WINTER OLYMPICS
Canadian women take the U.S. 2-1 in preliminary round
Hamilton’s Sarah Nurse, right, celebrates after scoring against the United States in Gangneung, South Korea, helping the team keep its perfect record.
GANGNEUNG — The Canadian women’s hockey team kept its perfect record intact at the Pyeongchang Olympics on Thursday with a hard-fought 2-1 win over the rival United States.
Meghan Agosta of Ruthven, Ont., and Hamilton’s Sarah Nurse scored for Canada in the second period, while Kendall Coyne countered for the U.S. in the third.
Genevieve Lacasse of Kingston, Ont., made 44 saves in Canada’s net and stopped Jocelyne Lamoreux-Davidson on a penalty shot in the second period.
American goaltender Maddie Rooney turned away 21 of 23 shots.
“Obviously you always want to eliminate shots against, but for me, most importantly I’ll look at scoring chances for and against,” said Canadian coach Laura Schuler.
“How we can generate more and eliminate chances against us.”
Both countries had already
booked berths in Monday’s semifinals having won their first two games in Pool A.
Finland and the Russian team will play quarter-final games Saturday against Switzerland and Sweden.
With her 16th goal in her fourth Olympics, Agosta moved into second all-time behind Canada’s Hayley Wickenheiser (18).
One of the most storied rivalries in sport has only heated up in recent years. Canada may have won four straight Olympic gold medals, but the United States has claimed seven of the last eight world championships.
Schuler was pleased with Canada’s defensive play.
“I think our team was committed to that tonight,” she said. “Today, it was about sticking with the process and I think our girls did a good job with that.”
After a scoreless first period, Canada struck twice in the second and Lacasse stoned Lamoureux-Davidson late in the period.
But Coyne beat Lacasse between the pads 23 seconds into the third to halve Canada’s lead.
After a review, officials decided Haley Irwin kicked in the puck and ruled no goal midway through the period.
Irwin was also called for closing her hand on the puck in a goal-mouth scramble at 16:08 of the second. Lacasse deflected Lamoureux-Davidson’s penaltyshot attempt wide.
“She came in. I just kept my eye on the puck,” said Lacasse. “(She) pulled it through her legs, tried to do something fancy and I just watched it and pushed over and made the save. I didn’t wink. I just looked at her.”
Agosta elbowed a U.S. defender in the head less than a minute later, but the Canadians killed off the penalty.
Nurse’s wrist shot off Rooney’s right shoulder deflected into the top of the net at 14:56 of the second.
Agosta scored a power-play goal at 7:18 on a backhand feed from Natalie Spooner at the corner of the U.S. net. Rooney got a piece of Agosta’s shot, but not enough to prevent the goal.
Canada spent most of the opening five minutes of the game in their own end as the Americans pressed. Lacasse stoned an allalone Hilary Knight four minutes after faceoff.
Canadian defender Brigette Lacquette roofed a backhand over Rooney late in the period, but the whistle was already sounding for players in the crease and it was waived off.