LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Four different players scored goals and Lindsay Reed (New Vernon, N.J.) made 28 saves as the U.S. Under-18 Women’s Select Team topped Canada, 4-1, here tonight in the opening game of the 2017 U18 Series at the Lake Placid Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York.
“I thought we weathered the storm early, Canada came out with a lot of pressure but I thought our defensive zone play was really good especially for our first game,” said U.S. head coach Joel Johnson. “Our speed and our depth really made a huge difference. I was really proud of the team because they were even-keeled the whole game and it was really fun to see.”
Maggie Flaherty (Lakeville, Minn.) broke the ice for Team USA, scoring a power-play goal with a wrist shot from the right faceoff dot 10:42 into the first period. Anne Bloomer (Chicago, Ill.) and Samantha Burke (Eden Prairie, Minn.) added assists on the play. Winning a scrum in the opposing goaltender’s crease, Casey O’Brien (Milton, Mass.) added a second goal for the U.S. with 4:57 remaining, assisted by Makenna Webster (St. Louis, Mo.) and Dominique Petrie (Beverly Hills, Calif.). Webster added another tally, converting on an offensive zone takeaway with 1:13 remaining in the opening frame to give Team USA a three-goal advantage after one period.
Canada scored the only goal of the middle stanza thanks to Audrey-Anne Veillette’s power-play goal 6:24 into the period.
Reed helped the U.S. stave off pressure from Canada in the third period, and Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park, Ill.) added an empty-net goal in the final minute to make the final 4-1.
NOTES: The U.S. Women’s Under-18 Select Team was chosen from the USA Hockey Women’s National Festival that took place Aug. 8-14 in Lake Placid, New York … The Under-18 Series has been held annually since 2007 … All games from the series are being streamed live and are available at HockeyTV.com
