Eight players scored goals and 11 different U.S. skaters had at least one point to help the U.S. Women’s National Team defeat Sweden, 10-0, in the opening game of the 2013 Four Nations Cup here tonight.
“I loved how our team played today,” said head coach Katey Stone. “We played with a lot of jump, a lot of intensity and a real sense of urgency. We played smart, simple hockey. We take everyday as it comes and we just have to find a way to win the game in front of us. We have great effort and hustle and I’m happy with where our team is at right now. We just need to work as hard as we can.”
Kendall Coyne (Palos Heights, Ill./Northeastern University) and Gigi Marvin (Warroad, Minn./University of Minnesota) each had two-goal outings, while Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass./Boston College) and Kelli Stack (Brooklyn Heights, Ohio/Boston College) contributed three points each to lead all U.S. skaters in that category during the game.
Team USA started strong and was able to score four first-period goals despite several quality saves by Sweden goaltender Sara Grahn in the opening minutes of the game.
Meghan Duggan (Danvers, Mass./University of Wisconsin) started the scoring when she redirected a shot from the point into the net at 13:01. Coyne knocked in a rebound 36 seconds later to give the United States an important 2-0 advantage. Then, just three minutes later, Anne Schleper (St. Cloud, Minn./University of Minnesota) and Marvin each found the back of the net in a 38-second span to double Team USA’s lead heading into the first intermission.
Stack extended the U.S. lead 12:25 into the middle period when she intercepted a pass and beat Grahn on a breakaway. Jocelyn Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D./University of North Dakota) stretched the American’s lead to 6-0 with just 38 seconds remaining in the period on a well-placed shot from the slot.
Marvin scored her second goal of the game just after the 10-minute mark of the third. Hilary Knight(Sun Valley, Idaho/University of Wisconsin) converted two minutes later, and tallies by Carpenter and Coyne in the final five minutes capped the scoring.
Goaltenders Jessie Vetter (Cottage Grove, Wis./University of Wisconsin) and Molly Schaus (Natick, Mass./Boston College) split time in net and combined for an eight-save shutout.
The U.S. Women’s National Team will be back in action tomorrow night when it plays Canada in the second game of the 2013 Four Nations Cup for both teams.
For a complete box score, click here.
