Canada 3-2 United States 
Four Nations Cup Preliminary Round
Interior Savings Centre, Kamloops 
Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Haley Irwin and Rebecca Johnston scored 46 seconds apart in the third period as Canada erased a late one-goal deficit to defeat the United States and send 4,500 fans home happy Wednesday night.

With just over five minutes to play, Irwin reeled in a centering pass just behind her in the slot, spun and slid the puck in on her backhand.

Less than a minute later, with Hilary Knight sitting two for roughing, Johnston tipped Courtney Birchard’s point shot past American goalie Alex Rigsby.

Johnston finished with two goals on the night. Birchard and Jamie Lee Rattray added two assists each, while Bailey Bram and Halli Krzyzaniak added an assist a piece. The point was Krzyzaniak’s first with the National Women’s Team.

Geneviève Lacasse made 30 saves in the win.

Dani Cameranesi and Shiann Darkangelo scored for the Americans. Rigsby made 18 saves in the loss.

The game marked the first time the two sides had seen each other since the gold medal game of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Despite the fact that half of the players on each roster were not in Sochi, the intensity that’s come to define the rivalry was still there.

The Americans got on the board first only two minutes in. Some sustained pressure down low ended when Emily Pfalzer sent a pass from below the goal line out front to Cameranesi. Her initial shot was stopped, but the winger whacked in the rebound.

Canada equalized midway through the period on the power play. Rattray fed Bram below the goal line, who one-timed a pass to Johnston in front.

The Americans regained the lead 4:18 into the second on a power play of their own, when Darkangelo pounced on a rebound just outside the crease.

There are no games Thursday at the 4 Nations Cup. Canada next plays Friday night against Finland, while the United States takes on Sweden in the afternoon.

BOXSCORE
1st Period
02:08 –  GOAL – Cameranesi (Pfalzer, Brandt)
08:41 –  PEN – Coyne, slashing
10:23 –  PP GOAL – Johnston (Bram, Rattray)
14:54 –  PEN – Wakefield, high sticking

2nd Period
23:47 –  PEN – Larocque, tripping
24:18 –  PP GOAL – Darkangelo (Lamoureux, Decker)
26:25 –  PEN – Bellamy, hooking
34:38 –  PEN – Lamoureux, body checking
38:29 –  PEN – Pankowski, holding

3rd Period
47:31 –  PEN – Lamoureux, interference
55:03 –  GOAL – Irwin (Rattray, Birchard)
55:49 –  PEN – Knight, roughing
56:20 –  PP GOAL – Johnston (Birchard, Krzyzaniak)
59:14 –  PEN – Larocque, high sticking
59:58 –  PEN – Rougeau, delay of game

GOALTENDERS
W:  Lacasse (30-32)
L:  Rigsby (18-21)

SHOTS ON GOAL
 5+11+5 = 21
 12+4+16 = 32

ROSTERS
 Goaltenders: Geneviève Lacasse, Emerance Maschmeyer. Defence: Erin Ambrose, Courtney Birchard, Halli Krzyzaniak, Jocelyne Larocque, Lauriane Rougeau (A), Tara Watchorn. Forwards: Bailey Bram, Jessica Campbell, Emily Clark, Haley Irwin (C), Brianne Jenner, Rebecca Johnston (A), Jenelle Kohanchuk, Jamie Lee Rattray, Jillian Saulnier, Natalie Spooner (A), Kelly Terry, Jennifer Wakefield.
 Goaltenders: Alex Rigsby, Molly Schaus. Defence: Kacey Bellamy (A), Megan Keller, Monique Lamoureux, Emily Pfalzer, Michelle Picard, Lee Stecklein. Forwards: Hannah Brandt, Dani Cameranesi, Alex Carpenter (C), Kendall Coyne, Shiann Darkangelo, Brianna Decker (A), Hilary Knight, Annie Pankowski, Amanda Pelkey, Paige Savage, Haley Skarupa, Dana Trivigno.

CANADA (C)	vs.	UNITED STATES
current champion (since 02/12/2014)	Last Title	02/12/2014
202	All-Time Wins	97
72 wins	Head-To-Head (+ 1 tie)	48 wins
First IHLC Meeting (CAN vs. USA)  CAN 2-1 USA  – 04/21/1987 – WWT – North York
Previous IHLC Meeting (CAN vs. USA)  CAN 3-2 USA  (OT) – 02/20/2014 – OG – Sochi
Last IHLC Game  CAN 2-0 SWE  – 11/04/2014 – FNC – Kamloops
Next IHLC Game  CAN 3-1 FIN  – 11/07/2014 – FNC – Kamloops

Article Credit: Hockey Canada
Photo Credit: CBC – IIHF – HHOF – IOC