BUFFALO, N.Y. – Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team has finished with the silver medal at the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship after a 3-2 overtime loss to the United States in Monday’s gold medal game.

Canada and the United States have met in all eight gold medal games at the IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship, and each has now won four gold medals. Canada won the world title in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014, and settled for silver in 2008, 2009 and 2011.

On Monday, Shae Labbe (Calgary, Alta./Warner School, JWHL) opened the scoring just past the three-minute mark of the first period, and Samantha Cogan (Ottawa, Ont./Nepean, PWHL) tied the game midway through the second, but the Canadians came up a goal short in their quest for an unprecedented fourth consecutive gold medal, despite 38 saves from Marlène Boissonnault (Dundee, N.B./Rothesay Netherwood School, CAHS).

Canada advanced to the gold medal game after a 3-1 victory over Russia in Sunday’s semifinal. The Canadians finished the preliminary round with a record of two wins and an overtime loss. It opened with a 2-1 shootout loss to the United States before earning victories over Russia (3-2) and the Czech Republic (7-1).

The United States finished first in Group A, Canada was second, Russia took third and Czech Republic came in fourth place. Sweden finished atop Group B, followed by Finland, Switzerland and Japan.

Earlier Monday, the Russia beat the Czech Republic 5-1 to win the bronze medal.

Following the game, the IIHF Directorate award winners and media all-star team were announced.

Sarah Potomak (Aldergrove, B.C./Pursuit of Excellence, Midget AAA) was named Top Forward and Most Valuable Player, and was joined on the media all-star team by defenceman Micah Hart (Saanichton, B.C./Okanagan Hockey Academy, JWHL)

IIHF Directorate award winners:
Top Forward – Sarah Potomak (Canada)
Top Defenceman – Jincy Dunne (United States)
Top Goaltender – Valeria Tarakanova (Russia)

Media all-star team:
G – Valeria Tarakanova (Russia)
D – Jincy Dunne (United States)
D – Micah Hart (Canada)
F – Fanuza Kadirova (Russia)
F – Sarah Potomak (Canada)
F – Melissa Samoskevich (United States)

Most Valuable Player (as voted by the media) – Sarah Potomak (Canada)

CLICK HERE FOR CANADA’S NATIONAL WOMEN’S UNDER-18 TEAM ROSTER

Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team roster, by province:

• Ontario – 10 (Agnew, Cogan, Eastwood, Field, McGill, O’Neill, Pozzebon, Quaranta, Sucharda, Tse)
• Manitoba – four (Campbell, Higham, Houston, Hunt)
• Quebec – three (Coutu-Godbout, Giguère, Matteau)
• British Columbia – two (Hart, Potomak)
• Alberta – one (Labbe)
• New Brunswick – one (Boissonault)
• Nova Scotia – one (Jackson)
• Saskatchewan – one (Gebhard)

NOTE TO MEDIA: Morgan Bell, Hockey Canada’s coordinator of media relations, is on site in Buffalo for the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship. Please contact her for any interview requests at (403) 669-1261 or [email protected].

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_women.