Ice Hockey-U.S. Women's Under-18 Select Team Edged by Canada, 3-2, in OT

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – After battling back from a 2-0 deficit and Amanda Kessel (Madison, Wis.) scoring with :46 left in the third period to force overtime, the U.S. Women's Under-18 Select Team fell to Canada by a 3-2 count here today in the Women's Under-18 Series at the Olympic Center. The Americans finished with a 2-0-1-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record in the three-game series.

"The third period of today's game was our best of the series," said Mark Johnson, head coach for Team USA and also the head women's ice hockey coach for the University of Wisconsin. "After being down 2-0, we challenged our team and they responded and gave themselves an opportunity to win the game. I'm happy with today, but also with the overall effort during the three games.

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Canada made an early mark on the score sheet when Laurie Kingsbury lifted in her own rebound from the goalmouth at 1:38 of the opening frame. The remainder of the period was fast and physical, but scoreless, with a total of 28 shots, including 16 for Team USA and 12 for Canada.

The Canadians extended their lead to 2-0 in the second stanza when Brianna Jenner tapped one in from the left side off a pass in front of the net from Marie-Philip Poulin at 5:00. Team USA continued to lead in shots, posting a 12-8 advantage in the middle 20 minutes.

Jamie Kenyon (Sparta, Wis.) put the Americans on the scoreboard early in the third period. Amanda Pelkey (Montpelier, Vt.) set Kenyon up for a quick one-timer in front of Canada goaltender Roxanne Douville at 2:18 to cut the Canadian lead in half.

Team USA controlled play throughout the majority of the last frame, not allowing Canada to get a shot for the first 10 minutes. Still down 2-1 with :46 left in regulation, Kessel tallied a goal to force overtime.

In the five-minute extra session, Canada's Breann Frykas shoveled the puck under Corinne Boyles' (Wheaton, Ill) legs at 3:11 to account for the 3-2 win.

The United States outshot Canada, 43-28.

NOTES: The United States was 0-for-6 on the power play, while Canada was 0-for-4 ... Brianna Decker led Team USA with six points (4-2) in three games ... Joining Mark Johnson behind the bench as assistant coaches of the U.S. Women's Under-18 Select Team were Jeff Giesen (St. Cloud, Minn.), head women's ice hockey coach at St. Cloud State University, and Katie King (Brighton, Mass.), head women's ice hockey coach at Boston College.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

First Period - Scoring: 1, CAN, Kingsbury (Langan, Menard), 1:38. Penalties: CAN, Fratkin (holding), 8:04; CAN, Kingsbury (cross-checking), 12:57; USA, Kelter (tripping), 16:44; USA, Bolden (tripping), 19:57.

Second Period - Scoring: 2, CAN, Jenner (Poulin, Campbell), 5:00. Penalties: USA, Kelter (body checking), 1:45; CAN, Poulin (cross-checking), 7:32; CAN, Cruickshank (roughing), 17:57.

Third Period - Scoring: 3, USA, Kenyon (Pelkey, Dempsey), 2:18. Penalties: USA, Bolden (body checking), 7:32; CAN, Lacquette (tripping), 9:14; CAN, Rattray (slashing), 10:44.

Overtime - Scoring: 5, CAN, Frykas (Poulin, Lacquette), 3:11.