photo: Matt Zambonin/IIHF
The United States scored once in the first period and again in the second, then nursed the lead to perfection in the third to win their 10th U18 Women's World Championship gold medal by a 2-0 score. For Canada, the heartbreak of losing on home ice was dramatic. The country is now 0-3 in WW18 gold-medal games when hosting.
The Americans become the first WW18 team to win "perfect gold." That is, they never trailed and were never tied after 0-0 the entire tournament.
"I think that it's honestly credit to our coaches," said Talla Hansen, who assisted on both goals. "They're the ones that had instilled all our habits in us, and then obviously every single kid bought in. When that happens, you look at the outcome, I think it's great, and I think being able to do it for our country is the best thing ever."
Although Canada had more of the puck and the better chances, the Americans were flawless in their own end and lethal on the counter attack. And, goalie Bianca Birrittieri was flawless, stopping all 38 shots and giving up nary a rebound all night long.
"They've been training and buying in every day, all the time," said U.S. coach Courtney Kennedy. "We worked really hard and we pushed them hard. We were on the ice a lot, and we did a lot of video, and we were kind of kind of hard on them in terms of trying to understand the system. It's not a crazy system. It's literally play with your heart and play for each other. And they chose to do that, and I think that is what, watching them today choose time and time again to play the right way."
"I think we outplayed them, but we just couldn't get on our chances," said Canadian captain Hayley McDonald. "I think we came out, we played hard, we just couldn't finish. And that's just the game of hockey. It happens."
The opening period was a study in contrasts. There were bursts of offence either way and then tentative play which produced countless icings from errant passes or nervous play.
Canada had the first chance, in the opening minute, thanks to a great rush down the left wing by Rosalie Tremblay. She found Adrianna Milani hustling to the net, and Milani redirected the pass to the goal where Birrittieri made a nice glove save.
At the other end, Kylie Amelkovich tried a wraparound that went through the crease, and soon after the Canadians had the first power play when Maggie Averill inadvertently put the puck over the glass in her end.
Although Canada moved the puck around crisply and generated several shots, none got past Birrittieri. And then, at 14:08, the Americans opened the scoring on a set faceoff play in the Canada end.
Hansen pushed the puck ahead off the drop of the puck and passed right away to Emily Pohl who was already headed to the goal. She knocked it in to silence the sellout crowd at Centre 200, and although Canada had the more effective puck possession, the period ended 1-0.
"We get to play with each other outside of USA Hockey, so we've done this before," Pohl explained. "We brought it here, and we used it earlier in the tournament and it worked. And then I was kind of like, 'Hey, want to do it?' And [Hansen] executed it perfectly. I just had to tap it in."
Canada dominated the second period but left in worse shape than when they started. They were more aggressive in generating offense and spent more time in the U.S. zone, but they either over-passed or were denied by Birrittieri. She was a veritable vacuum who didn't give any rebounds. She made great saves on clear shots from Alida Korte and Maddie McCullough in particular. But the key was the transition game of the U.S.
They were lightning fast on the counter attack, so any loss of possession in the American end was a red flag. Indeed, that is how the visitors upped their lead. Canada lost the puck just inside the U.S. blue line, and a wave of blue sped up ice sensing an opportunity. Lea-Rose Charrois made the initial save, but Lindsay Stepnowski cashed in on the rebound at 18:17.
Try as they might, the Canadians were denied time and again by the determined U.S. defence. Birrittieri made her best save in the third. Milani was in the slot to knock a loose puck into the empty net, but the goalie dove and poked the puck away just in time.
The Americans become the first WW18 team to win "perfect gold." That is, they never trailed and were never tied after 0-0 the entire tournament.
"I think that it's honestly credit to our coaches," said Talla Hansen, who assisted on both goals. "They're the ones that had instilled all our habits in us, and then obviously every single kid bought in. When that happens, you look at the outcome, I think it's great, and I think being able to do it for our country is the best thing ever."
Although Canada had more of the puck and the better chances, the Americans were flawless in their own end and lethal on the counter attack. And, goalie Bianca Birrittieri was flawless, stopping all 38 shots and giving up nary a rebound all night long.
"They've been training and buying in every day, all the time," said U.S. coach Courtney Kennedy. "We worked really hard and we pushed them hard. We were on the ice a lot, and we did a lot of video, and we were kind of kind of hard on them in terms of trying to understand the system. It's not a crazy system. It's literally play with your heart and play for each other. And they chose to do that, and I think that is what, watching them today choose time and time again to play the right way."
"I think we outplayed them, but we just couldn't get on our chances," said Canadian captain Hayley McDonald. "I think we came out, we played hard, we just couldn't finish. And that's just the game of hockey. It happens."
The opening period was a study in contrasts. There were bursts of offence either way and then tentative play which produced countless icings from errant passes or nervous play.
Canada had the first chance, in the opening minute, thanks to a great rush down the left wing by Rosalie Tremblay. She found Adrianna Milani hustling to the net, and Milani redirected the pass to the goal where Birrittieri made a nice glove save.
At the other end, Kylie Amelkovich tried a wraparound that went through the crease, and soon after the Canadians had the first power play when Maggie Averill inadvertently put the puck over the glass in her end.
Although Canada moved the puck around crisply and generated several shots, none got past Birrittieri. And then, at 14:08, the Americans opened the scoring on a set faceoff play in the Canada end.
Hansen pushed the puck ahead off the drop of the puck and passed right away to Emily Pohl who was already headed to the goal. She knocked it in to silence the sellout crowd at Centre 200, and although Canada had the more effective puck possession, the period ended 1-0.
"We get to play with each other outside of USA Hockey, so we've done this before," Pohl explained. "We brought it here, and we used it earlier in the tournament and it worked. And then I was kind of like, 'Hey, want to do it?' And [Hansen] executed it perfectly. I just had to tap it in."
Canada dominated the second period but left in worse shape than when they started. They were more aggressive in generating offense and spent more time in the U.S. zone, but they either over-passed or were denied by Birrittieri. She was a veritable vacuum who didn't give any rebounds. She made great saves on clear shots from Alida Korte and Maddie McCullough in particular. But the key was the transition game of the U.S.
They were lightning fast on the counter attack, so any loss of possession in the American end was a red flag. Indeed, that is how the visitors upped their lead. Canada lost the puck just inside the U.S. blue line, and a wave of blue sped up ice sensing an opportunity. Lea-Rose Charrois made the initial save, but Lindsay Stepnowski cashed in on the rebound at 18:17.
Try as they might, the Canadians were denied time and again by the determined U.S. defence. Birrittieri made her best save in the third. Milani was in the slot to knock a loose puck into the empty net, but the goalie dove and poked the puck away just in time.
Gold Medal Game: USA vs Canada - 2026 IIHF U18 Women's Worlds Championship
OF