CALGARY, Alberta – Kaitlin Burt (Lynn, Mass.) made 14 saves as the U.S. Women’s Under-22 Select Team defeated Canada, 3-2, to close out the 2016 Under-22 Series at the Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary, Alberta.
“I felt that we got better each game and the team really got what it deserved tonight with a big win,” said Bob Deraney, head coach of the 2016 U.S. Women’s Under-22 Select Team. “I’m really proud of how far we came as a team from game one until now.”
Amy Menke (Shakopee, Minn.) got the U.S. on the board with a goal 3:18 into play. Menke one-timed a cross-ice feed from Rebecca Gilmore (Wayland, Mass.) past goaltender Erica Howe for the score. Canada tied the game, 1-1, with a marker from Rebecca Leslie with 5:46 left in the opening period.
Annie Pankowski (Laguna Hills, Calif.) gave the U.S. a 2-1 advantage with a goal just 10 seconds into the second period. Pankowski entered the zone, deked around a Canadian defender and beat Howe glove-side for the goal. Canada tied the game, 2-2, with a power-play goal by Emily Clark at 8:55 of the period before Melissa Samoskevich (Sandy Hook, Conn.) tallied a power-play goal assisted by Caitrin Lonergan (Roslindale, Mass.) and Makenna Newkirk (Scottsdale, Ariz.) to give Team USA a 3-2 lead after two periods.
The U.S. killed off a late penalty in the final period to preserve the 3-2 victory. Team USA outshot Canada 31-16 overall.
Kelsey Koelzer (Horsham, Penn.) also picked up an assist for Team USA.
NOTES: The U.S. Women’s Under-22 Select Team was chosen from the USA Hockey Women’s National Festival that took place Aug. 8-12 in Lake Placid, New York … The three-game series vs. Canada is an annual event between the two countries held 12 times since 1999 … Team USA holds a 14-4-3-16-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) record against Canada.
