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The Team USA women’s hockey team’s dominant run continued with a 6-0 quarterfinal victory over Italy Friday at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena to advance to the Olympic semifinals.
Entering the single-elimination game against Italy, Team USA had outscored opponents 20-1 in four games, including a 5-0 shutout of Team Canada.
The team’s phenomenal play continued against Italy. It was their fourth straight shutout, extending Team USA’s shutout streak to 271 minutes.
Team USA scored its first goal when both teams had just four players on the ice due to penalties from both teams. Alex Carpenter won a faceoff cleanly back to Megan Keller. Keller passed it to Laila Edwards, who immediately sent it back to Keller, and she buried a one-timer in the back of the net to give Team USA a 1-0 lead.
Team USA dominated the first period, outshooting Italy 20-2. Italian goaltender Gabriella Durante made a sparkling save to end the first period as she reached behind her with her stick to deflect Abbey Murphy’s shot away in the final minute of the period.
Italy did have a golden chance to get on the scoreboard in the first period when Justine Reyes had a breakaway, but the opportunity was thwarted by Team USA goalie Gwyneth Philips.
Team USA’s second goal came 1:41 into the second period on a sharp-angle shot from Kendall Coyne Schofield. She buried the rebound off the end boards from on the goal line, banking it in off Durante.
TEAM USA WOMEN’S HOCKEY POWERS PAST FINLAND AT MILAN CORTINA GAMES, TIES OLYMPIC RECORD
Coyne Schofield was not done. She scored her second goal of the period on a toe-drag after a sweet passing play from Britta Curl and Grace Zumwinkle left her one-on-one with Durante to make it 3-0.
Edwards added to the second-period avalanche with the team’s third goal in a span of 3½ minutes and their second in 26 seconds. Edwards was in the slot and rifled a shot through a crowd in front of Durante into the top corner of the net to make it a 4-0 Team USA lead.
Team USA found itself on the penalty kill after a Rory Guilday boarding penalty but scored the team’s fifth goal of the game while shorthanded.
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Team USA scored five goals in a 25-minute span, the same amount of time it took Italy to register its third shot of the game.
Hannah Bilka scored Team USA’s sixth goal of the game on a slick pass from Taylor Heise, and, after the goal, tempers flared. Punches were thrown from both teams after the goal, and the coaches from both benches barked at each other.
At the conclusion of the second period, the United States outshot Italy 39-4. No goals were scored in the third period, and Team USA outshout Italy 51-6 overall.
Team USA will play in the semifinals Monday at 10:40 a.m. ET.
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