Source: Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press, April 5th, 2016
Alex Carpenter dashed Canada’s hopes of reclaiming women’s world hockey championship gold on home ice.
The daughter of former NHL player Bobby Carpenter scored the overtime winner for the United States in a 1-0 win over the host country Monday in Kamloops, B.C.
The U.S. went undefeated in the tournament en route to a third straight world title. Coached by former NHL defenceman Ken Klee, the Americans outscored their opponents 23-2 in the tournament.
Canada and the U.S. have met in every final of the 17 women’s world championship. Canada won the first eight, but momentum has swung south of the border with their archrivals taking seven of the last nine.
“For sure this one stings a lot more, especially playing in Canada,” Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin said. “Every time you work so hard for something and you get silver, that’s hard.”
In contrast to last year’s 7-5 finale, the 2016 championship game at the Sandman Centre was a goaltending showcase.
Emerance Maschmeyer of Bruderheim, Alta., made 33 saves in her first start in a world championship final. The 21-year-old dressed for two games but did not play in Malmo, Sweden, in 2015.
Alex Rigsby posted a 32-save shutout. The 24-year-old finished out last year’s final playing just over a period in relief of Jessie Vetter. Rigsby said the experience set the table for her in Kamloops.
“It definitely helped getting that gold-medal victory,” she said. “Same thing, it was going out there and making sure I was trusting my talent and making sure I was doing the things I could do to help our team be successful.”
Canada’s power-play went 0-for-6, including a pair of chances in overtime.
“I thought we were all over them and we just had an unlucky bounce,” Canadian forward Meghan Agosta said. “We had power play after power play and couldn’t put it in. Emerance Maschmeyer, she kept us in the game.