Team USA Shuts Down Finland, 5-0

Just a minute into the middle frame a turnover in the neutral zone opened a breakaway opportunity for Finland, but goaltender Morgan Stickney (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) cut the angle down and stopped a five-hole shot, maintaining the U.S.’ one-goal lead.  

The U.S. doubled its lead after a misread from Finland’s defense gave the U.S. a 2-on-0 opportunity in tight. Christina Scalese (West Boylston, Mass.) hit Ella Johnson (Palmer, Alaska) in the slot who one-timed a rocket five-hole to extend the lead to 2-0.  

The third goal of the game came off Sloane Hartmetz (Phoeniville, Pa.) stick as she rifled a cross-ice shot over the shoulder of Finland’s Kerttu Kuja-Halkola to open a 3-0 lead with 8:57 remaining in the second.  

Kylie Amelkovich’s (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) backhanded tip with 7.6 seconds remaining in the middle frame extended Team USA’s lead to 4-0.  

The captain, Bella Fanale (Webster, N.Y.) recorded a goal off her own rebound after a shot from the left hash careened back to her right outside the crease in the back half of the third, giving the U.S. a commanding 5-0 lead.  

Stickney recorded a seven-save shutout in net, her third of the tournament. With the win, Stickney has 180:00 of consecutive shutout play, a new single-tournament record, topping the U.S. Sidney Peters, who had 179:47 of shoutout play in 2013.  

NOTES: Sloane Hartmetz was named U.S. Player of the Game … The U.S. outshot Finland, 59-7 … The U.S. was 1-4 on the power play, while Finland was 0-2.