While the U.S. coasted to an easy 6-1 victory over Finland on Wednesday night at the Four Nations Cup, Canada battled to the end in a 3-2 win over Sweden.
Canada brought a roster full of younger players, including five current U.S. college players. None of them could get past Swedish goalie Kim Martin, so Canada had to rely on its veterans. Hayley Wickenheiser and Vicky Sunohara scored goals that put Canada up 1-0 and 2-1, respectively, but Sweden answered on the power play each time. UMD alum Maria Rooth assisted on the first goal and scored the second. Danielle Goyette scored the game-winner with 1:16 left. Jayna Hefford assisted on all three Canadian goals. Martin stopped 27 of 30 shots in defeat.
The U.S. players making their international debts had better fortune. One was Princeton sophomore Liz Keady, who scored two goals including the game-winner in the win over Finland.
Minnesota junior Krissy Wendell also had two goals. Minnesota-Duluth alum Jenny Potter and Princeton alum Andrea Kilbourne were the other goal scorers. Recent Northeastern alum Chanda Gunn stopped 14 of 15 shots for the win in net for the United States.
The U.S. will play Canada at 7 p.m. in Burlington, Vt. in what is expected to be a preview of the gold-medal game in Lake Placid. The top two teams in the four-team round-robin advance to the gold medal game.
