SYDNEY, Nova Scotia – Behind a record-breaking night for Jane Daley (Medfield, Mass.), the U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team advanced to the gold medal game of the 2026 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship following a 9-1 win over Sweden in the semifinals.
With the win, the U.S. advances to the gold medal game tomorrow (Jan. 18) against the winner of the second semifinal game between Canada and Czechia. Puck drop is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on NHL Network. It marks the 17th time in the last 18 tournaments staged that the U.S. will skate in the gold medal game.
“This is where we want to be,” said Courtney Kennedy (Woburn, Mass.), head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team. “It’s exciting to get the opportunity to play for the medal we want tomorrow.”
HIGHLIGHTS
Maggie Averill (Wayland, Mass.) got the U.S. on the board just 3:56 into the first. After a long possession in the offensive zone, she walked a puck to the point unleashing a booming shot from the point that found its way through Meja Engelin.
Sweden earned the first power play opportunity of the evening, but Team USA’s defense killed it off behind multiple key saves from Bianca Birrittieri (Flower Mound, Texas), including a deflection attempt in front of a crowded net.
The U.S.’ second goal came on the power play, courtesy of Emily Pohl (Woodbury, Minn.), with 5:09 remaining in the opening frame. Talla Hansen (Wayzata, Minn.) sent a pass from the goal line that Pohl tapped in back door to extend the lead to 2-0.
Jillian McLaughlin (Oceanside, Calif.) tapped in the third of the game with 13:01 remaining in the middle frame, spurred on by an entry from Sloane Hartmetz (Phoenixville, Pa.) along the boards.
After a heated moment, the U.S. had a full two minutes of 5-on-3 action. Just 27 second in, Daley banked a shot from the goal line off the goaltender, her 12th of the tournament, to open a 4-0 lead for Team USA. With the goal, Daley sets a new IIHF single-tournament record for goals at a Under-18 Women’s Worlds, breaking Haley Skarupa’s record of 11 goals, set back in 2012.
Averill recorded her second of the game, another booming shot from the point that found its way through the goalie’s five hole just over the halfway mark of the period, opening a 5-0 lead.
Pohl put the sixth of the evening away with 6:22 in the second, corralling a long rebound in the high slot and wristing a shot to the top corner.
Maddy Kimbrel (Mound, Minn.) rounded out the scoring for the middle frame with just 43 seconds remaining, taking a back pass from Kylie Amelkovich (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) right outside the crease to take a 7-0 lead into the second intermission.
Sweden broke the shutout early in the third, capitalizing off a power play goal, bringing the tally to 7-1.
Hansen adding an eighth and Lindsay Stepnowski (South Glastonbury, Conn.) put in a ninth to round out the scoring at 9-1.
Birrittieri recorded 16 saves in the winning effort in net.
NOTES: Annabelle Lovell was named the U.S. player of the game … Kylie Amelkovich, Jane Daley and Maggie Averill were named Team USA’s three best players of the tournament … The U.S. outshout Sweden, 41-17 … The U.S. was 3-5 on the power play, while Sweden was 1-2.
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