Americans on Top of the World

Team USA beat Team Canada 4-2 to win the World Championships on Saturday. Jenny Potter and Natalie Darwitz scored for the Americans with two goals each, while Sarah Vaillancourt and Katie Weatherston replied for Team Canada. Team USA outshot Team Canada 29-24 overall.

Earlier in the day, Karolina Rantamaki's two assists and Noora Raty’s nine saves led Finland to the bronze medal with a 4-1 win over Switzerland. The tournament began on Friday, April 4th as Sweden shutout Japan 5-0, the USA flattened Germany 8-1, and Canada routed Russia by the same score.

On Saturday, April 5th Finland beat Japan 5-1, Switzerland beat Germany 3-0, and Russia got past China 5-3. Sunday’s three games saw Finland edge Sweden 3-2, the Americans lay a 7-1 thrashing on Switzerland, and Canada take on the host team China by taking them to school with an 11-0 route.

Action resumed on Tuesday as Finland edged the USA 1-0 in overtime, Switzerland nipped Sweden 4-3, and Germany edged Japan 2-1. Canada doubled Finland 4-2, Russia skated past Sweden 3-1, and Japan beat China by the same score in Wednesday’s action.
On Thursday, the Americans doubled the Canadians 4-2, Switzerland edged Russia 2-1, and China skated to a 4-2 win over Germany.

Darwitz led all scorers with six goals and four assists, with Hayley Wickenheiser coming second with three goals and six assists, and Canada’s Jennifer Botterill rounding out the top three with four goals and four assists.

Raty’s 1.48 GAA and 0.926 SAV % gave her the lead among netminders and Switzerland’s Florence Schelling was second with her 2.95 GAA, and 0.919 SAV %. Japan’s Azusa Nakaoku finished third with her 2.67 GAA and 0.910 SAV%. Raty was the big winner when the awards were handed out wining the Best Goalkeeper and MVP Award.

Americans Angela Ruggiero and Darwitz were named the best defenseman and best forward respectively.

All-Stars:

Goaltender: Noora Raty, Finland
Defense: Emma Laaksonen, Finland and Julie Chu, USA
Forwards: Hayley Wickenheiser, Canada, Natalie Darwitz, USA, Jayna Hefford, Canada

Final Standings:

1. United States
2. Canada
3. Finland
4. Switzerland
5. Sweden
6. Russia
7. Japan
8. China
9. Germany

Germany is relegated to Division 1 for the the 2009 World Championships and will be replaced by Kazakhstan.

British Earn Promotion

At the DIII championships in Miskolc, Hungary, Great Britain won the gold medal with a 3-2 win in a shootout over Slovenia and will move up to DII status for next season.
The Brits outshot the Slovenians 54-18 overall.

Best Players and MVP Selected by the Directorate

Best Goalkeeper - Ksenija Boznar, Slovenia
Best Defender - Diana Kruselj-Posavec, Croatia
Best Forward - Angela Taylor, Great Britain
Most Valuable Player - Jasmina Rosar, Slovenia

Taylor plays for the University of New Hampshire Wildcats. Rosar finished the tournament as the top point getter with 15 goals and three assists. Her teammate, Pia Pren followed her into second place with four goals and 14 assists, while Kruselj-Posavec was third with ten goals and one assist.

Boznar was the tournament’s top goalie with her 1.30 GAA, and 0.957 SAV %. Belgium’s Kirsten Schonwetter was second as she had a GAA of 3.21 and a 0.912 SAV % followed by Korea’s Jung Shin So (4.35 GAA, 0.889 SAV %).

Korea is relegated to DIV for the 2009 season.