SKIEN, Norway – Kelsey DiClaudio (Plum, Pa.) scored twice and added an assist to help the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team to a 3-0 victory over Canada to clinch the 2024 Para Ice Hockey Women’s World Challenge championship at Skien Fritidspark.
The U.S. finished the tournament with a 4-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record for the third-consecutive year and has now won all three Women’s World Challenge titles since the inaugural event in 2022.
“It was a great game, we knew it was going to be tough and very competitive for all three periods,” said Rose Misiewicz, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team. “We are super excited that we got the job done and won our third World Challenge.”
Team USA opened the scoring 3:59 into the contest while on the power play. DiClaudio gained possession in the offensive zone and threaded a pass to Lera Doederlein (San Diego, Calif.), who found Chloe Kirkpatrick (Bemidji, Minn.) with a back-door feed across the crease. Kirkpatrick one-timed the puck across the goal line to put the U.S. up 1-0.
In the closing minutes of the opening period, Gabby Graves-Wake (Phoenix, Ariz.) denied a breakaway chance for the Canadians with an acrobatic blocker save to maintain the lead.
At the 5:02 mark of the middle frame, DiClaudio carried the puck into the offensive zone and created a one-on-one with the Canadian goaltender, tucking the puck home off a deke to double the U.S. advantage.
Just 42 seconds later, DiClaudio recorded her second tally of the contest after winning a puck battle in front of the Canada crease and capitalizing on a shot from the left circle to go up 3-0.
Both sides were held scoreless in the third period despite power play opportunities for each, sealing the victory, and Women’s World Challenge championship for Team USA.
NOTES: Team USA outshot Canada 20-11 … The U.S. was 1-3 on the power play, while Canada was 0-3 … Kelsey DiClaudio was named U.S. Player of the Game … The U.S. outscored its opponents 27-0 across four games.
