Tampere, FINLAND – The United States became the first team to qualify for the semifinals at the 2024 Euro Women’s Hockey Tour on Thursday, thanks to a 6-2 win over Switzerland. Team USA moved to 2-0 and clinched first place in Group A of the six-team tournament.
Abbey Murphy was once again a force for the winners, with a goal and an assist that gives her five points in two games. Cassandra Hall, Sloane Matthews, Tessa Janecke, Casey O’Brien and Ella Huber also scored for the Americans, with Amanda Thiele getting the win in goal. The game was tied 1-1 after the first period but Team USA took over with three second-period goals and led 4-1 heading into the final frame.
“This game was a good gut check for this team,” said John Wroblewski, Team USA’s head coach. “It was the second of back-to-back games and Switzerland gave us a physical battle. This team fought from the opening whistle.”
Nicole Vallario and Lena Marie Lutz scored for the Swiss, who will now prepare for a huge game against host Finland on Friday. With both the Swiss and Finns at 0-1, the winner of Friday’s tilt will move on to Saturday’s semifinals, while the loser will play in the fifth-place game.
The event in Finland is the third of four events on the Women’s Euro Hockey Tour for 2024-25. Czechia won the first event in August, held in Kloten, Switzerland, when it won two games and lost one in overtime for seven total points, one more than second-place Sweden.
The second event was in November in Södertälje, Sweden, with Czechia once again winning the four-team tournament, this time with eight points (two regulations wins, one overtime win). Finland placed second.
This week’s event is the first to include Canada’s National Women’s Development Team (under-23) and the U.S. Collegiate Women’s Select Team. The goal of the Euro Hockey Tour is to continue marketing women’s hockey and to help grow the game in each of the countries.
The final event will be a three-nations tournament held in Czechia in February, with the host team joined by Finland and Switzerland. Sweden will not compete as there’s a scheduling conflict with Olympic qualification, which is being held in Sweden at the same time
Canada 3, Czechia 0
Anne Cherkowski scored the lone goal of the first period and then Canada got insurance markers from Sarah Paul and Maya Labad in the second. With the win, Canada concluded its round-robin with a 2-0 record and, like the United States, has clinched a spot in Saturday’s semifinals.
“It felt great (to get the shutout),” said Murphy. “It was an awesome team win for us and to kill some big penalties in the third period was a really good momentum boost for our team. We keep getting better every period; it is really awesome playing behind such talented athletes. If we keep doing what we are doing, we will continue building throughout the tournament.”
Czechia will face Sweden on Friday, with the winner moving onto the semis and the loser having to play in the consolation game.