Grace Dwyer scored the third-period winner. Tournament scoring leader Laila Edwards (4+4=8) got her stick on an errant Swedish clearing pass and directed it to Dwyer, who beat goalie Lisa Jonsson high to the glove side with 6:31 left.
To say the least, this was a physical, intense battle. Sweden led 2-1 after a second period in which the Americans racked up 14 PIM, but couldn’t seal the deal. The Swedes will face Finland in the bronze medal game.
The U.S. won the 2020 tournament in Bratislava with a 2-1 overtime triumph over Canada. They boast eight gold medals all-time. Now number nine might be right around the corner on Monday night. They trounced Canada 7-0 in the Group A finale, their biggest margin of victory ever over their cross-border foe.
Over the years, the Swedes have struggled to beat the Stars and Stripes. For example, the Americans walloped Sweden 9-3 in the 2018 gold medal game in Dmitrov. The bigger U.S. win ever over Sweden was 10-0 in 2011. And of course, the U.S. won the opener here in Madison 6-1, kicking off a preliminary round with a goal difference of 18-1.
However, this semi-final was the U.S’s toughest test yet, despite outshooting Sweden 53-24.
In goal, Sweden’s Jonsson was magnificent with 50 saves. U.S. starter Annelies Bergmann made 22 saves.
The U.S.’s Sydney Morrow scored her first goal of the tournament to increase her points lead among U18 Women’s Worlds defenders (1+7=8). Maggie Scannell also had a goal.
Stella Lindell and Mira Jungaker replied for Sweden. Tuva Kandell, the leading scorer among Swedish blueliners, added two assists.
The Swedes can be proud. They still have high hopes of beating Finland in the bronze medal game. The Swedes rallied from a 3-2 third-period deficit to top…
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