Hockey
Canada launched its title defence at the women’s hockey world championships by cruising past Finland 5-0 on Thursday in the Czech Republic. Jennifer Gardiner had two goals and three points while goalie Kristen Campbell made 24 saves.
Japan downs newcomer Norway, Sweden blanks Hungary for 2nd win in Czech RepublicDonna Spencer · The Canadian Press
· Posted: Apr 10, 2025 10:09 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago
Jennifer Gardiner scored twice and added an assist, Ella Shelton had a goal and an assist while captain Marie-Philip Poulin and Emma Maltais also scored a goal apiece in Canada’s tournament-opening 5-0 win over Finland at the world women’s hockey championship on Thursday. (Vaclav Pancer/CTK via Associated Press)Jennifer Gardiner scored twice and had an assist in her women’s world hockey championship debut to lead Canada to a 5-0 win over Finland on Thursday in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
Marie-Philip Poulin and Ella Shelton each had a goal and an assist and Emma Maltais also scored for the defending champions in their tournament opener.
Goaltender Kristen Campbell posted a 24-save shutout in her first world championship start.
Finland’s starter Emilia Kyrkko allowed four goals on 13 shots before she was pulled for Anni Keisala in the first minute of the second period.
Keisala stopped 21 shots in relief in front of an announced crowd of 1,128 at Ceske Budejovice Arena.
Canada faced a tight turnaround ahead of their second Pool A game against the Swiss (0-1) on Friday at 9 a.m. ET.
Finland, the 2024 bronze medallist, played its second game in as many days after a 7-1 loss to the United States.
Canada has lost twice and tied once in 91 all-time games against the Finns, but the latter upset Canada in a 2019 semifinal en route to a silver medal in Espoo, Finland.
Maltais produced Canada’s fifth goal Thursday threading a shot from the blue line through both traffic and Keisala’s pads at 11:14 of the third period.
WATCH | Gardiner paces Canadian attack with 3 points against Finland:
Jennifer Gardiner scores a pair in her worlds debut as Canada blanks Finland
Making her world championship debut, Jennifer Gardiner led Canada with three points in their 5-0 victory over Finland, to open the women’s world championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
Poulin, Gardiner and Laura Stacey, the top line of the PWHL’s Montreal Victoire, got to work early in the tournament for Canada.
Gardiner’s second goal 18 seconds into the second period deflected off the skate of Finnish defender Sanni Rantala as the Canadian whipped the puck towards Stacey in the slot.
Stacey dished the puck down to Gardiner behind the net, who fed Poulin on Finland’s doorstep at 17:12 of the first period for the captain to bang in Canada’s third goal.
Canada worked the puck around the offensive zone before springing Shelton, who skated in from the point and used an Emily Clark screen to shoot top corner on Kyrkko at 12:22.
Gardiner collected her first world championship goal at 6:02 on a give-and-go with Shelton. She beat Kyrkko with a wrist shot from the face-off circle.
“You couldn’t have told me this would happen in my wildest dreams,” said Gardiner about her tournament debut.
Finland forward Viivi Vainikka left the game in the last minute of the first period after a hard collision with Poulin.
Canada was held scoreless on a pair of power-play chances and kept Finland off the scoresheet on its one opportunity.
Canadian goalie Desbiens nears returnHead coach Troy Ryan had said he wanted to give goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens more preparation time before inserting her into a world championship game.
Canada’s starter in recent world championships and the 2022 Olympic Games was injured in a PWHL game March 18. Eve Gascon of Terrebone, Que., was Campbell’s backup Thursday.
With 36 goals and 43 assists, the 34-year-old Poulin from Beauceville, Que., moved closer to Hayley Wickenheiser’s Canadian tournament records for career points (86) and assists (49) and Jayna Hefford’s 40 goals.
At 18 years three months, defender Chloe Primerano became Canada’s third-youngest player to play in a world championship after Wickenheiser (15) and Cheryl Pounder (17).
Rosters were expanded by two skaters at this year’s world championship to 25 players. Desbiens, forward Julia Gosling and defender Sophie Jaques were Canada’s scratches Thursday.
Gosling was a late replacement for Hannah Miller who was named to the roster, but declared ineligible because a contract with a Chinese club less than two years ago ran up against IIHF transfer rules.
Japan 4, Norway 2Japan beat newly promoted Norway 4-2 at the women’s ice hockey world championship on Thursday in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
Mei Miura had a goal and an assist and Akane Hosoyamada, Rui Ukita, Riri Noro and Akane Shiga also scored for Japan in a Group B game.
Andrea Dalen and Marthe Brunvold had a goal each for Norway to mark its return to the top division after a 27-year absence.
At 1 p.m. ET, Canada opens its title defence against Finland in Group A and Sweden faces another newcomer Hungary in Group B.
The 12-day, 10-nation tournament represents the final major international tune-up before the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
Sweden 2, Hungary 0Sweden fought hard to overcome newcomer Hungary 2-0 for a second win at the women’s ice hockey world championship.
Linnea Johansson broke the deadlock late in the middle period and had an assist for the second goal netted by Lina Ljungblom in the third period when the Hungarians outshot the Swedes 11-6.
Sweden goaltender Emma Soderberg stopped 24 shots.
Sweden beat Germany 5-2 in their opening game in Group B on Wednesday.
With files from The Associated Press
