2015-16 National Women's Development Team

DAOUST SCORES SHOOTOUT WINNER, CANADA EDGES SWEDES AT NATIONS CUP

JASON LA ROSE

FÜSSEN, Germany – Mélodie Daoust (Valleyfield, Que./McGill University, RSEQ) netted the lone goal in the shootout, leading Canada’s National Women’s Development Team to a 2-1 extra-time win over Sweden on Monday in the opening game of the 2016 Nations Cup.

After Victoria Bach (Milton, Ont./Boston University, HE) was turned away on Canada’s first attempt, Daoust beat Swedish netminder Minatsu Murase for the eventual winner.

Amanda Leveille (Kingston, Ont./University of Minnesota, WCHA) stopped all three Swedish shooters – Jenni Asserholt, Pernilla Winberg, and Emma Nordin – to record the victory in the Canadian goal.

Neither team could find the back of the net in the first period, despite a penalty-filled opening 20 minutes; both teams had three opportunities on the power play in the first, but could not convert.

Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, Ont./Brampton, CWHL) got the scoring started just 23 seconds into the second period off a set-up from Bach and Daoust, but Asserholt drew the Swedes even on the power play at 4:22.

That would be it for offence in regulation time, as Leveille and Murase, and both teams’ penalty-killing units, ensured the game reached an extra period; the Canadians finished 0-for-8 with the man advantage, while the Swedes went 1-for-7.

Canada returns to the ice Tuesday to close out its preliminary round schedule, facing Russia (9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT).