The 2001-02 USA Hockey Women’s National Team downed St. Lawrence, 13-1, in the championship game of the 2001 Thanksgiving Tournament. With the victory, the U.S. improved its record to 12-0-0 overall on the “Skate To Salt Lake” Tour.
Forward Karyn Bye paced the United States by recording a hat trick in the first period. Skating shorthanded, she opened the scoring on a pass from forward Jenny Potter at the 4:57 mark to give the U.S. a lead it would not relinquish. Bye also registered Team USA’s next tally at 8:54 when she pushed in her own rebound as the puck slid slowly in front the goal line.
Annamarie Holmes gave the U.S. a 3-0 lead after intercepting a pass that traveled the length of the ice from goaltender Sara DeCosta, and banking the puck in off the left post. Eight seconds later, at 17:14, Bye completed her hat trick. Carisa Zaban closed out the scoring in the period with 41 seconds remaining, making the score 5-0 heading into the first intermission.
Skating on the power play, U.S. forward Laurie Baker tallied the first of her two goals in the second period at 5:01 on a one-timer that sailed above the glove-hand of St. Lawrence goaltender Rachel Barrie. U.S. forward Krissy Wendell, who also added two assists in the game, extended the margin to 7-0 when she skated around a defender and lifted a wrist shot into the top of the net.
After Baker’s second goal, St. Lawrence forward Tricia Powers answered by registering her team’s only marker on a breakaway at 11:51. Just over six minutes later, defenseman Chris Bailey received a pass from Wendell while driving to the net and notched the final goal of the period to make the score, 10-1. Bailey finished the contest with four points (1-3).
In the third period, forwards Shelley Looney and Cammi Granato each recorded goals for the United States, before defenseman Lyndsay Wall scored on a slapshot to make the final score 13-1.
DeCosta stopped 10 shots in the victory, while Barrie collected 58 saves and was named the Player of the Game for St. Lawrence. Baker earned Player of the Game honors for the U.S. Bye was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, while Granato finished with five points (3-2) in two games to earn the Tournament Most Valuable Player award.
The 2001-02 USA Hockey Women’s National Team next plays Team Canada on Nov. 27 in Ottawa, Ontario.
