BUFFALO – It may be déja-vu all over again, but judging by what was a thrilling game between the United States and Canada on the opening day of the 2015 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, hockey fans in Buffalo can look forward to USA-Canada Round Two (or eight, as this is their eighth meeting in the women's U18 gold medal game), as the Americans defeated the Czech Republic 5-0, setting up yet another gold medal rematch with their northern rivals.
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USA – Czech Republic 5-0 (2-0, 2-0, 1-0)
The United States controlled the Czech Republic throughout the game, giving up few chances while Rebecca Gilmore and Melissa Samoskevich combined for seven points in a 5-0 shutout.
“We’re just ready to go, this is our last chance, and we’ve had a great time we’ve been here 16 days and we’re all set to go,” said captain Jincy Dunne, who has been to the last two finals and ended up with silver in both. “We just want to go out there and play for each other, play for the USA and just do it.”
For the Czechs the game was more or less a repeat of the preliminary round matchup between the two teams from Group A. In that meeting, the Americans shut out the Czech’s 3-0 as goaltender Brittany Bugalski faced just eight shots in the game.
Her counterpart Kaitlin Burt was in net for the semi-final rematch. She was tested early, facing three consecutive Czech power plays to start the game. At the other end Katerina Zechovska, who along with Blanka Skodova have formed a formidable goaltending duo for the Czechs, was called upon early to make some big saves as the Americans put the pressure on after killing off the early penalties.
But while the Americans did not give up a score despite the early penalty trouble, when it was the turn of the Czechs to go on the penalty kill Jincy Dunne found Rebecca Gilmore open at the left circle with a pass, allowing Gilmore to take a few strides and rip a shot straight into the top corner for the game’s first goal.
“Our team has been really good at killing off penalties, taking that momentum and giving it right back to them.” said Gilmore, who scored her first two of the tournament in the semi-final.
Then with 1:57 remaining on the clock, Samoskevich set up Gilmore for her second of the night with a great cross-ice pass down low, adding another couple of points to what has been the United States’ top line of the tournament.
“I did not see her, but she was talking, she was screaming ‘Here!’,” said Samoskevich with a laugh.
Team USA extended the lead to 3-0 seven minutes into the second period, as Samoskevich scored on a great drop play set up by Gilmore. Later on Samoskevich collected her sixth goal of the tournament and fourth point of the game with 3:31 to go in the second, scooping up a rebound of the boards from a point shot by Dunne. A fifth goal for the Americans in the third period by Samantha Davis closed out the game.
The victory sends the United States to the gold medal game, where the team has lost the last three years to Canada but has to feel confident after defeating the Canadians in their opening game and outscoring their opponents 12-1 in the last two games. However, the States will be trying to erase three years of bad luck at the women’s U18 gold medal game, where it has dropped 3-0, 2-1, and 5-1 decisions in 2012, 2013, and 2014 respectively.
"We started the tournament with them, and we talked about team chemistry and sticking to our systems and that's what it'll come down to tomorrow," said USA head coach Joel Johnson.
As for the Czechs, they will for the second year in a row play against Russia in the bronze medal game. In Budapest 2014, A second period goal by Aneta Terjalova was the difference in a 1-0 Czech victory that gave the country its first bronze medal since the inaugural tournament in 2008.
So the stage is set for a pair of medal rematches. Czech Republic-Russia is at 15:00 EDT. Faceoff for Canada-USA is at 19:00 EDT.
ADAM STEISS
