MEMBERTOU, Nova Scotia – Jane Daley (Medfield, Mass.) recorded her second consecutive hat trick as the U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team skated to a 9-1 victory over Czechia in the preliminary round of the 2026 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship.
“Tonight was an impressive win,” said Courtney Kennedy (Woburn, Mass.), head coach of the 2026 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team. “Czechia is a good team. We continued to push and I’m proud of our effort, especially in back-to-back games.”
The U.S. found the back of the net in an unusual way, shorthanded, with 7:54 remaining in the first. Kylie Amelkovich (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) and Chyna Taylor (Louisville, Ky.) cleared the puck to Daley at the blue line, splitting Czechia’s defense before lifting a puck over the blocker of Lili Chmelarova to open a 1-0 lead.
HIGHLIGHTS
The U.S. extended its lead to 4-0 heading into the first intermission, scoring three goals in 1:38. Daley tallied her second of the game, pick-pocketing a Czech player in the middle of the offensive zone, before scoring almost an identical one to her first, a shot over the blocker.
Amelkovich tallied the team’s third with 2:57 left in the frame. She received a pass inside the blue line from Taylor before unleashing a shot from the point that found its way to the back of the net through traffic.
Talla Hansen (Wayzata, Minn.) rounded out the period unleashing a wrister from the right faceoff dot that grazed the goalie’s shoulder and into the net.
Maggie Averill (Wayland, Mass.) picked up where Team USA left off 22 seconds into the second, carrying the puck in from the blue line, before tapping it in five hole to go up 5-0.
Czechia broke the shutout with a power play goal, but Lindsay Stepnowski (South Glastonbury, Conn.) answered shortly thereafter bringing the tally to 6-1, before a Jillian McLaughlin (Oceanside, Calif.) goal added to a 7-1 score midway through the second.
Alaina Gnetz (Woodbury, Minn.) rounded out the scoring in the middle frame, taking an 8-1 advantage into the third.
Daley recorded the hat trick, her second in two games, early in the third from the exact same spot as her first two extending the lead to 9-1.
Bianca Birrittieri (Flower Mound, Texas) recorded 15 saves in net, her first career win as a member of the U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team. She also picked up an assist on Team USA’s sixth goal of the night.
Team USA returns to the ice for its final preliminary round game on Tuesday (Jan. 13) against Finland. Puck drop is set for 1:30 p.m. ET and can be viewed live on NHL Network.
NOTES: Jane Daley was named Team USA’s player of the game … The U.S. outshot Czechia, 53-16 … Team USA was 2-6 on the power play, while Czechia was 1-4.
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