USA Claims Seventh Four Nations Cup Title
FINLAND – After falling to Canada the day before in the last game of the preliminary rounds, 3-2, USA rallied in the third period to defeat their rivals 5-3, to earn their seventh Four Nations Cup title.
Brianna Decker finished the night with one goal and two assists for three points while Boston Pride teammate; Hilary Knight added two goals in the win. Nine U.S players earned at least one point in the contest and Alex Rigsby claimed the win in net.
Down 1-0 in the first period, Haley Skarupa skated in on Emerance Maschmeyer put on a shot, which deflected, right to the stick of Emily Pfalzer for the equalizer. Just under 90 seconds later, Knight put one far post past the Canadian goaltender to give USA a 2-1 lead.
In the second period, Canada committed three of the four penalties in the period playing shorthanded for six of the 20 minutes. Although USA would put 13 shots on Maschmeyer none would find the back of the net.
Following the scoreless second, the third period saw an explosion of goal scoring. Canada’s Laura Stacey evened the game at two just over five minutes into the frame. The lead was short lived for the Canadians, as Decker would get her team ahead again just 57 seconds later.
Knight and Kelli Stack would also add to the scoring for the Americans to give USA a 5-2 lead in the third. Three goals in a five-minute span was all the team would need. A Marie-Philip Poulin goal late in the third made it 5-3 but the come back for Canada was a little too late.
Decker led the team in points with two goals and five assists in the Tournament. Rigsby earned the win for USA going 2-1 in three games in Four Nations Cup play.
