Brianne Jenner scored twice in the second period and goalkeeper Ann-Renee Desbiens made 20 saves in the Canadian net. Abby Roque scored for the Americans with Nicole Hensley stopping 17 shots in the loss. Canadians won gold in a third major international event in a year. WATCHES | Jenner leads Canada past USA for world title:
Canada edges out the United States for the gold medal at the world championships
Brianne Jenner of Oakville, Ont. scored both of Canada’s goals en route to a 2-1 victory over their international rivals in the tournament final. They beat the USA 3-2 in overtime just over a year ago in Calgary in a world championship that was postponed until August due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada also beat the USA 3-2 in February’s Olympic women’s hockey final in Beijing. This Canadian team was a work in progress throughout the tournament in Denmark as coach Troy Ryan juggled his forward lines in search of chemistry. Both Canada and the USA returned 18 players from their Olympic rosters. Americans seemed to absorb the changes there more quickly than Canada. The USA went undefeated in the final, including a 5-2 victory over their opponent in the preliminary round, with a plus-47 goal difference compared to plus-22 for Canada. In addition to moving the puck faster and cleaner than in the loss to the USA, Canada also defended more tenaciously in the frame between and under the dot.
Desbiens keeps Canada on top
Trailing 2-1, the U.S. came close to pulling even on two power-play chances in the third period, and also in a furious final minute with Hensley hauling in an extra attacker. But a calm Desbiens carried the load throughout the third period, when Canada took a 12-6 lead. 🙅♀️ pic.twitter.com/2IHnuq3OJL —@HockeyCanada Canada and the USA have met in the final of all but one world championship since the inaugural tournament in Ottawa in 1990. Canada lost to Finland in the 2019 semifinal. It is the first time Canada has won back-to-back tournament titles since 2004. That golden feeling. 🏆 😆 pic.twitter.com/5IUHqieLfM —@HockeyCanada Canada took a 2-0 lead on a pair of quick Jenner goals until Roque cut the deficit in half with her fourth power-play goal of the tournament at 19:39 of the second period. Amanda Kessel drew Canadian defenders and Desbiens and sent a goal pass to a missed Roque to score. Jenner’s nine goals at the Winter Olympics in February set a tournament record, but the veteran had not scored at the world championships until Saturday’s semifinal win over Switzerland. Jenner beat Hensley with a wrist shot just below the face dot for a power-play goal at 10:54. Jenner scored her first from the same area, but from a sharper angle. He collected a Marie-Philip Poulin pass on the high boards, took the puck deep and handcuffed Hensley with a low shot away at 9:30. Canada outshot the USA 5-2 in a scoreless first period and went 0-for-2 on the power play. American forward Alex Carpenter hit the crossbar with three minutes left in the period. The 2023 women’s championship will be held in Canada in a yet-to-be-announced city, followed by the US hosting it in 2024. Canada and the United States will also compete in a seven-game Rivalry series this winter. The International Ice Hockey Federation introduced a top-tier women’s league in the same year as the Olympics for the first time in 2022 to encourage confederations to invest more consistently in women’s hockey. The 10-nation field in Denmark was minus Russia after it was banned by the IIHF from international tournaments for the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Czechs claim the bronze
The Czech Republic reached the final four and the podium for the first time on Sunday by defeating Switzerland 4-2 for the bronze medal. The Czechs were coached in Denmark by Calgary’s Carla Macleod, a former Canadian team defender. WATCHES | Canada beat Switzerland in the semi-finals:
Canada punches a ticket to the world championship gold medal game
The Canadians blanked Switzerland 8-1 to advance to the gold medal game with the United States at the IIHF Women’s World Championship in Denmark.
