Sweden 2 – Canada 1 (Final)

CANADA SETTLES FOR SILVER AFTER LOSS

(Courtesy of Hockey Canada)

RAVENSBURG, GERMANY – For the first time in seven years, Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team will bring home silver from the MLP Cup.

After winning gold for the first six years of the tournament (it was known as the Air Canada Cup until this year), Canada settled for silver in 2009, falling 2-1 to Sweden in Tuesday’s gold medal game. Canada had won 21 of 22 games all-time at the tournament heading into the game.

Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, ON/Mercyhurst College, CHA) scored the lone goal for the Canadians, who was held to just a single goal after scoring 17 in its first three games of the tournament.

After a scoreless opening 20 minutes, Agosta got Canada on the board first just 2:13 into the second period, finishing off a set-up from Jennifer Wakefield (Pickering, ON/University of New Hampshire, HE) and Lauriane Rougeau (Beaconsfield, QC/Dawson College, Collégial AA) for her tournament-leading fourth goal of the tournament.

But the Swedes would tie the game before the end of the frame as Erica Uden-Johansson beat Canadian netminder Liz Knox (Stouffville, ON/Wilfrid Laurier University, CIS), the first goal allowed by Canada in the tournament.

Sweden took the lead just 36 seconds into the third period when Uden-Johansson set up Frida Svedin Thunström on a power play for the go-ahead goal.

Despite outshooting the Swedes 15-6 in the third period, Canada could not beat Swedish goaltender Sara Grahn. The Canadians held a 35-24 advantage in shots on goal in the game.

The loss also ended Canada’s 11-game winning streak at the tournament – it had not lost since falling 6-4 to Germany in the final game of the 2006 tournament, a game that also took place at the Eissporthalle Ravensburg.

Hockey Manitoba congratulates to Bailey Bram (Ste. Anne), Laura Fridfinnson (Arborg), and Jocelyne Larocque (Ste. Anne) for their accomplishments!