Team USA opened the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship with a 4-0 victory over Switzerland on Wednesday (April 3) at Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, NY. Goaltender Aerin Frankel stopped eight shots in the shutout win. Hilary Knight scored a goal and had two assists, and Haley Winn scored twice, leading Team USA to its first victory in pool competition.
Knight of Sun Valley, Idaho, was recently named captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team, and forward Alex Carpenter and Megan Keller will serve as alternate captains. USA Hockey did not set a roster until March 31 after bringing almost 40 players to an evaluation camp in Lake Placid, NY.
Kendall Coyne Schofield scored a goal in the second period, her first goal in an IIHF competition since 2022, after taking time off for the birth of her first child. She also assisted on Winn’s third-period goal.
After a scoreless first period, Team USA took the lead at 14:37 of the second period when Winn, who plays for Clarkson University, scored her first career goal in a Women’s World Championship. She took a pass from the point and blasted it past the Switzerland goalie, giving the United States the lead and they never looked back.
Despite facing only eight shots on goal, Frankel made some outstanding plays, such as when Switzerland captain Lara Stalder pulled out on a first-period breakaway only to be denied by Frankel.
The United States will next face Czechia on Friday, April 5. Meanwhile, Switzerland will try to regroup as it faces another test in its battle against Canada.
Laila Edwards Makes History
By appearing in Wednesday’s game, Edwards became the first Black woman to play for the U.S. Women’s National Team at a World Championship.
The 20-year-old became the first Black woman to play for Team USA in November when she played in the 2023-24 Rivalry Series against Canada. Now a member of the 23-player roster at the Worlds, she has officially arrived on the international stage and solidified her spot on the national team.
US-Canada Gold Medal Rematch Not a Sure Thing
The defending champion Americans and Canadians are favored to play for gold on April 14 for the 22nd time in 23 tournaments. The only exception came in 2019, when the host team, Finland, upset Canada in the semifinals before losing in a shootout to the Americans.
While Finland remains a contender, the fast-rising Czechia—winners of the past two bronze medals—and a young Swedish team are showing signs of being ready to mount a challenge.
The competitive landscape of women’s hockey is shifting, with more European nations having their players develop at U.S. colleges. This year’s launch of the six-team Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is expected to spur the level of parity further by attracting more international players to North America. Though a majority of PWHL players are currently Canadians and Americans, the league is eager to expand its reach as five Czechs are competing in the PWHL.
Related: USA, Canada Setting Rosters for Women’s World Championship
Even with their recent success, Team USA is going younger, with third-year coach John Wroblewski interested in developing depth while replacing the losses of forward Amanda Kessel to retirement and top defenseman Lee Stecklein, who is focusing this year on playing for PWHL Minnesota.
Forwards Kirsten Simms, who at 19 led college hockey in scoring last season, Laila Edwards, 20, and Joy Dunne, 18, are making their national team World Championship debuts, in winning spots ahead of 2022 Olympians Abby Roque and Grace Zumwinkle.
All five teams from Group A, which includes the US and Canada, and the top three from Group B advance to the quarterfinals on April 12. The winners will face off in the semifinals on April 13. The two semifinal winners will play for gold on April 14, with the two losing teams competing for bronze earlier that day.
