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Four Nations Cup

Behind the Glass: 2018 Four Nations Cup Special

A special edition of Behind the Glass with lots and lots of numbers

This time around on Behind the Glass, we’re doing things a little bit differently. Instead of taking a look at news, notes and stats from the world of professional women’s hockey, we’ll be focusing our microscope on the 2018 Four Nations Cup.

Canada

  • Renata Fast became the first skater at Four Nations to record a power play point and a shorthanded point. Both of those points were primary assists. Fast also scored a shorthanded goal against Finland in Canada’s only pre-tournament game on Nov. 4.
  • Loren Gabel scored her first goal with the senior national team against Team USA on Nov. 7 in Canada’s 2-1 loss. She also picked up a primary assist on the power play against the US in the gold medal game. Gabel currently has 19 points in eight games in her senior season at Clarkson University./
  • Shannon Szabados was the first goalie in Saskatoon to get two starts. She posted a .941 save percentage in her first two starts against Finland and the United States. After being pulled in the gold medal game, her final save percentage was .892.
  • Emerance Maschmeyer was the only goaltender who stepped onto the ice in Saskatoon who kept a clean sheet. Maschmeyer played 78 minutes of hockey and faced 16 shots without allowing a goal.
  • Princeton University’s Sarah Fillier was the youngest player to score a goal in Saskatoon. Fillier turned 18 in June. She has six goals in her first four games with the Tigers this year.
  • Rebecca Johnston led Canada in scoring with one goal and four assists, but Mélodie Daoust led Canada in primary points. Daoust was the only non-American skater to finish the tournament with three goals./

USA

  • Sydney Brodt scored two goals in her first two games with the national team, including the game-winning goal against Shannon Szabados and Canada on Nov. 7.
  • A lot can change in a year. Last season, Megan Bozek was a late cut from Team USA’s roster for the 2018 Olympics. On Nov. 7, Team USA head coach Bob Corkum had her on the ice with Megan Keller to protect a 2-1 lead against Canada.
  • How often have we seen three players who have played defense for their national team connect for a goal? Cayla Barnes’ game-winning goal against Finland was assisted by Keller and Gigi Marvin who is now playing forward with the national team, but has also played on the blue line./
  • Team USA was never out-shot during the 2018 Four Nations Cup, although Canada did tie them in shots on goal in the gold medal game. At the close of the tournament, the US averaged 36.75 SF60 and 19.75 SA60.
  • The Americans relied on their even strength offense to get the job done. USA went 1-for-16 on the power play at Four Nations, making them the only team to score only one power play goal in Saskatoon.
  • Hilary Knight led all skaters in Saskatoon in scoring. She finished the tournament with seven points — six of which were primary and three of which were goals — in four games. All of Knight’s points were recorded at even strength./

Finland

  • The hockey gods can be cruel. Finland’s roster was rocked by a stomach flu/virus that reeked havoc in Saskatoon, which resulted in several key players missing games.
  • Despite playing with a short bench and having numerous players feeling under the weather, Finland scored the first goal in their first two games of the tournament./
  • Finland put just 10 shots on net against Team USA on Nov. 6 — the lowest single game SOG total for any team in the tournament. The Finns also finished at the bottom of the table with 22.25 SF60 and 40.0 SA60 — clearly, that stomach bug spoiled any chance Finland had of shocking USA or Canada in Saskatoon.
  • Emma Nuutinen scored two of Finland’s first four goals in Saskatoon including the first goal scored against Team USA in the tournament. She was the only Finn to score more than one goal.
  • Jenna Silvonen, 19, was the smallest goaltender in Saskatoon. She stopped 28 shots and posted a .933 save percentage in her first and only start at 4 Nations against Sweden. Noora Räty started in Finland’s other three games and finished the tournament with an impressive .930 save percentage despite allowing more goals than any other goaltender./
  • Sanni Hakala was the only skater to register two primary points on the power play.
  • The Finns had a perfect penalty kill in the tournament despite giving their opponents a combined 15 power play opportunities. They closed the door on Team USA’s intimidating power play six times in the opening game of the tournament./

Sweden

  • Maria Omberg posted an .892 save percentage and was the only Swedish goaltender to start in multiple games. The two power play goals she allowed were the most allowed by any goaltender in Saskatoon.
  • Pernilla Winberg was the only Swede to score two goals and was one of just two non-American players to score two or more goals at even strength in Saskatoon./
  • Team Sweden finished at the bottom of the table in penalty killing with a 60 percent success rate. They scored once on their own power play and allowed two shorthanded goals — one to Team USA and one to Team Canada.
  • Lina Ljungblom led Sweden in points in Saskatoon with the three helpers she picked up at even strength. That is an impressive stat line, especially for a forward who turned 17 in October and is playing her first season of SDHL hockey this year.
  • Sweden allowed nine goals in first periods at Four Nations, which amounted to half of the total goals they allowed in the tournament. All told, the Swedes were out-shot 59-26 in first period play in Saskatoon, for a 30.59 SF%. Sweden finished the tournament with a 39.15 SF%, which illustrates just how much their rocky first periods hurt them./

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