University of Minnesota Athletics
Six Gophers to Face Off For WWC Gold
4/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
WWC Preliminary Recap | USA Hockey | Hockey Canada | 2015 IIHF WWC
MALMO, Sweden -- The matchup is set for the 2015 International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship gold-medal game. Six Gophers will take the ice when the United States and Canada face off for gold at 9 a.m. CT Saturday morning.
Universal Sports will provide live television and streaming coverage of the game, which will also be re-televised on Monday, April 13 at 12 p.m. CT.
Three current Gophers in Dani Cameranesi, Hannah Brandt and Lee Stecklein are skating for the U.S. Women's National Team, and they are joined by Gopher alum Anne Schleper. Fellow alumni Kelly Terry and Sarah Davis are skating for Canada.
Team USA defeated Russia, 13-1, in Friday's first semifinal to advance to the gold-medal game. The U.S., the defending world champion, is now undefeated in four games and has outscored its opponents 30-6.
Meanwhile, Canada defeated Finland, 3-0, in the other semifinal game to advance to the gold-medal game.
In total, seven Gophers represented their home countries at the world championship as Mira Jalusou skated for Finland in addition to the six Gophers participating in the gold-medal game with the U.S. and Canada. Schleper leads the Minnesota skaters with six points on six assists, while Brandt (3g-1a), Stecklein (4a) and Cameranesi (1a) have also found their way onto the scoresheet for the U.S.
The U.S. and Canada have faced off in the gold medal game in all 15 of the previous IIHF Women's World Championships. Team USA has taken home gold a total of five times (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013), including four of the last five tournaments and five of the last seven. Meanwhile, Canada has won the other 10 gold medals.
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