USA beats Finland, improves to 3-0 at World Women's Hockey Championship

Team USA battled early penalties for the second night in a row but won again Saturday, defeating Finland 5-3 and improving its record to 3-0 in Pool A at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship.

While the US team killed off five penalties in the first half of Friday's 6-0 shutout of Czechia, Finland scored first Saturday and was tied at the first intermission on the strength of two power play goals scored by Elisa Holopainen.

"A little bit of adversity strengthens this group," coach John Wroblewski said.

More: When to watch: IIHF Women's World Championship hockey schedule

"We're adjusting some things," goalie Aerin Frankel said of the US penalty killing unit which had not been scored against in wins over Czechia and Switzerland. "They've bought into blocking shots."

Another penalty - the sixth for the United States led directly to the go-ahead goal in the second period. Taylor Heise was released from the box after serving six minutes for hooking, took a quick pass from Abbey Murphy and fired a wrist shot from the faceoff circle to the left of goalie Anni Keisala for a goal eight seconds later.

"I was not happy with that call but it was an opportunity - right place, right time," Heise said. "… (Murphy) had a great read with me coming out."

Kendall Coyne Schofield scored four minutes later and the US had the first two-goal lead of the game. Rochester's Haley Winn assisted.

The United States was down to the closing seconds of the second period with its two-goal advantage but Finland, held to three shots to that point in the period, had Susanna Tapani send a long outlet pass to Sofianna Sunderlin at the far blue line where Sunderlin broke into the offensive zone ahead of the the US defense and went to her backhand to the left of goalie Aerin Frankel.

Finland scored with 40 seconds left in the second period. The US scored 15 seconds into the third; Coyne Schofield netted her second goal of the night and third of the tournament, assisted by Alex Carpenter and Hilary Knight off the opening faceoff.

Holopainen started the scoring with the second Finland goal of the tournament at 6:54 of the first period. Murphy and Knight scored goals that gave the US a 2-1 lead before Holopainen scored again with 25 seconds left in the opening period. Holopainen's goal ended Kelly Pannek's second trip to the penalty box but the US took a bench penalty for delay of game on the play, starting another Finland power play that extended into the second period.

Team USA outshot Finland 45-12. Keisala made 40 saves in her first tournament start for Finland, and Frankel countered with nine for the US.

Team USA (3-0-0-0) has a day off Sunday before finishing pool play with Monday's game against Canada (2-0-0-0); Canada plays Sunday afternoon against Czechia.

The United States and Canada have met in the gold medal game at 21 of the previous 22 Women's World Championships with Canada winning 12 times. The United States has a 6-2-1-0 head-to-head record in preliminary play in the current two-pool format, and has won five of the last seven meetings.

"The 'USA' chants really elevate your heart rate, regardless of the situation," Coyne Schofield said of the crowd support that comes from playing as the host country. The United States has won both pool meetings between the nations on "home" ice - 2-0 in Plymouth, Michigan, in 2017, and 9-2 in Burlington, Vermont, in 2012; the teams were in separate pools in Minneapolis and Lake Placid.

"I'm excited to see our group live out their dream," Wroblewski said of Monday's matchup. "… I think we're in a really optimistic stage."

Finland (0-3-0-0) plays Monday afternoon against Switzerland (0-2-0-0).

This article originally appeared on Times Telegram: USA defeats Finland 5-3 at IIHF World Women's Hockey Championship