MATCH NOTES: CANADA V. UNITED STATES (JAN 12)
Just one win away from capturing an eighth world title, Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team meets the United States on Sunday in the gold medal game of the 2025 U18 Women’s World Championship. ‘IIHF.
Last match of each team
The Canadian women’s victory in the semi-final, 4-2 against the Czech Republic, had a flavor of revenge for them, a year after losing by the same score, also in the semi-final. Stryker Zablocki continued his excellent momentum, obtaining a goal and an assist, as did Caileigh Tiller. Marilou Grenier made 19 saves, while Chloe Primerano had two assists, which allowed her to become the leading scorer in the history of the national women’s under-18 team.
The Americans had a scare against the Swedes in the other semifinal on Saturday, winning by a tight score of 2-1 to advance to the final. The reigning world champions used a two-goal second period from captain Anabella Fanale and 17 saves from Morgan Stickney to send the United States into the gold medal game for a 16 e times.
Last meeting between the two teams
The Canadians faced the Americans in a three-game summer series in Thorold, Ont., last August, and won two of the three meetings. In the third and final game, Stryker Zablocki sent everyone into overtime by scoring with just 58 seconds left in the third period, but following a seven-round shootout, the United States United won 4-3.
The last duel between the two rivals at the U18 Women’s World Cup took place in the preliminary round of the 2023 tournament, in Östersund, Sweden. Caitlin Kraemer scored twice, Emma Pais had a goal and an assist, and the Canadians held the United States to just 11 shots on goal in a 3-1 victory that capped a perfect preliminary round.
To watch
While this space is usually reserved for individual prowess, it would be unfortunate not to highlight Canada’s all-around effort that allowed it to return to the gold medal game. After three wins in the preliminary round and two wins in the playoff round, the Canadians scored the most goals (37), took the most shots (250) and allowed the fewest shots (63), all by having the best power play (45%) and the best shorthanded efficiency rate (94.7%) of the tournament. All 20 skaters on the team earned at least one point, and three of the tournament’s top four scorers wore the maple leaf – Zablocki (7-4—11), Primerano (4-6—10) and Maxine Cimoroni ( 4-6—10). The goaltending has looked good too – Grenier has a 0.917 save percentage in three starts, while Amelia Wilkinson has allowed just one goal in 120 minutes, with a 0.50 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage.
The Americans were very tight on defense. They have still not allowed a goal at 5 on 5 and have only conceded twice (shorthanded) in five games. What is the main reason for their defensive prowess? They don’t allow a lot of shots. They conceded just 64, and the total of 18 shots received against Sweden was the highest in a single match at the tournament. Morgan Stickney has been employed in every second thus far, posting a miniscule 0.40 goals-against average and 0.969 save percentage, posting three shutouts. Fanale (5-4—9) and Mary Derrenbacher (2-6—8) took charge on offense. We must not forget the experience within the team either; the United States has eight players – Derrenbacher, Fanale, Caroline Averill, Margaret Averill, Haley Box, Natalia Dilbone, Megan Healy and Macy Rasmussen – who were part of the team that defeated the Czech Republic 5-1 to win gold a year ago in Zug.
Retrospective
Including the summer series, Canada and the United States have crossed swords 68 times since the inception of the U18 program in 2007. The Canadians have a slight advantage of 38-30, while the Americans have won 13 of the Last 22 duels at the U18 Women’s World Cup.
But history tells us that we have the right to expect a close match; of the 22 clashes at the world championship, 10 required overtime and three others ended with a one-goal difference in regulation time. Canada won its first gold medal in overtime; current assistant coach of the Seattle Kraken, Jessica Campbell, played the hero in 2010 by scoring the winning goal that allowed the Canadians to climb to the top of the podium in Chicago.
All-time record: USA leads 13-9 (6-4 in overtime/shootout) Canada goals: 48 USA goals: 62
