October 16, 2009

SPOKANE, Wash. – The U.S. Women's National Team dropped a 5-2 decision to Canada in the third stop of the Qwest Tour here tonight at the Spokane Arena. Gigi Marvin (Warroad, Minn.) and Jenny Potter (Edina, Minn.) were the goal-scorers for the United States.

"Obviously it wasn't a great night for us," said Mark Johnson, head coach for Team USA. "Special teams was a factor, especially in the early part of the second period when Canada scored two power-play goals and it went from 2-1 to 4-1. We'll now get back to work, learn from it and move forward."

After the teams played to a scoreless draw for the majority of the opening frame, they combined for three goals in the final 2:13. Canada was first to strike when Meghan Agosta put one over U.S. netminder Jessie Vetter's (Cottage Grove, Wis.) glove on a breakaway at 17:47. The Americans responded eight seconds into a power play at 19:06 when Marvin scored from the bottom of the slot with a backhanded shot while on her knees for a 1-1 score. Haley Irwin scored for Canada :29 later to regain its one-goal lead heading into the first intermission.

Lisa Chesson battles Canada's Rebecca Johnston in front of U.S. goaltender Jessie Vetter.  More photos from the game

The score held at 5-2 throughout the remainder of the game, with Vetter making 12 third-period saves and Szabados stopping all seven U.S. shots.

Team USA will now take a short Qwest Tour hiatus, returning to action on Nov. 22 against the Hockey East All-Stars at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H. Prior to that, the squad will travel to Finland for the 2009 Women's Four Nations Cup from Nov. 3-7. For more information, visit QwestTour.com.

NOTES: Team USA was 1-for-9 on the power play, while Canada was 2-for-5 ... Hilary Knight (Hanover, N.H.) was the U.S. Player of the Game ... The game marked Jessie Vetter's first loss to Canada in six games ... Tonight's game was the first of four Qwest Tour games to be aired on live national television on the NHL Network ... Team USA last played in the Spokane Arena on Jan. 24, 2002 during the Visa Skate to Salt Lake Tour. There, the U.S. posted a 12-3 win over China in front of 9,137 fans (the third largest crowd ever to watch a women's ice hockey game in the U.S.) ... Coverage of the Qwest Tour can be found on QwestTour.com, as well as on the U.S. Women's National Team's Facebook page and on the Qwest Tour Twitter page...Click here for Team USA's roster ...Mark Johnson, head women's ice hockey coach at the University of Wisconsin, is leading Team USA through the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C. Dave Flint, head women's ice hockey coach at Northeastern University, and Jodi McKenna, head women's ice hockey coach at Wesleyan University, are serving as assistant coaches ... The 2009-10 U.S. Women's National Team will be centralized in Blaine, Minn., during the Qwest Tour.

ABOUT THE QWEST TOUR
The Qwest Tour, presented by Qwest Communications, features the 2009-10 U.S. Women's National Team playing a 10-game domestic tour that ends just prior to the start of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C. During that time, the U.S. squad faces off against Canada; Finland; all-star teams from the WCHA, Hockey East and ECAC Hockey; and various other NCAA Division I women's ice hockey teams. For more details, including the full schedule, ticket information and Qwest All Access content, visit QwestTour.com.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

First Period - Scoring: 1, CAN, Agosta (Piper), 17:47; 2, USA, Marvin (Duggan, Darwitz), 19:06 (pp); 3, CAN, Irwin (Johnston, Vaillancourt), 19:35. Penalties: USA, Darwitz (hooking), 7:08; USA, Weiland (roughing), 7:48; CAN, Agosta (roughing), 7:48; CAN, Ferrari (body checking), 9:27; USA, M. Lamoureux (hooking), 12:17; CAN, Sostorics (body checking), 13:47; CAN, Ouellette (holding), 18:58.

Second Period - Scoring: 4, CAN, Ouellette (Wickenheiser, Hefford), 4:38 (5x3pp); 5, CAN, Ouellette (Hefford, Vaillancourt), 6:14 (pp); 6, CAN, Wickenheiser (Ward), 13:26; 7, USA, Potter (Zaugg-Siergiej, Knight), 18:35. Penalties: CAN, Ferrari (tripping), :14; CAN, Agosta (roughing), 2:50; USA, M. Lamoureux (roughing), 2:50; USA, J. Lamoureux (cross checking), 2:50; USA, Chesson (holding), 4:18; CAN, Wickenheiser (cross checking), 8:05; CAN, Hefford (roughing), 9:36.

Third Period - Scoring: None. Penalties: CAN, Apps (hooking), 5:56; CAN, Apps (cross checking), 13:37; USA, Chu (holding), 17:19; CAN, Botterill (hooking), 19:44.