LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Erica McKenzie (Hastings, Minn.) scored in the fourth round of the shootout and Jessie Vetter (Cottage Grove, Wis.) made 30 saves in net, as the U.S. Women's Select Team earned a 3-2 victory over Canada in the championship game of the 2008 Women's Four Nations Cup here today at the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena. Team USA finished the tournament with a 2-1-0-1 record (W-OTW-OTL-L) to capture its third Four Nations Cup title in the history of the event (first since 2003).

"It was an awesome hockey game," said Katey Stone, head coach for Team USA and also the head women's ice hockey coach at Harvard University. "Both teams and both goaltenders played great - there was a small margin between the two teams today and we're extremely happy that we came out on top."

The United States capitalized first, converting on its first power-play opportunity to take an early 1-0 lead. Natalie Darwitz (Eagan, Minn.) took a pass from Angela Ruggiero (Harper Woods, Mich.) and walked it in from the left faceoff circle to beat Canadian netminder Charline Labonte at 12:40. Just over two minutes later, at the 14:41 mark during another U.S. power play, Canada used a shorthanded breakaway goal from Jayna Hefford to tie the score at 1-1.

The teams again traded goals in the middle frame, as the score increased to 2-2. Canada was first to score in the period, with a Caroline Ouellete wrister from the left circle that beat U.S. netminder Vetter at 10:28. Julie Chu (Fairfield, Conn.) tied it back up when she got the puck on a turnover in the Canadian zone, skated in on the net and put it between Labonte's legs at 16:42.

The score remained knotted at 2-2 throughout the final period, despite an 18-8 U.S. shots advantage. In the 10-minute 4-on-4 sudden-death overtime session, Team USA killed off its 20th straight power play in the tournament and Vetter made eight saves in net to force a shootout.

After all three first-round shooters from each team were stopped, the shootout went to single-player rounds, where McKenzie potted the winner in round four.

NOTES:Jessie Vetter earned U.S. Player of the Game honors ... Team USA was 1-for-8 on the power play, while holding Canada scoreless on four opportunities ... The United States did not allow a power-play goal in the tournament, stopping all 20 chances ... Hilary Knight finished as the leading scorer for Team USA with five points (3-2) ... The 2008 Men's Under-18 Four Nations Cup ran simultaneously with the Women's Four Nations Cup at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid. The U.S. National Under-18 Team posted a 3-1 victory over Finland in the championship game last night (November 8) ... The United States has earned either first or second place in each of the previous 11 years it has competed in the Women's Four Nations Cup (Three Nations Cup from 1996-99), including second place the last four years (2004-07) … Joining Katey Stone on the coaching staff as assistant coaches are Dave Flint, head women’s ice hockey coach at Northeastern University, and Brad Frost, head women’s ice hockey coach at the University of Minnesota.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

First Period - Scoring: 1, USA, Darwitz (Ruggiero, Cahow), 12:40 (pp); 2, CAN, Hefford (unassisted), 14:41 (sh). Penalties: USA, Drazan (tripping), 3:44; CAN, Larocque (hooking), 11:21; CAN, Slusar (holding), 13:45; USA, Potter (tripping), 19:00.

Second Period - Scoring: 3, CAN, Ouellete (Hefford), 10:28; 4, USA, Chu (unassisted), 16:42. Penalties: USA, McKenzie (interference), 3:00; CAN, Pounder (delay of game), 5:56; CAN, Wakefield (body checking), 12:26.

Third Period - Scoring: None. Penalties: CAN, Wakefield (tripping), :07; CAN, Hefford (hooking), 6:50; CAN, Mikkelson (interference), 9:56.

Overtime - Scoring: None. Penalties: USA, Bellamy (holding), 2:41; CAN, Botterill (body checking), 9:33.

GWS - Round 1: USA, Darwitz (saved); CAN, Kingsbury (saved); USA, Marvin (saved); CAN, Hefford (saved); USA, Chu (saved); USA, Ouellete (saved). Round 2: USA, Darwitz (saved); CAN, Spooner (saved). Round 3: USA, Ruggiero (saved); CAN, Vaillancourt (saved). Round 4: USA, McKenzie (goal); CAN, Agosta (saved).