2015-16 National Women's Development Team

POTOMAK SCORES LATE FOR CANADA TO TIE DEV. SERIES

WENDY GRAVES

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – It wouldn’t be Canada versus the United States without some late-game heroics.

Sarah Potomak (Aldergrove, B.C./Pursuit of Excellence, BCMAAA) scored with 1:07 remaining in the third period to lift Canada’s National Women’s Development Team to a 2-1 win over the United States that evened the teams’ three-game series at a win a piece.

Canada took advantage of a late hooking minor on the United States, with Sarah Nurse (Hamilton, Ont./University of Wisconsin, WCHA) finding Potomak open in the face-off circle, where the team’s youngest member fired low stick side.

Renata Fast (Burlington, Ont./Clarkson University, ECAC), on a pass from Laura Stacey (Kleinburg, Ont./Dartmouth College, ECAC), had the other goal for Canada.

Emerance Maschmeyer (Bruderheim, Alta./Harvard University, ECAC) picked up the win in the Canadian net.

Through the opening 20 minutes the game had lots of speed and plenty of skill, but very few shots on net and absolutely zero scoring. The speed and skill of both sides was neutralized by strong defensive checking.

It took until midway through the second period for a team to finally break through.

After some strong cycling down low by the Canadians, Fast’s wrist shot from the face-off circle cleanly beat American goalie Nicole Hensley.

That looked like all the offence Canada would need. Having been a part of Canada’s National Women’s Team at both the 2014 4 Nations Cup and 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship, Maschmeyer is no stranger to the Canadian-American rivalry and came up with several big saves when the United States had back-to-back power plays early in the third period.

Just past the 15-minute mark of the third aggressive work down low by the Americans led to some post-whistle pushing and exchanging of words, as well as off-setting roughing calls to Rebecca Leslie (Ottawa, Ont./Boston University, HE) and Dana Trivigno.

Nineteen seconds later Sydney Baldwin took advantage of the extra space to tie the game up.

But as has become habit in this particular match-up, Canada had one more shot up its sleeve.

The rubber match goes Saturday (6 p.m. ET /3 p.m. PT).