ČESKÉ BUDĚJOVICE, Czechia – Behind two unanswered goals from Laila Edwards (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/University of Wisconsin) and Kelly Pannek (Plymouth, Minn./Minnesota Frost), the U.S. Women’s National Team topped Czechia, 2-1, to advance to the gold-medal game of the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship.
Including 2025, the U.S. has skated in the gold-medal game in all 24 tournaments staged.
“I’m proud of how this team fought tonight,” said John Wroblewski (Nennah, Wis.), head coach of the 2025 U.S. Women’s National Team. “Pucks were not bouncing our way early, but we dug in and pulled it off.”
HIGHLIGHTS
Czechia opened the game’s scoring with 4:23 remaining in the first. A turnover behind the U.S. net found its way onto Tereza Plosova’s unmarked stick who lifted it past Aerin Frankel (Chappaqua, N.Y./Boston Fleet) to push Czechia up 1-0.
In the second, Edwards knotted the game at 1-1 on the power play. Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho/Boston Fleet) found Megan Keller (Farmington Hills, Mich./Boston Fleet) who set Edwards up for a one-timer that beat Klara Peslarova stick side.
Pannek broke the tie 8:26 into the third period off a bouncing puck she backhanded over Peslarova’s glove to give the U.S. its first lead of the evening at 2-1.
The final minutes of the third proved frenetic, with the U.S. controlling the puck for most of the time, closing out Czechia.
Next up, the U.S. will face the winner of the second semifinal game, Finland/Canada in the gold medal game tomorrow (April 20). Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. CET (12 p.m. ET) and can be viewed live on NHL Network.
NOTES: Kelly Pannek was named the U.S. Player of the Game … Lee Stecklein, Megan Keller and Hilary Knight were named the Three Best Players of the Tournament for Team USA … The U.S. outshot Czechia, 45-11 … Team USA was 1-3 on the power play, while Czechia was 0-1.
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Source: usahockey.com