Laila Edwards makes history, becoming first Black player to score for USA women’s hockey

UTICA, N.Y. — Laila Edwards became the first Black player to score for the United States women’s hockey team with two goals, Alex Carpenter scored three times and the Americans routed Czechia, 6-0, on Friday night at the Women’s World Championship.

Edwards and Carpenter each scored 59 seconds apart to make it 3-0 with 2:31 left in the second period.

When Carpenter scored her third goal for a 6-0 lead, Czechia had just nine shots at the halfway point of the third. Klára Peslarová faced 48 shots on goal.

Carpenter opened the scoring just seven minutes into the game after finding her own rebound out front and finishing with a backhand.

Edwards, a sophomore forward with NCAA Division 1 runner-up University of Wisconsin, added a shorthanded goal early in the third for a 4-0 lead. Taylor Heise, the first overall pick in the PWHL draft by Minnesota, scored her first goal of the tournament 45 seconds later.

The United States plays Saturday against Finland in another Group A game. Czechia faces another tough challenge Sunday against Canada, which like the US is 2-0.