University of Minnesota star Abbey Murphy notches 3 points in USA victory as they shutout host Finland to open the Women's Euro Hockey Tour.
University of Minnesota star Abbey Murphy notches 3 points in USA victory as they shutout host Finland to open the Women's Euro Hockey Tour.
Host Finland’s opening game was close until midway through the third period, when the stacked American roster finally broke through. USA Hockey’s so-called U.S. Collegiate Women’s Select Team features a who’s who of NCAA stars, no fewer than ten of whom were members of the Team USA that took silver at the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championships: Joy Dunne, Lacey Eden, Laila Edwards, Rory Guilday, Caroline Harvey, Tessa Janecke, Sydney Morrow, Abbey Murphy, Kirsten Simms and Haley Winn.
Finland’s roster, while lacking current PWHL players Ronja Savolainen, Noora Tulus and Susanna Tapani, is nothing to sneeze at either, and features a mix of NCAA, Auroraliiga and SDHL heavy-hitters. Nelli Laitinen, now in her junior year at the University of Minnesota, goalie Sanni Ahola from St.Cloud State, and SDHL goal-scoring leaders Elisa Holopainen, Viivi Vainikka, Jenniina Nylund and Petra Nieminen make this team a formidable opponent.
The first period was rather even, as each squad found its footing. The US outshot Finland 12-8 and had a pair of excellent chances, but Ahola kept the score knotted at zero. In the second period, Team USA began to take over, and dominated possession and scoring chances. Kirsten Simms, the fireplug from Wisconsin, had a number of opportunities but was denied time and time again by a patient and positionally sound Ahola. When the period ended, the score remained 0-0.
In the third frame, the Americans finally found twine, first on a goal by Abbey Murphy, who curled around the top of the left circle before deftly sniping the puck into the Finnish goal. Minutes later, an unfortunate mishandle by Brynäs’s Sanni Vanhanen was collected by Joy Dunne and snapped past Ahola to make it 2-0.
The Finns barely had time to breathe before they found themselves down 3-0 on Murphy’s second of the evening. Ella Huber added an empty-netter to round out the scoring, and Team USA won convincingly, 4-0. US goalie Ava McNaughton, rarely tested, made 14 saves for the shutout win. Murphy notched two goals and an assist to open the tournament with three points.
The Americans play tomorrow, Thursday, December 12, against Switzerland. Finland is off until Friday when they also face Switzerland.