US beats Switzerland 3-Zero to open girls’s world hockey

CALGARY, Alberta — Brianna Decker and Kendall Coyne Schofield every had a aim and an help and the nine-time champion United States beat Switzerland 3-Zero on Friday night time to open the ladies’s world hockey championship.

The match started with the Beijing Olympics lower than six months away. The world championship was final performed in 2019 in Finland, with the USA profitable its fifth straight title. The pandemic twice pressured the cancellation of the occasion in Nova Scotia.

Grace Zumwinkle additionally scored for the USA and Alex Cavallini made 10 saves. Andrea Braendli stopped 55 photographs for Switzerland.

“I believed it was an ideal sport and we’re actually excited concerning the consequence, but in addition in how we performed as a staff” U.S. coach Joel Johnson mentioned. “It simply felt actually good to get out and play. The Swiss have an ideal staff and performed us powerful, nevertheless it actually speaks to how aggressive the sport has change into everywhere in the world.”

Decker opened the scoring at 4:29 of the primary interval, Coyne Schofield related at 4:08 of the second, and Grace Zumwinkle capped the scoring with 1:36 left within the second. Decker assisted on Coyne Schofield’s aim to tie the American world championship assists report of 38 held by Krissy Wendell and Jennie Potter.

Earlier within the first Group A sport, Sarah Fillier broke a tie halfway by way of the third interval and Canada rallied to beat Finland 5-3. Within the lone Group B sport of the day, Alena Mills had three targets and an help within the Czech Republic’s 6-1 victory over Denmark.

All 5 groups in Group A and the highest three in Group B will advance to the quarterfinals. America will face Finland on Sunday night time.

Fillier scored 25 seconds after Elisa Holopainen tied it for Finland. Fillier scored on a rebound after Anni Keisala stopped Natalie Spooner’s wraparound try.

“I feel when you may have vitality and a no-quit perspective and also you add grit, good issues are going to occur,” Cabadian ahead Brianne Jenner mentioned.

Ten-time champion Canada overcame a two-goal deficit when Jamie Rattray and Marie-Philip Poulin scored in a 20-second span within the second interval. Nelli Laitinen and Minnamari Tuominen scored for Finland in a 3:40 span early within the first, with Tuominen connecting with two Canadians within the penalty field.

Erin Ambrose gave Canada a 3-2 lead early within the third, and Jenner had an empty-net aim within the closing minute.

Ann-Renee Desbiens made eight saves for Canada. Keisala stopped 39 photographs.

Vendula Pribylova, Dominika Laskova and Kristyna Patkova additionally scored for the Czech Republic, and Klara Peslarova made eight saves.

Josefine Persson scored for Denmark. The Danes are competing within the prime division for the primary time since 1992.