The U.S. and Canada played a thrilling game in the preliminary round, the hosts prevailing, 1-0, in overtime.
photo: Andre Ringuette/IIHF
Two games are left on the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship calendar as four teams vie for three medals. Here’s what you need to know to enjoy what is sure to be a spectacular final day in Utica.
Bronze-medal Game, Czechia-Finland, 13.00 ET
Czechia is back in the third-place game for the third straight year, while Finland is playing for a medal for the first time since 2021. These teams have never met in a medal game, so it’s all a little new for both sides. The last time a team won three straight bronze was 2008-11 (Finland).
There are two main factors propelling Czechia these days. First, coach Carla MacLeod has the players enjoying the game, enjoying each other, and playing like they believe they can win. Second, goalie Klara Peslarova has been arguably the best goalie in the tournament. She has played every minute so far and has given up only 16 goals in six games.
Concerns? The big one is that they have scored only eleven goals in those six games. But the good news is four of those came in an opening-day victory over these same Finns, 4-0. The Czechs have scored only one power-play goal but allowed only two, and they are the second most penalized team. Their top scorer is Natalie Mlynkova, with four goals and six points, but for Czechia it all boils down to Peslarova and that MacLeod mindset. And that 4-0 win is a good focal point for positive momentum.
The Finns won only one of four games in the preliminary round, 5-2 over Switzerland, and like Czechia they have struggled to score, hitting the back of the net only 12 times in six games. They, too, rely heavily on their goalie. Sanni Ahola has been a rock, and captain Jenni Hiirikoski has been her usual stellar self on the blue line. Up front, Petra Nieminen and Susanna Tapani have been the most dangerous players. Special teams have been a wash—they’ve scored and given up three goals for and against with the extra skater.
Given the last few years, Czechia has the advantage heading into the game, but let’s see if they can make that count after puck drop.
Bronze-medal Game, Czechia-Finland, 13.00 ET
Czechia is back in the third-place game for the third straight year, while Finland is playing for a medal for the first time since 2021. These teams have never met in a medal game, so it’s all a little new for both sides. The last time a team won three straight bronze was 2008-11 (Finland).
There are two main factors propelling Czechia these days. First, coach Carla MacLeod has the players enjoying the game, enjoying each other, and playing like they believe they can win. Second, goalie Klara Peslarova has been arguably the best goalie in the tournament. She has played every minute so far and has given up only 16 goals in six games.
Concerns? The big one is that they have scored only eleven goals in those six games. But the good news is four of those came in an opening-day victory over these same Finns, 4-0. The Czechs have scored only one power-play goal but allowed only two, and they are the second most penalized team. Their top scorer is Natalie Mlynkova, with four goals and six points, but for Czechia it all boils down to Peslarova and that MacLeod mindset. And that 4-0 win is a good focal point for positive momentum.
The Finns won only one of four games in the preliminary round, 5-2 over Switzerland, and like Czechia they have struggled to score, hitting the back of the net only 12 times in six games. They, too, rely heavily on their goalie. Sanni Ahola has been a rock, and captain Jenni Hiirikoski has been her usual stellar self on the blue line. Up front, Petra Nieminen and Susanna Tapani have been the most dangerous players. Special teams have been a wash—they’ve scored and given up three goals for and against with the extra skater.
Given the last few years, Czechia has the advantage heading into the game, but let’s see if they can make that count after puck drop.
Get Hyped Finals
Gold-medal Game, United States-Canada, 17.00 ET
The ebb and flow of this rivalry certainly favours the Americans right now. After losing three finals in a row, they won gold again last year in Brampton and have unquestionably been the better team here in Utica.
Undefeated, they have no weakness, nothing you can point a finger at and say, yes, we can attack that deficiency. Six wins, no losses. They have scored way more goals than Canada, 31-21, and the top six scorers are all American. What’s most impressive is that those six represent the old guard continuing to produce—Hilary Knight, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Alex Carpenter—and the up-and-comers who have clearly arrived—Caroline Harvey, Abbey Murphy, Laila Edwards.
Goalie Aerin Frankel has set a WW record with four shutouts and has been terrific, especially the 1-0 overtime win against Canada in the preliminary round. If you were to look for any sort of complaint, the only possible suspect is discipline. The Americans are the most penalized team (69 PIMs) and have incurred the second-most minors (21 to Canada’s 23), but they have also given up only two power-play goals on 18 chances against.
Canada, on the other hand, enters the gold-medal game after perhaps its weakest tournament in many years. They aren't firing on all cylinders. Ann-Renee Desbiens has been fantastic in goal, allowing only two goals in four games while posting two shutouts and leading the tournament with a sparkling .977 save percentage. And Renata Fast has continued her brilliant play from PWHL Toronto to anchor the blue line, playing nearly 22 minutes a game.
But after that, things are a little worrisome. The Canadians have scored only 21 goals in six games, and Fast, a defender, leads the team in both goals (three) and points (five). Marie-Philip Poulin has yet to score. Natalie Spooner and Sarah Nurse have one goal, and Sarah Fillier two (one empty netter).
As mentioned, Canada leads the tournament with 23 minors taken, and they have scored only one power-play goal of their own on 16 chances. Coach Troy Ryan has only two new faces in the lineup, but forward Julia Gosling is playing only eleven minutes a game while defender Nicole Gosling has yet to register a point and is on ice fewer than nine minutes a game.
Canada needs to focus on the good things from that 1-0 loss and see if they can turn things around. Of course, they always find a way to elevate their game against their most storied and bitter rivals, but so do the Americans.
It has been a long time since one team was prohibitive favourites before the opening faceoff, but today is one of those days.
The ebb and flow of this rivalry certainly favours the Americans right now. After losing three finals in a row, they won gold again last year in Brampton and have unquestionably been the better team here in Utica.
Undefeated, they have no weakness, nothing you can point a finger at and say, yes, we can attack that deficiency. Six wins, no losses. They have scored way more goals than Canada, 31-21, and the top six scorers are all American. What’s most impressive is that those six represent the old guard continuing to produce—Hilary Knight, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Alex Carpenter—and the up-and-comers who have clearly arrived—Caroline Harvey, Abbey Murphy, Laila Edwards.
Goalie Aerin Frankel has set a WW record with four shutouts and has been terrific, especially the 1-0 overtime win against Canada in the preliminary round. If you were to look for any sort of complaint, the only possible suspect is discipline. The Americans are the most penalized team (69 PIMs) and have incurred the second-most minors (21 to Canada’s 23), but they have also given up only two power-play goals on 18 chances against.
Canada, on the other hand, enters the gold-medal game after perhaps its weakest tournament in many years. They aren't firing on all cylinders. Ann-Renee Desbiens has been fantastic in goal, allowing only two goals in four games while posting two shutouts and leading the tournament with a sparkling .977 save percentage. And Renata Fast has continued her brilliant play from PWHL Toronto to anchor the blue line, playing nearly 22 minutes a game.
But after that, things are a little worrisome. The Canadians have scored only 21 goals in six games, and Fast, a defender, leads the team in both goals (three) and points (five). Marie-Philip Poulin has yet to score. Natalie Spooner and Sarah Nurse have one goal, and Sarah Fillier two (one empty netter).
As mentioned, Canada leads the tournament with 23 minors taken, and they have scored only one power-play goal of their own on 16 chances. Coach Troy Ryan has only two new faces in the lineup, but forward Julia Gosling is playing only eleven minutes a game while defender Nicole Gosling has yet to register a point and is on ice fewer than nine minutes a game.
Canada needs to focus on the good things from that 1-0 loss and see if they can turn things around. Of course, they always find a way to elevate their game against their most storied and bitter rivals, but so do the Americans.
It has been a long time since one team was prohibitive favourites before the opening faceoff, but today is one of those days.