U.S. claims gold in thrilling showdown at 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s Worlds, Czechs make history with silver, and tournament scoring leader Chloe Primerano sets records as Canada beats Finland 8-1 for the bronze medal.
The 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship concluded with an impressive victory for the United States, marking their first title since 2020. The final, held in Zug, Switzerland, saw the U.S. triumph over Czechia with a convincing 5-1 scoreline.
In a thrilling and hard-fought match on Sunday night, the U.S. showcased their prowess, deserving every bit of their first gold medal in four years. Despite their dominance, the Czech team displayed resilience, making the Americans work hard for their victory.
Historically, Czechia entered the final as significant underdogs, considering the U.S.’s perfect record of 12 consecutive wins in WW18 meetings, with a staggering goal difference of 111-6. However, the Czech team gained confidence from a pre-tournament 4-3 shootout win over the U.S. on January 4 in Kloten – their first-ever victory against North American national teams.
Securing the silver medal marks a historic achievement for Czech women’s hockey in the IIHF, surpassing their previous best of bronze medals in WW18 (2008, 2014) and WW (2022, 2023). This accomplishment underscores the growing strength of Czech women’s hockey on the international stage.
The final showcased a recurring theme from the previous year, featuring a North American team against a European team, following Canada’s 10-0 victory over Sweden in 2023. The intense battle for supremacy lasted the full 60 minutes, adding another chapter to the captivating narrative of women’s hockey at the U18 level.
Following an unprecedented 4-2 loss to the Czechs in the semi-finals, marking the end of Canada’s two-time defending champions reign, Canada secured the bronze medal by defeating Finland 8-1.
In the bronze medal game, Canadian defenseman Chloe Primerano, also the tournament’s top scorer, made history with two goals and an assist.
Amassing a total of 16 points (8 goals and 8 assists), Primerano set a new record for the highest points by a defenseman in a single tournament. The 17-year-old prodigy not only surpassed the previous records held by the U.S.’s Kendall Coyne Schofield (15 points in 2009) and Canada’s Jessica Campbell (15 points in 2010) but also secured the second-highest total in the history of U18 Women’s Worlds. The all-time record is held by the U.S.’s Amanda Kessel, who scored 19 points in 2009.
As a result of her outstanding performance, Chloe Primerano was rightfully named the tournament MVP.
Joining Chloe on the tournament’s All-Star lineup were two standout players, selected by the directorate. This includes two key figures from Czechia, contributing significantly to their compelling journey to the gold-medal game. Goalie Aneta Senkova and captain Adela Sapovalivova.
Additionally, these three players earned their spots on the All-Star team through votes from the media present at the tournament. Finland’s Tuuli Tallinen joined Primerano on the All-Star defense, while her teammate Emma Ekoluoma, boasting 8 goals and three assists, earned a spot among the forwards. Rounding out the lineup is the flamboyant Josie St. Martin from Team USA.
Tournament MVP
Chloe Primerano, Canada
Media All-Star Team
Goaltender: Aneta Senkova, Czechia
Defender: Chloe Primerano, Canada
Defender: Tuuli Tallinen, Finland
Forward: Emma Ekoluoma, Finland
Forward: Adela Sapovalivova, Czechia
Forward: Josie St. Martin, USA
Directorate awards
Best goalie: Aneta Senkova, Czechia
Best defender: Chloe Primerano, Canada
Best forward: Adela Sapovalivova, Czechia
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For more details on the 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s Worlds, you can access additional information and news HERE
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