By Steve Keating
BRAMPTON, Ontario (Reuters) – Hilary Knight scored third-period power play goals 27 seconds apart as the United States stunned archrivals Canada 6-3 on Sunday to win the gold medal final of the women’s world ice hockey championships.
Canada had led 3-2 heading into the third period and were on course for a third successive world title but threw it away with sloppy play, taking two late penalties to gift the U.S. a two-player advantage with 3:52 left.
Knight made them pay dearly for their mistakes.
After Caroline Harvey had pulled the U.S. level at 3-3 early in the third, captain Knight scored twice to complete her hat-trick having also netted in the second period.
Cayla Barnes scored into an empty net to close out the scoring while Abbey Murphy also had a goal.
Canada’s Brianne Jenner scored a pair of second-period goals and set up another but it was her tripping penalty, along with Claire Thompson’s delay of game, that provided the U.S. with their golden opportunity.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Brampton. Editing by Peter Rutherford)
