VIERUMAKI, Finland – Eleven different players tallied points as the U.S. Women’s National Team topped Sweden, 6-0, here tonight in the opening game of the 2016 Four Nations Cup.
Hannah Brandt (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) and Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho) led Team USA with two goals each, while Haley Skarupa (Rockville, Md.) dished out three assists.
“We came out and played an up-tempo game and capitalized offensively,” said Ken Klee, head coach of the 2016 U.S. Women’s National Team. “We’ll shore up a few minor things and work to get better each game in the tournament.”
Megan Bozek (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) staked Team USA a 1-0 lead 7:23 into the opening period with a wrist shot from the point that found its way through traffic and past Sweden goaltender Lovisa Berndtsson.
Just 3:47 later, Brandt tucked home a rebound on the power play to double the U.S. lead.
Team USA continued to generate scoring chances throughout the opening frame, and earned a 3-0 lead when captain Meghan Duggan (Danvers, Mass.) one-timed a feed by Monique Lamoureux-Morando (Grand Forks, N.D.) from the left face-off circle past Berndtsson with just three seconds remaining in the period.
Knight extended the U.S. advantage to 4-0 at 8:32 of the second frame. Kendall Coyne (Palos Heights, Ill) threaded a pass through traffic to Knight, who fired a shot off the post before collecting her own rebound and backhanding the puck in for the score.
Knight scored her second goal on a rebound with 3:31 left in the second period to give Team USA a 5-0 lead entering the final frame.
Brandt netted her second tally with 7:24 remaining to make the final 6-0.
Alex Rigsby (Delafield, Wis.) stopped eight shots to earn the shutout victory.
Team USA continues play in the Four Nations Cup tomorrow (Nov. 2) against host Finland in Kerava at 12:30 p.m. ET.
NOTES: Brandt was named U.S. Player of the Game … The U.S. outshot Sweden 33-8 in the contest … Reagan Carey (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Hockey’s director of women’s hockey, is the general manager of the 2016 U.S. Women’s National Team. Ken Klee (Denver, Colo.) is the head coach of the 2016 U.S. Women’s National Team at the Four Nations Cup. He is assisted by Robb Stauber (Medina, Minn.), Brett Strot (Tampa, Fla.) and Chris Tamer (Dearborn, Mich.) … The Four Nations Cup is an annual tournament that has been held in varying forms since 1996 (previously the Three Nations Cup). The U.S. is competing against Canada, Sweden and Finland in this year’s tournament. It is the 21st year of the tournament and the United States has competed 20 times, having not participated in 2001. The United States has captured the title six times (1997, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2015), finished second 12 times and third in the tournament in 2013. The Americans hold an overall record of 43-6-5-23-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) in 79 Three/Four Nations Cup games.
