Tessa Janecke scored just over three minutes into overtime to give Team USA a 4-3 win to open the National Development Team series between Canada and the USA. It was a game USA looked like they were about to run away with outshooting Canada 49-19, but the Canadians stuck tight.
Less than a minute into the second period Kiara Zanon of Ohio State opened the scoring with Janecke and Kirsten Simms assisting. USA brought nine members of their senior national team to the series. For Haley Winn, one of those nine national team members, it was exciting to be back in the Team USA jersey.
"It was super exciting, obviously every time we play Canada it's going to be a close game like that, so it was honestly just fun to put the jersey on again and go at it, and obviously getting the win was awesome," Winn said. The last time those players entered overtime with USA they fell to Canada in the gold medal game of the 2024 Olympics, but this time, USA came out on top, and Winn and the other American veterans are using their experience to help guide the Development Team.
"We were all really excited to get back together," Winn said. "I think having us here and being able to be leaders for the younger girls, or girls that it was their first time on the team, I think leadership played a big part. Having that chemistry already was good, but the whole team clicked well."
Canada however, would fight back with Madeline Palumbo, who recently finished her rookie season at Colgate, answering with an assist to Kendall Cooper.
Janecke would reclaim USA's lead, but Canada continued to solve USA's Annelies Bergmann in the second period with Ohio State senior Jenna Buglioni knotting the game at 2-2. Palumbo picked up her second point of the game assisting on Buglioni's goal. Buglioni was happy with the improvement Canada showed throughout the game even if it wasn't the outcome they wanted.
"It's tough to not come out with the win in overtime, but I was really proud of the progression our team made over the game," Buglioni said. "I thought we got better and touched on some things we've been working on the last few days as the game went on, so it's really looking good for us for then next few games."
Kendall Cooper, who is entering her final NCAA season at Quinnipiac echoed Buglioni's sentiments.
"I think it was a bit of a rocky start, a bit of a feeling out process," said Cooper. "It was a good progression over the game."
Canada knew what they were up against in the highly skilled Team USA, but at the moment, are only focusing on their own play.
"Obviously they're all very skilled and they're tough to play against," Buglioni said. "But I think we just have to focus on us and what we can control and our game."
Midway through the third, Canada took the lead for the first time in the game on the powerplay as Piper Grober found the back of the net. With time winding down and on a powerplay of their own, USA's Lacey Eden tied things at 3-3 with only 1:05 remaining to send the game to overtime.
In the extra frame, it was Janecke's third point and second goal of the game that secured the win for the Americans.
Game two of the three game series is tomorrow at the Canada Games Centre in Thorold, Ontario. Canada knows they're the underdogs, but according to Cooper, they believe they know what it takes to steal a win.
"Obviously they're highly skilled, [Janecke] has a great shot that we saw tonight, but the key for us is to not give them any more confidence than they already have, so just taking away their time and space, and I think we understand that moving forward to tomorrow."
Canada Beats USA In U-18 Series
Chloe Primerano starred for Canada in the U-18 Select series, scoring twice and adding an assist in Canada's 4-2 win over USA. USA outshot the Canadians in the loss, but Canada's Marilou Grenier stood tall making 36 saves in the game.
Maxine Cimeroni had a goal and an assist for Canada as well, while Adrianna Milani and Sofia Ismael scored for USA.
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