USA upset by Sweden; won't make gold-medal match for the first time in U18 Women's World history

OSTERSUND, Sweden — For the first time in the history of the IIHF U18 Women's World Championships, Team USA will not play in the gold-medal game.

Sweden pulled off the 2-1 upset Saturday over the Americans and will advance to the championship match. The team will get to play for gold on Jan. 15 in front of a hometown crowd. Sweden has only ever played for gold one other time at the tournament.

Team USA got on the board in the final minutes of the first period. Finley McCarthy (Whitefish, Mont. / Wisconsin) made a pass from behind the net up to teammate Lucia DiGirolamo (Woburn, Mass. / Princeton) who was right in front of the net and quick turned around and scored.

That's where the luck for the Americans ran out.

Team USA took five penalties in the second period, which helped give Sweden a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes.

The Swedes first scored on a five-on-three opportunity. Mira Jungaker shot glove-side from the high slot for the game-tying tally. Astrid Lindeberg scored on a different power-play chance just a few short minutes later to give Team Sweden the 2-1 lead.

In the third period, Team USA's Cassie Hall (South Lyon, Mich. / Wisconsin) thought she scored but after review the puck clearly hit the crossbar and didn't cross the goal line; it was then subsequently ruled no-goal.

In the final minutes of the game Sweden scored an empty net goal but it was determined to be offsides.

The Americans couldn't score with the extra attacker. Team USA outshout the Swedes by a 38-27 margin.

The best player of the game awards were given to each team's respective goaltender; Felicia Frank (SWE) and Annelies Bergmann (USA).

USA will play for bronze on Sunday against the loser of Canada and Finland. Sweden will play the winner of that game for gold.

Sweden has only appeared in the gold-medal game one other time (2018) and won silver, but the squad has won bronze multiple times.

First period scoring — 1. USA, Lucia DiGirolamo (Finley McCarthy) 17:16
Penalties — USA, Molly Jordan (hooking) 1:52; SWE, Olivia Sohrner (tripping) 7:01; USA, DiGirolamo (tripping) 11:07; SWE, Ebba Hedqvist (illegal hit) 12:24

Second period scoring — 1. SWE, Mira Jungaker (Jenna Raunio, Hedqvist) 24:12 (5-on-3); 2. SWE, Astrid Lindeberg (Mira Markstrom) 26:44 (pp)
Penalties — USA, Peyton Compton (cross-checking) 22:50; USA, Ava Lindsay (hooking) 22:50; USA, Joy Dunne (illegal hit) 25:19; SWE, Ella Hellman (holding) 30:04; USA, Kendra Distad (bench minor - too many players) 33:11; USA, Maggie Scannell (holding) 34:32; SWE, Raunio (Interference) 38:29

Third period scoring — None
Penalties — USA, Lindzi Avar (charging) 44:07, SWE, Raunio (roughing) 44:57; USA, McCarthy (roughing) 44:57; SWE, Stella Lindell (holding) 48:43

Goalie saves — USA, Annelies Bergmann 25/27 (2GA); SWE, Felicia Frank 37/38 (1GA)

Shots on goal — USA, 38 (13: 13: 12); SWE, 27 (10: 13: 4)

Three best players of each team — USA, Scannell, Dunne, Bergmann; SWE, Frank, Jungaker, Svensson

Best players of the game — USA, Bergmann; SWE, Frank

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