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USA Claims Women’s Hockey World Championship Gold Against Canada
In a thrilling showdown at the women’s world hockey championship, the United States reclaimed the gold medal from Canada with a dramatic 4-3 victory in overtime on Sunday. This marks a significant achievement for the U.S. team, securing their second world title in three years, having previously triumphed over Canada in the 2023 final held in Brampton, Ontario.
The win brings the U.S. total to 11 gold medals, while Canada remains at the top with 13 championships. Notably, this match was the tenth between these two hockey powerhouses that required overtime or a shootout, with a balanced record of 5-5 in such contests.
As the rivalry intensifies, it sets the stage for further competitions, particularly with the upcoming Olympic Games scheduled to take place in Milan and Cortina, Italy. Canada will be looking to defend its gold medal in these games, a continuing source of fierce competition between the nations.
U.S. captain Hilary Knight extended her record as the player with the most world championship gold medals (10) and total medals (15), a testament to her enduring presence and impact on the sport.
In the final match, it was Tessa Janecke who sealed the victory with the overtime goal, clinching the win at 17:06 after receiving a pass from Taylor Heise. The American roster showcased a strong performance, with goals from Heise, Caroline Harvey, and Abbey Murphy contributing to their scoring efforts.
In goal, Gwyneth Philip made 17 crucial saves after stepping in for Aerin Frankel early in the third period following a collision. Frankel had previously made 27 saves before being sidelined. Canada’s response came from Danielle Serdachny, Jennifer Gardiner, and Sarah Fillier, while Ann-Renee Desbiens managed 26 saves in defeat.
The matchup between the U.S. and Canada has a rich history, with these teams now facing off a total of 23 times in world championship finals. Earlier in the tournament, Canada had suffered a 2-1 defeat to the U.S. in a Pool A game.
During the final, the U.S. jumped to an early lead thanks to goals from Harvey and Murphy within a quick succession of 29 seconds. However, Canada swiftly countered, scoring twice in less than a minute from Serdachny and Gardiner, showcasing the back-and-forth nature of the rivalry.
Despite opportunities for Canada to take the lead during a power play, they were unable to capitalize. The third period saw a critical moment when Frankel collided with Laura Stacey, leading to Philip taking over in net amidst a U.S. advantage.
Harvey’s goal put the U.S. ahead again, only for Fillier to net the equalizer during a chaotic sequence in front of the American net. Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin had an impressive tournament, finishing with a remarkable four goals and eight assists while earning the tournament MVP title.
Finland claimed the bronze medal after defeating the host nation Czechia in another exciting overtime match, with a final score of 4-3. This championship marked the first time a Czech city has hosted the women’s championship, attracting an impressive attendance of 122,331 spectators at Budvar Arena—surpassing the previous record of 119,231 set in 2007.
The host for the 2026 women’s world hockey championship will be revealed at the IIHF congress scheduled for May, with Denmark and Austria earning promotion to the next tournament after winning their Division 1 contests.
Source
globalnews.ca