Canadians Edge USA 2-1, Stretch Women's Hockey Win Streak To 23

Canadians edge USA 2-1, stretch women's hockey win streak to 23

Four-time defending champion Canada defeated arch-rival United States 2-1 in a grudge clash at the Pyeongchang Winter Games to stretch their Olympic women's hockey win streak to 23 games Thursday

Gangneung, South Korea, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Feb, 2018 ) :Four-time defending champion Canada defeated arch-rival United States 2-1 in a grudge clash at the Pyeongchang Winter Games to stretch their Olympic women's hockey win streak to 23 games Thursday.

Meghan Agosta and Sarah Nurse scored second-period goals and goaltender Genevieve Lacasse made 44 saves for the Canadians in the physical group-stage clash, expected to be a preview of next Thursday's gold-medal showdown.

Brianna Decker hit the post on a final US shot and a scramble in front of the Canada goal for the puck led to pushes and shoves well after the final horn. The victory over the world champion made Canada the top seed for Monday's semi-finals with the Americans second as both await Saturday quarter-final winners from among Switzerland, Finland, Sweden and the Olympic Athletes from Russia.

Agosta opened the scoring on the power play 7:18 into the second period, Natalie Spooner's backhand centering pass finding the stick of onrushing Agosta, who blasted the puck past US goaltender Maddie Rooney.

Nurse gave Canada a 2-0 edge just 7:38 later, her shot from the left wing grazing Rooney's upper right arm as it snuggled into the near corner of the net.

A melee in the Canadian crease led to a penalty shot for the Americans with 3:52 remaining in the second period but Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson's backhand went over the crossbar.

Kendall Coyne breathed life into the US cause just 23 seconds into the third period on a breakaway goal. She skated past four Canadian defenders then flipped a wrist shot through the legs of Lacasse, pulling the Americans within 2-1.

Canada had a goal disallowed with 9:08 remaining in the third period when video replay review ruled Haley Irwin kicked the puck past Rooney off a Spooner centering pass. The Americans denied two Canada power plays late in the third period and pulled Rooney for an extra attacker in the final minute as a "U-S-A" chant went up, but they could not manage the equaliser.

The Americans lost 3-2 in over-time to Canada in the 2014 final, surrendering a last-minute regulation equaliser and the game winner to 2018 Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin.