Canada downs Czechs 4-0 to meet U.S. in women’s world hockey championship final

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UTICA, N.Y. — Jocelyne Larocque scored and had an assist to lead Canada to a 4-0 win over Czechia in a women’s world hockey championship semifinal Saturday.

Canada will face defending champion United States — a 5-0 winner in a semifinal win over Finland — in Sunday’s gold-medal game at the Adirondack Bank Center.

Canada and the U.S. will clash in a world championship final for the 22nd time in 23 played. The Americans doubled the hosts 6-3 for the gold medal last year in Brampton, Ont.

Larocque’s goal was the 35-year-old defender’s second in 10 world championship appearances.

Blayre Turnbull and Sarah Fillier also scored for Canada. Laura Stacey had two assists Saturday. Canadian goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens posted a nine-save shutout.

Her Czech counterpart Klara Peslarova stopped 43 off 47 shots in the loss.

Czechia, coached by Canadian Carla MacLeod, will try for a third straight bronze medal Sunday when it faces Finland.

Canada blanked the Czechs 5-0 in Group A’s preliminary round. On Saturday, the Canadians carried a 27-6 margin in shots and a 3-0 lead heading into the third period.

Fillier, the 2023 tournament MVP, scored her second of the tournament at 4:40 of the third period. She redirected a sharp-angled Renata Fast pass between Peslarova’s pads.

The Czechs generated some sustained offensive pressure early in the second period, but didn’t produce a dangerous scoring chance from it.

Clark scored her first of the tournament at 1:39. From behind the goal line, Clark flicked the puck off a sprawling Peslarova and into the net.

Clark and Larocque became the 13th and 14th players on Canada’s roster to score in the tournament.

Larocque driving the Czech net shovelled the puck past Peslarova on Stacey’s pass from the wing at 18:15 of the first period.

Larocque sent the puck up ice to Stacey, who dished to Turnbull scoring high stick side on Peslarova at 4:32.

Canada didn’t score on two power-play chances and was 1-for-16 in the tournament.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2024.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press