigny, Que./Stanstead College, NAPHA) scored goals for Canada, which won the annual summer series for the ninth time in 13 years.

After each team managed three shots on net in the first half of the opening period, Gascon took center stage by denying seven unanswered attempts by the Americans to close out a scoreless frame.

Bochna ultimately broke the stalemate at 8:15 of the second period with an unassisted goal, stealing the puck from a U.S. forward just inside the blue-line and ripping home a blistering wrist shot from the deep slot.

Maddi Wheeler (Erinsville, Ont./Kingston, PWHL) teamed up with Picard just over three minutes later for a shorthanded insurance marker as Wheeler set up a backhand deke by Picard that sailed over the pad of U.S. goaltender Amanda Thiele.

The two goals translated into more territorial momentum for Canada, which earned the last four power-play chances in the game after the U.S. generated the first four.

After the Americans edged Canada 11-10 in shots in the second period, Canada turned the table by holding an 8-5 edge in the third. Gascon did her part in ensuring the final minutes were as smooth as possible by limiting the secondary opportunities for the U.S.

The teams will meet next at the 2020 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, which opens Dec. 26 in Bratislava, Slovakia.