Canadian worlds win is payback
Hosts take opener vs. Finland in 2019 semifinal rematch,
CALGARY—Canada’s first women’s world hockey championship game in over two years was a hard-fought 5-3 win over Finland, and the battle felt like sweet relief for Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin.
Rookie forward Sarah Fillier scored the third-period gamewinner and veteran Brianne Jenner sealed the victory with an empty-net goal Friday in Calgary.
“To be honest, it’s hard to put into words, just watching the video before the game on the blue line. And when they said the world championship was finally open, to be honest, it gave me shivers,” Poulin said.
Poulin, Erin Ambrose and Jamie Lee Rattray also scored for the host Canadians, who trailed by two goals after the opening period. Natalie Spooner and Claire Thompson each had two assists. Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped eight shots for the win.
Minnamari Tuominen, Nelli Laitinen and Elisa Holopainen replied for Finland, with Anni Keisala turning away 39 shots in the loss.
Earlier, the Czech Republic downed Denmark 6-1 as the 10country championship got underway 859 days after the last one in Espoo, Finland.
The 2020 and 2021 tournaments scheduled for Halifax and Truro, N.S., were both cancelled because of COVID-19 concerns.
When Nova Scotia pulled the plug in May, Hockey Canada rescheduled and relocated the tournament to Calgary less than six months out from the Beijing Olympics in February.
Poulin barely played in Espoo because of a knee injury, so the gap felt even longer for the 30year-old from Beauceville, Que.
“Bringing back that jersey for an international game was very special today,” Poulin said. “We’ve been waiting for that moment for a long time.”
When Holopainen drew the Finns even at 7:13 of the third period, Fillier scored a goahead goal 25 seconds later. The 21-year-old from Georgetown is one of eight players making their world championship debut for Canada.
“They’re the types of shifts that we have to win momentum or gain momentum back, and usually good players and goal scorers find ways to contribute in those times,” Canadian head coach Troy Ryan said. “Not only was it a confidence builder for her, I thought it was awesome for our team to regain momentum after that tying goal.”
In 2019, for the first time, Canada didn’t play in a world championship final after a 4-2 loss to Finland in the semis. Canada went on to take the bronze medal, while the host Finns fell 2-1 in a shootout to the U.S. in the gold-medal game in Espoo.
Canada’s 4-1 pre-tournament win over Finland on Wednesday was the first meeting between the countries since that semifinal.
Down 2-0 in Friday’s opener, Canada swarmed the offensive zone for a 25-2 edge in shots in the second period and scored twice in a 20-second span to pull even.
“I don’t think we entered the offensive zone, not even once in the second period,” Tuominen said. “We just need to focus on getting out of our zone and getting the puck deep and getting changes. Then we get fresh legs on the ice and maybe create something.”
Holopainen pulled the Finns even with a backhand tip between the pads of Desbiens, but Fillier quickly responded when Spooner fed her in the slot from behind the net. Canada led for the first time in the game early in the third period when Jenner’s redirection deflected off Ambrose and by Keisala.
Canada meets Russia (ROC) Sunday, followed by Switzerland on Tuesday and the U.S. Thursday.