Kendall Coyne-Schofield scored twice to highlight a five-goal second period, lifting the United States to a 6-0 romp over Italy on Friday in the quarterfinals at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Megan Keller collected a goal and two assists and Laila Edwards and Britta Curl-Salemme had one of each for the Americans (5-0-0), who have enjoyed a 26-1 edge in goals thus far in this tournament.
Hannah Bilka also tallied as the United States held a decisive 51-5 advantage in shots on goal.
Gwyneth Philips made five saves to help the Americans record their fourth consecutive shutout of the tournament.
Gabriella Durante turned aside 45 shots for the Italians (2-3-0), who had advanced to the Olympic quarterfinals for the first time in their history.
The Americans applied the pressure from the onset and enjoyed a 20-2 edge in shots on goal during the first period. The Italians, however, had a prime chance to open the scoring but Philips denied Justine Reyes on a breakaway.
The U.S. solved Durante with 6:29 remaining in the session after Keller unleashed a one-timer from the high slot off a return pass from Edwards.
Durante kept the Italians close near the end of the first period by extending her paddle to deny Abbey Murphy’s blast from deep in the left circle.
Held without a point in the first four games, Coyne-Schofield tallied twice within a span of 3:10 early in the second period to give the Americans a 3-0 lead. She collected the puck off the end boards and banked a shot into the net at 1:41 and before capping a pretty passing sequence at 4:51.
Edwards’ shot from above the circles sailed through traffic and beat Durante at 5:17 of the second before Curl converted over six minutes later. Taylor Heise set up Bilka to cap the five-goal period with 1:33 left in the session.
–Field Level Media
