Canada Hands Japan a Thrashing: Gardiner’s Double & Fillier’s Breakthrough Power Canadians to 9-1 Win, into Semis
Fillier Finds Touch, Gardiner Continues Scoring Spree
Canada’s chemistry experiment continued into the medal games at the women’s world hockey championship as the team sailed to a 9-1 quarterfinal win over Japan, thank to Sarah Fillier’s two goals and Jennifer Gardiner’s brace.
“It was nice to contribute offensively. I’ve been working hard on both sides of the puck.” – Sarah Fillier
Gardiner, the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals, added two more to her tally, while Fillier, the MVP of the 2021 tournament, scored her first two goals of the championship. Canada opened the scoring on Julia Gosling’s goal, assisted by captain Marie-Philip Poulin, tying Hayley Wickenheiser’s Canadian record of 86 career points in world championships.
Semifinals Set: Canada vs Finland, USA vs Czechia
In the semifinals, reigning champion Canada will face last year’s bronze medallists Finland, while the United States takes on the host nation, Czechia. The medal games will be played on Sunday.
- Canada vs Finland – Saturday, 2:30 PM ET
- USA vs Czechia – Saturday, 12:00 PM ET
Canada’s Formidable Offense, Stellar Goaltending
Coming off a dominant 17-3 record in the preliminary round, Canada continued to shine with a balanced attack and solid goaltending. Kristin Campbell made five saves for her third win, while Japanese keeper Miyuu Masuhara stopped 53 shots.
“We had a lot of trouble getting quality shots on net, despite the score. Japan’s goaltender played exceptional.” – Canada defenseman Erin Ambrose
Lineup Changes, Looking Ahead
Head coach Troy Ryan tinkered with the forward lines, reuniting Poulin, Stacey, and Gardiner, while using Spooner, Nurse, and Fillier on another line. Fillier, playing center, notched two goals, and Ryan lauded her performance:
“She played with much more attitude and energy. It’s nice to see her back in her natural position.” – Troy Ryan
Reflecting on the win and looking ahead, Ryan bolstered the importance of balance and chemistry in the high-stakes semifinals: “A lot of it depends on finding the right combinations for success. We may still juggle some lines.”
Medal Favorites Advance; Japan, Switzerland Await Fifth Place
In other quarterfinal action, Finland secured a 3-2 win over Sweden, while the United States blanked Germany 3-0, and Czech Republic routed Switzerland 7-0.
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Did you know?
The women’s world hockey championship started in 1990, with the U.S. holding the most titles (nine) and Finland being the reigning bronze medalist (2021).