TIKKURILA, Finland -- The Canadian women's hockey team snapped a four-game losing streak in international finals with a 5-1 victory over the U.S. yesterday to take the Four Nations Cup.
The Canadian women hadn't beaten the U.S. in the last game of an international tournament since the 2007 Four Nations Cup in Kitchener. The U.S. won two world championships, the 2008 Four Nations Cup and September's Hockey Canada Cup in Vancouver after that.
"We have some players that have never won in a big tournament before against the U.S., some of our young players," captain Hayley Wickenheiser said. "Just to get the taste of winning and what it takes under pressure in an important game in a tournament, they all count for momentum and confidence and it's a big win for us."
Meghan Agosta, Toronto's Cherie Piper, Jayna Hefford, Carla MacLeod and Tessa Bonhomme scored for the Canadians in their final international tournament before the Winter Olympics.
"It's still just one step towards our ultimate goal which is to get in that gold-medal game in Vancouver," head coach Melody Davidson said of her team, which improved to 3-3 against the U.S. in their past six meetings.
Goaltender Shannon Szabados of Edmonton made 21 saves for the win, including two key saves on American forward Jenny Potter in the second period when her team led by one and two goals.
