| Eden extends point streak, Thiele records second shutout BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – The U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team earned its record 13th-straight berth in the gold-medal game of the Under-18 Women’s World Championship after defeating Russia, 3-0, in a semifinal contest here today. Team USA will face Canada tomorrow (Jan. 2) at Ice Rink Vlado Dzurilla in the gold-medal contest with puck drop slated for 2:30 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed live at IIHF.com. The U.S. scored what proved to be the game-winning goal 7:16 into the opening period when Lyndie Lobdell (Aurora, Ill.) beat a defender and fired a wrist shot from the right circle past Russian goaltender Yulia Volkova. Mia Biotti (Cambridge, Mass.) and KirstenSimms (Plymouth, Mich.) drew assists on the play. Lacey Eden (Annapolis, Md.) extended her tournament point streak to four games at the 10:10 mark of the period when she fired a shot high over the shoulder of Volkova from the left circle to double the U.S. lead heading into the first intermission. Emma Gentry (Alpena, Mich.) scored the final goal of the contest at 12:47 of the middle frame when she crashed the crease and put home the rebound of Simms’ shot from the slot. Amanda Thiele (Milford, Mich.) stopped all 15 shots she faced to record her second shutout of the tournament. Notes: Lacey Eden was named the U.S. Player of the Game … Kirsten Simmsregistered two assists to pace all players in today’s game … The U.S. outshot Russia 33-15 … Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park, Ill.) had 11 shots on goal to lead all players in the game … Team USA’s shutout today was its 29th all-time in the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship and second in this year’s championship, both coming against Russia … Lacey Eden, Kiara Zanon (Fairport, N.Y.) and Caroline Harvey (Pelham, N.H.) were named Team USA’s best three players of the tournament following the game … For more information about the tournament, click here. |
