GOALS COME ‘NATURAL’ TO JOHNSTON IN U22 WIN

RAVENSBURG, GERMANY – It is off to the semifinals for Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team at the 2009 MLP Cup.

Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, ON/Cornell University, ECAC) scored a natural hat trick and added an assist as Canada routed Russia 11-0 to wrap up first place in Group A and record its 21st win in 22 games all-time at the tournament. Fourteen of Canada’s 18 skaters had at least one point in the win.

Jennifer Wakefield (Pickering, ON/University of New Hampshire, HE) also had a multiple-goal game, scoring twice, while nine players recorded multiple points, led by Johnston and Courtney Birchard (Mississauga, ON/University of New Hampshire, HE), who racked up four assists. Christina Kessler (Oakville, ON/Harvard University, ECAC) made 15 saves for the shutout in her tournament debut.

The Canadians struck three times in the first period, five times in the second and three more in the third, and were 3-for-5 with the man advantage, including one goal while up two players.

It took less than five minutes for the Canadians to hit the scoreboard, as captain Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, ON/Mercyhurst College, CHA) notched her third goal in two games just 4:44 after the opening face-off. Wakefield and Haley Irwin (Thunder Bay, ON/University of Minnesota-Duluth, WCHA) scored 38 seconds apart midway through the period to extend the lead to 3-0 after 20 minutes.

Jocelyne Larocque (Ste. Anne, MB/University of Minnesota-Duluth, WCHA), Wakefield, Ann-Sophie Bettez (Sept-Îles, QC/McGill University, CIS) and Johnston – twice – scored in the second period, chasing Russian netminder Valentina Ostrovlyanchik. Johnston completed her hat trick early in the final period and Natalie Spooner (Scarborough, ON/Ohio State University, WCHA) and Laura Fridfinnson (Arborg, MB/University of Minnesota-Duluth, WCHA) rounded out the scoring.

Canada will await the result of Sunday night’s game between Sweden and Germany to find out who and when they will play in Monday’s semifinals.

Goals/Buts :
04:44 CAN Meghan Agosta (Mallory Deluce, Rebecca Johnston) PP
09:48 CAN Haley Irwin (Laura Fridfinnson, Emmanuelle Blais)
10:26 CAN Jennifer Wakefield (Courtney Birchard, Brittaney Maschmeyer)

Penalties/Pénalités :
03:35 RUS Tatiana Sotnikova (Tripping/Trèbucher)
11:59 CAN Bailey Bram (High-sticking/Baton èlevè)
14:12 CAN Katelyn Ptolemy (Interference/Obstruction)
18:18 RUS Svetlana Terentieva (Tripping/Trèbucher)

Goals/Buts :
08:44 CAN Jocelyne Larocque (Natalie Spooner, Bailey Bram) PP
10:02 CAN Jennifer Wakefield (Dominique Thibault, Courtney Birchard) PP
12:00 CAN Ann-Sophie Bettez (Haley Irwin, Natalie Spooner)
15:24 CAN Rebecca Johnston (Courtney Birchard, Haley Irwin)
18:33 CAN Rebecca Johnston (Courtney Birchard)

Penalties/Pénalités :
04:34 CAN Brittany Haverstock (Tripping/Trèbucher)
07:35 RUS Inna Dyubanok (Slashing/Coup de baton)
08:32 RUS Svetlana Terentieva (High-sticking/Baton èlevè)
13:09 CAN Emmanuelle Blais (Hooking/Accrocher)
18:01 CAN Emmanuelle Blais (Roughing/Rudesse)
18:01 RUS Evgenia Tsoraeva (Roughing/Rudesse)

Goals/Buts :
02:39 CAN Rebecca Johnston (Dominique Thibault)
08:11 CAN Natalie Spooner (Bailey Bram, Ann-Sophie Bettez)
13:58 CAN Laura Fridfinnson (Emmanuelle Blais)

Penalties/Pénalités :
03:11 CAN Natalie Spooner (Hooking/Accrocher)
11:54 RUS Marina Sergina (Tripping/Trèbucher)
20:00 RUS Tatiana Sotnikova (Holding/Retenir)