The U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team continues play today at the 2018 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Women’s World Championship against Russia at the Ice Palace in Dmitrov, Russia. Puck drop is slated for 3:30 p.m. local time/7:30 a.m. ET. Today's game will be live streamed on the embedded video above. Live game updates will also be provided on Twitter @USAHockey using the hashtag #U18WWC.
ALL-TIME RECORD VS. RUSSIA: 9-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L)
OF NOTE: The two teams face off in the prelims for the seventh straight year.
LAST MEETING: Jan. 13, 2017 - USA 6, RUS 0: Grace Zumwinkle (Excelsior, Minn.) netted a hat-trick and Taylor Wente (Plymouth, Minn.) had a goal and an assist to lead Team USA to a 6-0 victory over Russia in last year's semifinals.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT
Makenna Webster (St. Louis, Mo.) netted the game-winner 2:47 into overtime as Team USA topped Sweden, 2-1, to open the competition. Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park, Ill.) also scored, while Lindsay Reed (New Vernon, N.J.) stopped 12 of 13 shots in net. For a full game recap, game highlights and postgame comments, click here.
TEAM BUILDING
The 23-player roster for the 2018 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team was unveiled on December 1. The team held a pre-tournament camp from Dec. 28-Jan. 2 in Wesley Chapel, Florida, where the U.S. Women’s National Team is also training ahead of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, in preparation for the tournament. Team USA flew to Russia on Jan. 2 and held four practices in Dmitrov before opening the competition last night against Sweden.
BACK FROM LAKE PLACID
Twenty-one players participated in the 2017 Under-18 Series vs. Canada last August in Lake Placid, New York, as members of the U.S. Under-18 Women’s Select Team. Team USA took two-of-three games from Canada at the event Hannah Bilka (Coppell, Texas) notched a team-high three points (2-1), while Abbey Murphy tallied a pair of goals. Goaltender Lindsay Reed earned two victories in goal, turning away 60 of 62 shots she faced.
MAKING A STATEMENT
The 23-player roster represents 10 different states. Minnesota leads the pack with 10 representatives, followed by Massachusetts with three players. Illinois and Texas each have two players, while California, Missouri, North Dakota, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania each have one.
Date | Opponent | Location | Result | U.S. Player of the Game |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sat., Jan. 6 | Sweden Preliminary Round |
Ice Palace Dmitrov, Russia |
W (OT), 2-1 | Makenna Webster |
Sun., Jan. 7 | Russia Preliminary Round |
Ice Palace Dmitrov, Russia |
W, 5-3 | Britta Curl |
Tues., Jan. 9 | Canada Preliminary Round |
Ice Palace Dmitrov, Russia |
W, 6-2 | Taylor Heise |
Fri., Jan. 12 | Canada Semifinals |
Ice Palace Dmitrov, Russia |
W (SO), 4-3 | Casey O'Brien |
Sat., Jan. 13 | Sweden Gold-Medal Game |
Ice Palace Dmitrov, Russia |
W, 9-3 | Dominique Petrie |