At the 1:41 mark of the second stanza, a Caroline Harvey (Salem, N.H./University of Wisconsin) shot from the point was deflected high off the glass behind Italy’s goal and onto the stick of Coyne Schofield who batted the puck from just behind the goal line, off the back of Italian netminder Gabriella Durante, and into the back of the net to double Team USA’s lead.
At 4:51 in the middle frame, Britta Curl-Salemme (Bismarck, N.D./Minnesota Frost) maneuvered into the slot with a toe-drag before threading a pass across the crease to Coyne Schofield, who buried a one-timer for her second tally of the contest.
Edwards made it a 4-0 game at the 5:17 mark when she fired a wrist shot from the point through traffic that found the top right corner. Keller and Tessa Janecke (Warren, Ill./Penn State University) recorded helpers om the play.
With 8:31 remaining in the second, while the U.S. was shorthanded, Curl-Salemme collected a loose puck behind Italy’s net and finished a wraparound chance to give Team USA a 5-0 lead.
Taylor Heise (Lake City, Minn./Minnesota Frost) then found Hannah Bilka (Coppell, Texas/Seattle Torrent) at the top of Italy’s crease with a cross-ice feed from the half wall, and Bilka redirected the pass into the top-left corner at 18:27 to put the U.S. up 6-0.
The third period was scoreless for each side, as Philips completed a shutout in goal for Team USA, stopping all six shots she faced.
With the win, Team USA advanced to the semifinals, set for Monday (Feb. 16) at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, with the opponent to be determined after the conclusion of the quarterfinal round tomorrow (Feb. 14). Puck drop is slated for 4:40 p.m. CET (10:40 a.m. ET) and the game will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
NOTES: Team USA outshot Italy, 51-6 … The U.S. went 0-5 on the power play, while Italy went 0-3.
