Four Nations Day 2: Canada, USA still hot, Finland, Sweden not so much

More winning from the usual suspects, and more losing from the usual suspects...oh Finland.

Day two of the 2016 Four Nations Cup has come and gone. Canada and the United States are still red-hot, host Finland has come up short yet again, but hey, Sweden got on the board today!

Stars and Stripes run away with another shutout – USA-FIN

Oh Finland...Finland, Finland, Finland. They’re not having the greatest luck in this tournament.

The first period was scoreless but still all Team USA. The Americans outshot the Finns 13-3 but somehow they couldn’t solve Noora Räty. Likewise, the Finns couldn’t solve Nicole Hensley, who had to make a heck of a save with her glove to keep the game scoreless as the first period buzzer sounded.

Two minutes into the second, Kendall Coyne broke the stalemate as Decker deked and dangled around Räty to slide the puck to Coyne and open up the crease, Coyne got the hint and the puck found the net. A few minutes later, one half of the “Slamoureux” twins, Jocelyn Lamoureux-Davidson, fired this beauty of a slap-shot from the point to bring the USA up 2-0.

In the third, Megan Keller got the scoring started early, beating Räty on a rebound from a shot fired originally by Brianna Decker and sent the biscuit in backhanded. The other half of the “Slamoureux” twins, Monique Lamoureux-Morando, netted a rebound of her own with a little over nine minutes remaining to make the score 4-0. Lamoureux-Morando’s goal would be the game-winner.

Noora Räty, playing her second game in as many days, took the loss, stopping 35 of the USA’s shots. Nicole Hensley, making her first appearance in the tournament, stopped all 18 shots the Finns put on net to earn the shutout.

Red and White still red-hot – CAN-SWE

Sweden! Oh Sweden, putting the faith back into the faithful….at least for a minute.

They got the scoring started in this one after Canada had a goal waived off on a delayed penalty to Jessica Campbell. Hanna Olsson got it all started, putting the puck past Geneviéve Lacasse at 11:48 of the first to give Sweden the lead and open the scoring.

Canada being Canada, of course didn’t let their happiness last long. Haley Irwin, with a little help from Jamie Lee Rattray and Laura Fortino, spoiled it all with a goal no more than five minutes later.

The only goal of the second came from Canada’s golden girl Marie-Philip Poulin, who netted a shot on the power-play to bring Canada up 2-1. Poulin’s goal was assisted by Laura Fortino and Jessica Campbell. Poulin’s PP goal would be the game-winner.

Mélodie Daoust sealed the deal for the Canadians, potting an empty-netter for insurance as the clock ran down.

Genevieve Lacasse, playing her first game in the tournament, saved 12 out of 13 shots for the win. Sara Grahn took the loss in net for Sweden, stopping 35 of the 37 shots she faced.

Shaping out the rest of the tournament

Tomorrow all four squads will have a day to rest and regroup. Friday, play resumes with Canada and the United States facing off in one game and Sweden and Finland facing off in the other. Saturday, the medal games will be played.