Team Canada wins first game of women’s world hockey championship
Team Canada kicked off its title defence at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, taking place in Ceske Budejovice, Czechia with a decisive 5-0 win against Finland on Thursday.
In the 90 times that the two countries had met prior to Thursday, the Canadians had lost only twice, and tied once. Finland kicked off their world championship efforts on Wednesday, with a 7-1 loss to the United States.
Kristen Campbell made her first world championship start in net for Team Canada, as head coach Troy Ryan made the decision to rest Ann-Renée Desbiens as she returns from a lower-body injury sustained in a PWHL game just ahead of the tournament. Desbiens is in Czechia with the team, and Troy indicated that she will play in the tournament.
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World championship rookie Jennifer Gardiner made her debut on the starting lineup and made it count, scoring Team Canada’s first goal of the tournament at 6:02. Gardiner was assisted by Ella Shelton, and Team Canada’s captain, Marie-Philip Poulin.
Shelton added another of her own to the score sheet at 12:22, assisted by Renata Fast and Brianne Jenner.
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Captain Clutch got herself on the scoreboard at her 13th world championship repping the maple leaf. Poulin was assisted at 17:12 by Gardiner and Laura Stacey. There was clear chemistry between the all-Montreal Victoire top line. Poulin currently leads the PWHL standings in goals.
Team Canada headed to the locker room after the first period of play with a 3-0 lead over the Finns.
And they returned to the ice with a clear determination to keep the momentum going, with another goal by Gardiner within the first minute of the second period for her third point of the game. Canada’s fourth goal prompted a goaltending switch by Team Finland, with Emilia Kyrkko being replaced by Anni Keisala.
The second period of play closed out with the Canadians up 4-0, with shots 26-10 in favour of the Canadians.
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A goal by Emma Maltais at 51:14 increased the Canadian lead. Maltais was credited with the goal off a tip off from a wrister by Micah Zandee-Hart.
It was a strong first game by the reigning champions to close it out 5-0. It was a big game for the debuts, with Campbell earning the shutout in her first world championship start, and Gardiner racking up the points in her first world championship appearance in the maple leaf.
The world championship marks the final major international tournament ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, offering a preview of potential rosters we could see hitting the ice in Milan.
Team Canada will play Switzerland on Friday, April 11 at 9:00 am ET, followed by a highly anticipated match against their long-time rival, Team USA, on Sunday at 1:00pm ET.
