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U.S. Defeats Canada for U18 Women's Gold

By USAHockey.com, 01/12/15, 9:15PM MST

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Captain Dunne scores overtime power play goal to clinch medal

BUFFALO, New York — U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team captain Jincy Dunne (O’Fallon, Mo./St. Louis Lady Blues U19) tallied two goals, including the gold-medal clinching goal, in an exciting 3-2 overtime victory against rival Canada in the 2015 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Women's World Championship at HARBORCENTER.

"It’s just a privilege to be a part of this group. The players deserve all the credit, as does the support staff and everyone that makes this kind of moment possible,” said Joel Johnson, head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Under-18 Team. “Having the opportunity to represent USA Hockey is like nothing else, and I know our coaching staff and our players can’t be more excited to get a gold medal to hang around our necks. It was a great game, a great tournament, a world class display of women’s hockey at the U18 level, and something all of us will take with us for the rest of our lives.”

Canada took the early lead in the opening period, scoring just 3:14 in. However, the U.S. tallied the equalizer with 33 seconds left in the frame when Dunne skated end-to-end and roofed a backhand shot top right corner. 

In the second stanza, the U.S. notched the go-ahead goal at the 15-minute mark when Alex Woken (Fargo, N.D./Shattuck-St. Mary’s) at the left half wall passed to Alyssa Gorecki (Monee, Ill./Chicago Mission) standing between the hash marks, and she one-timed a shot between the pads of Canadian goaltender Marlene Boissonnault. Canada rallied and evened the game at two just 3:28 later.

The 2-2 score stood through a third period filled with end-to-end action, including another Dunne scoring chance that was kept out only by the knob of Boissonnault’s stick, sending the game to overtime. The U.S. outshot Canada 40-18 in regulation.

Team USA started the extra frame on the power play. Following a Canadian clear, Melissa Samoskevich (Sandy Hook, Conn./Shattuck-St. Mary’s) carried the puck back into the offensive zone, dropped it back to Abby Roque (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich./Sault Area High School) at the point who skated to the left half wall. Roque passed to Rebecca Gilmore (Wayland, Mass./Assabet Valley) at the left point, who then passed over to Dunne at the right point. Dunne skated into the top of the right circle and snapped a wrist shot past Boissonnault just 51 seconds into overtime to claim the gold medal for Team USA for the first time since 2011.

Notes: Jincy Dunne was named U.S. player of the game in tonight’s game. Dunne finished the tournament leading all defenseman in scoring with eight points … Kaitlin Burt, Dunne and Melissa Samoskevich were named Team USA’s top players of the tournament … The Directorate Award was presented Sarah Potomak (CAN) for Best Forward, Dunne (USA) for Best Defenseman and Valeria Tarakanova (RUS) for Best Goaltender… The 2015 Media All-Star Team includes goaltender Tarakanovav (RUS); defensemen Dunne (USA) and Micah Hart (CAN); and forwards Fanuza Kadirova (RUS), Potomak (CAN) and Samoskevich (USA). Potomak was voted the tournament’s most valuable player … This is Team USA’s first Under-18 Women’s Worlds gold since 2011 in Stockholm, Sweden. They beat Canada 5-2 to take gold that year … The U.S. outshot Canada 41-18 in tonight’s game … Team USA and Canada have met every year in the gold-medal game since the tournament’s inception in 2008.

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