Team USA Wins Nail Biter Against Finland (Photo Gallery)

Team USA defeated Finland by a score of 5-3 on Saturday night at the Adirondack Bank Center. The game was a nail-biter as Finland, which had only scored one goal in its previous games, came out of the gate scoring. Team USA scored its third straight preliminary round victory ahead of their big face-off against Canada on Monday night, the final preliminary tournament game.

“You have to build in these tournaments,” said John Wroblewski (Neenah, Wis.), head coach of the 2024 U.S. Women’s National Team. “Fighting how we had to today adds a little bit of adversity and strengthens the group. It really gives us the opportunity to gel together.”

Finland scored first, jumping out to a 1-0 lead at 6:54 into the first period, when Elisa Holopainen ripped a rising shot to the top corner of the net that beat Aerin Frankel (Chappaqua, N.Y.) on the power play.

Team USA finally took a 2-1 lead when a slap shot from Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho) hit the back of the net. But Finland would steal back the momentum, as they tied the game with 24 seconds remaining in the period when a point shot found its way to the back of the net.

At the 12:18 mark in the second period, Taylor Heise (Lake City, Minn.) collected the puck as she exited the penalty box, walking in a far-side blocker shot to give the U.S. a 3-2 lead. Kendall Coyne Schofield (Palos Heights, Ill.) opened a two-goal lead for the United States just a few minutes later, sneaking a shot five-hole from just inside the right circle.

The drama continued as Finland scored with 40 seconds remaining in the period when Sofianna Sundelin put a shot under Frankel’s outstretched pad, coming back to within one goal.

Just 15 seconds into the third, Coyne Schofield recorded her second of the game to put the U.S. up 5-3. After a short-range shot from Knight that hit the post, Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) collected her rebound and put another tough-angle blip on net, which Coyne Schofield collected for the score.

The U.S. will play its fourth and final preliminary round game against Canada on Monday (April 8). Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET and the game can be seen live on NHL Network.

Game notes: Kendall Coyne Schofield (Palos Heights, Ill.) was named the U.S. Player of the Game … The U.S. outshot Finland, 45-12 … The U.S. and Finland were both 2-6 on the power play.

On Saturday, Germany defeated Japan 4-1 in the IIHF Women's World Championship at the Adirondack Bank Center. Here are photos of the Germany-Japan game by Nancy L. Ford.