Canada blanks Switzerland 3-0 in women’s world hockey championship
A PWHL Toronto connection was a big contributor to Canada’s 3-0 win over Switzerland at the women’s world hockey championship Friday.
Emma Maltais and Sarah Nurse scored Canada’s first two goals and Natalie Spooner assisted on both of them. The trio of forwards are Toronto teammates in the new Professional Women’s Hockey League in its inaugural season.
Sarah Fillier added an empty-net goal for Canada.
Emerance Maschmeyer, PWHL Ottawa’s No. 1 goalie, posted a 17-save shutout in her first start of the tournament for Canada (2-0), which won its second game in less than 24 hours after a 4-1 decision over Finland the previous evening.
The Swiss were still looking for their first goal of the tournament after two games. Ohio State alum Andrea Braendli stopped 43 of 45 shots after her 51 saves in a 4-0 loss to the United States.
Canadian head coach Troy Ryan continued to ease captain Marie-Philip-Poulin into the tournament by limiting her minutes. Poulin missed PWHL Montreal’s last three games before the international break with an undisclosed injury.
Maschmeyer repelled a late flurry of shots with Braendli pulled for an extra attacker Friday.
Canada led 2-0 at period breaks and outshot Switzerland 31-7 after two periods. The Swiss didn’t muster a shot on net until a Canadian roughing penalty at the 16-minute mark of the first period.
Switzerland had 90 seconds of five-on-three early in the second with both Nurse and Renata Fast serving tripping penalties, but didn’t convert it into a goal.
With Spooner buzzing through the offensive zone, Nurse capitalized on a giveaway at the boards by Swiss captain Lara Stalder to roof the puck on Braendli at 7:46 of the first period.
Spooner drove out from the corner to get a shot on net, with Maltais potting the rebound 70 seconds after the opening faceoff for her second in as many games.
Canada caps Group A with another back to back on Sunday afternoon against Czechia and Monday evening versus defending champion United States.
The tournament’s top five seeds in Group A and top three teams in Group B advance to the April 11 quarterfinals. The semifinals are April 13 and medal games April 14.
Canadian teams have won 12 gold medals in the 22 tournaments held, and reached the final of all but one.