CANADA WINS 3-2 TO TAKE THE SECOND GAME OF THE SERIES

LAKE PLACID, New York – Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team won Game 2 of its three game series against Team U.S.A. with a 3-2 win in a penalty-filled game before 500 fans in Lake Placid on Friday night. Canada held on for the win, despite giving up a shorthanded goal to the US late in the game.

In much the same way they had played the night before, both teams were a little cautious at the start of the game and the first period ended with a scoreless tie. The referee continued to call a tight game, providing Canada and the US with power play opportunities. However, neither team created much in the way of scoring chances. At the end of 20 minutes, Canada held a 10-6 advantage in shots.

Canada started the second period on the power play and scored 38 seconds into it when Laura Fridfinnson tucked the rebound in behind the US goaltender Brittany Martin. The play was created when Meghan Agosta skated out from below the goal line to take the initial shot. Catherine Ward got the second assist on the goal. Both teams exchanged power plays before the midway mark of the second period but were unable to score.

Canada got its second goal of the period on a bit of a miscue when a Stephanie Jones pass from the right wing ended up behind Jennifer Wakefield. Wakefield continued to the net, creating some space in the high slot which allowed Valerie Chouinard to step in to the free puck in the high slot, drive a low slap shot into the right side of the net and widen Canada’s lead 15 minutes into the second period.

The Americans narrowed the lead to one with less than a minute left in the period. Canada had just killed off a penalty and the teams were at even strength when US defender Kacey Bellamy wristed a low shot through the crowd to the net. Laura Hosier stopped the initial shot but the Canadian defenders were unable to clear the puck. GiGi Marvin got the first US goal of the night when she stuffed the puck into the net after a pass from Meghan Duggan. The period ended 2-1 for Canada.

Canada started the third period strong and was rewarded for its efforts when Wakefield got her first international goal at the 3:13 mark of the third period to reestablish the Canadian lead at two. With Martin down and outside the crease, Wakefield had the whole net to shoot at when Chouinard passed her own rebound to the Canadian forward.

The third period saw the US go to the penalty box four times. But Canada was unable to convert on any of those opportunities, including a two-man advantage that lasted one minute. The Americans narrowed the gap to one with a shorthanded goal when they stole a puck from a Canadian defender in the Canadian corner. Parsons collected the puck and made no mistake in firing it behind a sprawling Hosier with 1:20 left in the game. After a US timeout, the Canadians did a great job of keeping their opponent out on the defensive, never allowing them to add the extra attacker in an attempt to the tie game.

The two teams meet again on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. ET in the final game of the three-game series.