Canada Begins Women's Hockey Title Defense with Dominant Win Over Finland

CESKE BUDEJOVICE, Czech Republic – Canada kicked off its title defense at the Women's Hockey World Championships with a commanding 5-0 victory against Finland on Thursday. This marked a strong start for the Canadian team as they seek their 14th championship title in the tournament.

Jennifer Gardiner emerged as a standout player for Canada, scoring two goals and providing an assist during the match. Ella Shelton also made significant contributions, recording a goal and an assist, while captain Marie-Philip Poulin and Emma Maltais each added a goal of their own.

The game began with Gardiner lighting up the scoreboard just 6 minutes and 2 seconds into the first period, firing a shot from the left circle that found the back of the net. Canada maintained its offensive pressure throughout the match, establishing a 4-0 lead by the end of the first period. Gardiner netted her second goal 18 seconds into the second period, prompting Finland to replace goaltender Emilia Kyrkko.

Reflecting on her tournament debut, Gardiner expressed her disbelief at her performance, stating, "You couldn't have told me this would happen in my wildest dreams."

In addition to Gardiner’s impressive showing, Shelton scored with a precise wrist shot that found the top of the net. Poulin's goal came after a well-placed feed from Gardiner, who set her up behind the goal to extend the lead to 3-0. This loss marked the second consecutive defeat for Finland, who claimed a bronze medal in last year's championship and had previously suffered a heavy 7-1 loss to the United States. The outcome signals a growing gap between Canada and the other leading teams in the tournament.

Next, Canada will face Switzerland in another Group A match on Friday, as they continue their quest to reclaim the championship title.

In earlier matches, Sweden secured a narrow 2-0 victory against newcomer Hungary, benefitting from a late goal by Linnea Johansson, who also assisted the second goal scored by Lina Ljungblom in the third period. Despite being outshot 11-6 in the third, Swedish goaltender Emma Soderberg was effective, stopping 24 shots to secure the win.

In another Group B encounter, Japan defeated Norway 5-2, with Mei Miura contributing a goal and an assist. This victory marks a successful return for Norway to the top division after a 27-year absence.

The 12-day tournament features 10 nations competing in Ceske Budejovice and serves as a critical opportunity for teams to prepare for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.