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United States Golden At Womens Worlds - United States 3 Canada 2 (OT) - Friday, April 7 - USAHockey.com
Plymouth, Michigan - Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho) scored the game-winning goal with 9:43 to play in overtime, as the United States Women’s National Team defeated Canada's Womens National Team 3-2 in the Gold Medal game of the 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championship at USA Hockey Arena. Kacey Bellamy (Westfield, Massachusetts) scored the other two United States goals. Nicole Hensley (Lakewood, Colorado) made 28 saves in goal for the win.
“Our goal was to come in on day one and be better by the end and I think we accomplished that,†said Robb Stauber, head coach of the 2017 United States Women’s National Team.
“I’m so proud of this team. It’s an unbelievable feeling to have been able to win a gold medal here tonight in front of our amazing fans.â€
The victory gives the United States Women’s National Team its fourth consecutive world championship and seventh in the past eight world championship. United States who finished the event with a 5-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record, went undefeated at the tournament for the third consecutive year and has now won its eight world championship overall.
Canada opened the scoring 1:01 into play with a goal by Meghan Agosta on a two-on-one rush.
The United States responded 3:33 later when Bellamy beat goaltender Shannon Szabados with a slap shot from the point.
Both teams traded chances throughout the rest of the opening period but remained tied entering the first intermission.
United States successfully killed off a pair of Canadian power-play opportunities in the opening ten minutes of the second period.
Goaltender Hensley kept the score tied with a sprawling glove save on the rush later in the period.
Just 42 seconds into the final period, Bellamy gave the United States a 2-1 lead with her second goal of the contest.
The play started when Knight gathered the puck at the side of the net and fed a centering pass between her legs for Bellamy, who buried the puck for the score.
Brianne Jenner scored unassisted for Canada with 10:16 to play to tie the game.
The United States had two power-plays in the final 7:24 of regulation, but was unable to convert as the world championship entered overtime for the second straight year.
Knight retrieved a pass from Kendall Coyne (Palos Heights, Illinois) and delivered the game-winner with a slap shot from the left circle 9:43 into overtime.
Game Notes - The United States outshot Canada 40-30 - finished 0-for-5 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.
Kacey Bellamy was named the United States Player Of The Game.
Kendall Coyne, Brianna Decker and Nicole Hensley were named the Top Three United States Players Of The World Championship.
Decker was also named the World Championship Most Valuable Player and Top Forward.
United States outscored its opponents 28-5 in five games at the World Championship.
The United States is now the four-time defending champion and has played Canada in the gold medal game in all 18 IIHF Women’s World Championships.
They have capturing the Gold Medal a total of eight times (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017), including seven of the last eight championships.
http://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/778881?referrer_id=695820
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