U.S. Women’s Nat'l Team Blanks Finland, 4-0, in Four Nations Cup Opener

MIKKELI, Finland - Hilary Knight (Hanover, N.H.) had a hand in three goals and Molly Schaus (Natick, Mass.) turned aside all 15 shots in leading the U.S. Women's National Team to a 4-0 win over Finland here tonight in the opening game of the 2009 Women's Four Nations Cup at Mikkeli Arena.

"We saw a real good effort by everybody on the team tonight," said Mark Johnson, head coach for Team USA. "It was a great way to start the tournament."

Team USA controlled play throughout the majority of the opening frame, putting up 19 shots to Finland's three. Monique Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) gave the Americans a one-goal lead just over 1:30 into a U.S. 5-on-3 opportunity when she wristed a Knight rebound behind Finnish netminder Noora Raty from the left doorstep at 13:05.

The Americans continued to roll in the second frame, adding a pair of goals on 18 shots to go ahead 3-0. Erika Lawler (Fitchburg, Mass.) swatted one in from the slot off a Kerry Weiland (Palmer, Alaska) shot at 2:14. Jinelle Zaugg-Siergiej (Eagle River, Wis.), who was trailing Knight on a rush up the right side, shot in Knight's rebound at 14:40.

Knight closed out the scoring at 4:56 of the third period when she put a pass from Jenny Potter (Edina, Minn.) in the top right corner of the Finnish net over Raty's glove.

The United States returns to action tomorrow night (Nov. 4) against Sweden at Vierumaki Arena at 6:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m. EST).

NOTES: Hilary Knight was named U.S. Player of the Game ... The U.S. outshot Finland by a 52-15 margin ... Team USA was 1-for-7 on the power play, while holding Finland scoreless on seven chances ... The shutout win was the third of Molly Schaus' U.S. career and second of the 2009-10 season ... All U.S. games of the tournament will be offered via live video webstream as part of U.S. College Hockey Online's Game of the Week, with Brian Schulz calling the play-by-play. Links to the complimentary live webcasts can be found here ... Click here for the 2009-10 U.S. Women's National Team roster ... Coverage of the 2009-10 U.S. Women's National Team and the Qwest Tour, including ticket information, can be found on USAHockey.com and QwestTour.com, as well as on the U.S. Women's National Team's Facebook page and on the Qwest Tour Twitter page ... Mark Johnson, head women's ice hockey coach at the University of Wisconsin, is leading Team USA through the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C. Dave Flint, head women's ice hockey coach at Northeastern University, and Jodi McKenna, head women's ice hockey coach at Wesleyan University, are serving as assistant coaches.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period
USA 1-2-1--4
FIN 0-0-0--0

First Period - Scoring: 1, M. Lamoureux (Knight, Ruggiero), 13:05 (5x3pp). Penalties: USA, M. Lamoureux (interference), 2:30; USA, Ruggiero (holding), 7:14; FIN, Sirvio (holding), 11:25; FIN, Laaksonen (delay of game), 11:28; FIN, Hiirikoski (tripping), 12:37; FIN, Hiirikoski (holding), 18:46.

Second Period - Scoring: 2, USA, Lawler (Weiland), 2:14; 3, USA, Zaugg-Siergiej (Knight), 14:40. Penalties: USA, Team (too many players), 3:09; USA, Knight (hooking), 9:42; FIN, Lindstedt (tripping), 14:57.

Third Period - Scoring: 4, USA, Knight (Potter, Zaugg-Siergiej), 4:56. Penalties: FIN, Lindstedt (body checking), 9:26; USA, M. Lamoureux (hooking), 12:07; FIN, Lindstedt (hooking), 13:48; USA, M. Lamoureux (body checking), 18:06.

Shots By Period
USA 19-18-15--52
FIN 3-5-7

Goaltenders (SH/SV)
USA, Schaus, 60:00 3/3-5/5-7/7--15/15
FIN, Raty, 60:00 19/18-18/16-15/14--52/48

Power Play: USA 1-7; FIN 0-7
Penalties: USA 7-14; FIN 7-14
Officials: Referee-Melanie Bordeleau; Linesmen-Satu Auno, Tiina Pennanen
Attendance: 819

Next Game: Wed., Nov. 4 vs. Sweden 11:30 a.m. (ET)