ZUG, Switzerland — Team USA will win the gold medal at the 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship with a 4-2 victory over Finland in the semifinals on Saturday at Bossard Arena.
“I’m really happy with the win,” U.S. head coach Liz Keady Norton said in a USA Hockey press release. “I was really proud of our effort. I thought the players really responded to what we asked for.”
Team USA finished third in last year’s tournament, the worst finish for an American in tournament history. The United States will aim for its first gold medal since 2020 on Saturday at 12 p.m. CT when it faces the Czech Republic, which upset Canada 4-2. Finland will play Canada for the bronze medal at 8 a.m. Sunday. Both games will be broadcast on NHL Network.
The United States scored on a lucky chance less than five minutes into the game. Forward Jordyn Petry tossed the puck out of the goal, and Josie St. Martin picked up the rebound off the back wall and slipped it through while goaltender Kertu Kuja-Harkola looked away. Ta. Petry’s assist was the first of three in the game for the Nebraska forward, who plays for Shattuck St. Louis. Mary.
Finland tied the game early in the middle when 14-year-old Tinja Tapani took a shot from the slot on the power play that beat netminder Leila Hemp’s glove. Mary Dellenbacher and captain Maggie Scannell scored two power-play goals of their own for Team USA. The Finns scored on a power play at the end of the second period, going 3-2 on third down.
St. Martin scored his second goal of the night late in regulation, giving Team USA an insurance goal and clinching the victory over Finland. USA defeated Finland 44-16.
Finland’s three stars in this tournament were awarded to netminder Kertu Kuja-Harkola, forward Emma Ekoluoma and defender Tuli Talinen. The top three for the United States were goaltender Leila Hemp and forwards Josie St. Martin and Maggie Scannell.
America 4, Finland 2
America: 1-2-1—4
Fin: 0-2-0—2
First period scores — 1. Josie St. Martin, USA (Jordyn Petrie) 4:55
Penalties — none.
Second period score — 1. FIN, Tinja Tapani (Emma Ekoluoma, Nelly Anderson) 28:24 (pp); 2. USA, Mary Dellenbacher (Eva Thomas, Morgan McGathy) 31:08 (pp); 3. USA , Maggie Scannell (Bella Fanale, Petrie) 36:46 (pp); 2. FIN, Nelly Anderson (Tuli Tarinen, Julia Kuusisto) 38:23 (pp)
Penalties — USA, Molly Boyle (interference) 27:28; FIN, Tapani (trip) 30:25; FIN, Nelly Anderson (retention) 36:23; USA, Alana Devlin (high stick) 37:43
Third period score — 4. St. Martin, USA (Petrie) 57:20
Penalties — America, Ellie Dimatos (stumbling) 50:04
SOG: USA, 7/13/24—44; Finn, 4-5-7—16
Goalkeeper save: USA, Leila Hemp 4-3-7—14 (2GA); FIN, Kertu Kuja-Harkola 12-22-7—41 (3GA)
Power play goals and chances: America, 2-2. Finn, 2-3
Penalty time: USA, 3-6; Finn, 2-4
Referee — Tijana Haak, Elizabeth Mantha
Line person — Maren Florhaug, Jamie Monard
Attendance — 481
Sydney Wolfe is a reporter for The Rink Live, primarily covering youth and high school hockey. She joined the team in November 2021, graduating from St. Cloud State University with a degree in Mass Communication and minors in Writing and Rhetoric Studies.