PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho) scored the game-winning goal with 9:43 to play in overtime, as the U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Canada, 3-2, here tonight in the gold-medal game at the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship at USA Hockey Arena. Kacey Bellamy (Westfield, Mass.) also netted two goals for Team USA.
“Our goal was to come in on day one and be better by the end and I think we accomplished that,” said Robb Stauber, head coach of the 2017 U.S. Women’s National Team. “I’m so proud of this team. It’s an unbelievable feeling to have been able to win a gold medal here tonight in front of our amazing fans.”
The victory gives the U.S. Women’s National Team its fourth consecutive world championship and seventh in the past eight competitions. Team USA, who finished the event with a 5-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record, went undefeated at the tournament for the third consecutive year and has now won eight world championships overall.
Canada opened the scoring 1:01 into play with a goal by Meghan Agosta on a two-on-one rush.
The U.S. responded 3:33 later when Bellamy beat goaltender Shannon Szabados with a slap shot from the point.
Both teams traded chances throughout the rest of the opening frame but remained tied entering the first intermission.
Team USA successfully killed off a pair of Canadian power-play opportunities in the opening ten minutes of the second stanza and goaltender Nicole Hensley (Lakewood, Colo.) kept the score tied with a sprawling glove save on the rush later in the period.
Just 42 seconds into the final frame, Bellamy gave the U.S. a 2-1 lead with her second goal of the contest. The play started when Knight gathered the puck at the side of the net and fed a centering pass between her legs for Bellamy, who buried the puck for the score.
Brianne Jenner scored unassisted with 10:16 to play to tie the game.
The U.S. had two power-plays in the final 7:24 of regulation, but was unable to convert as the world championship entered overtime for the second straight year.
Knight retrieved a pass from Kendall Coyne (Palos Heights, Ill.) and delivered the game-winner with a slap shot from the left circle 9:43 into the extra frame.
Hensley made 28 saves for her third victory of the tournament.
NOTES: The U.S. outshot Canada, 40-30, finished 0-for-5 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. For complete game statistics, click here … Kacey Bellamy was named the U.S. Player of the Game … Kendall Coyne, Brianna Decker and Nicole Hensley were named the Top Three U.S. Players of the Tournament … Team USA outscored its opponents 28-5 in five games at the competition … The U.S. is now the four-time defending champion and has played Canada in the gold medal game in all 18 IIHF Women’s World Championships, capturing the event’s top prize a total of eight times (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017), including seven of the last eight tournaments …
