LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Rebecca Gilmore (Wayland, Mass.) and Natalie Snodgrass (Eagan, Minn.) each tallied a goal but the U.S. Women’s Under-18 Select Team couldn’t respond to a late marker by Canada as the U.S. dropped the first game of the 2015 Under-18 Series, 3-2.
Today was the first in a three-game series between the two teams at the Herb Brooks Arena at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York.
“It was fast-paced game and I was pleased with how we came together and competed,” said Joel Johnson (White Bear Lake, Minn.), head coach of the U.S. Women’s Under-18 Select Team. “It was definitely a strong effort by our team and it could have gone either way. We look forward to playing them again tomorrow.”
Gilmore put the U.S. on the board at 10:54 of the opening period when she received a pass from Sydney Brodt (North Oaks, Minn.) and skated down the ice before beating Canada goaltender Edith D’Astous-Moreau.
Canada tied the game two minutes later, but Team USA responded to regain the lead with 2:59 remaining in the period. Valerie Turgeon (Denver, Colo.) found Snodgrass at the left post for the tap-in goal.
At 6:27 of the second stanza, Canada’s Victoria Howran made the score 2-2 with a shot that made it through a crowded U.S. crease. Team USA killed off two consecutive penalties, including 28 seconds of a Canadian five-on-three, to keep the score tied heading into the third period.
With 3:08 to play in the third period, Canada scored to account for the 3-2 final.
U.S. goaltender Beth Larcom (Middleton, R.I.) stopped 15 of 18 shots in her Team USA debut.
Notes: The U.S. Women’s Under-18 Select Team was chosen from the USA Hockey Women’s National Festival that took place Aug. 11-16 in Lake Placid, New York … All games from the series are being streamed live and are available at usahockey.fasthockey.com … Follow @USAHockeyScores on Twitter for live scoring updates with the #U18Series hashtag … A complete on-ice schedule, including games, and series information can be found here … The Under-18 Series has been held annually since 2007.
