Vantaa has enjoyed another fantastic IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women's World Championship and the stage is set for two enthralling medal games on Sunday. Before we settle down for the climax of the competition, we checked in with IIHF.com writers Risto Pakarinen and Andy Potts for their take on the last day.

How is anyone going to stop Canada?

Andy: It’s strange to think that early in the tournament we were questioning the Canadian goaltending after some competent but uneven performances against Slovakia and Switzerland. This team has grown up fast in Vantaa, working through those minor teething troubles to hit its stride in devastating fashion. Maybe the 17-0 over Japan pads out the stats a bit, but two wins over a good Czechia team with a combined score of 9-2 highlights what the Canadians can bring. It also suggests that the goaltending has settled into place – as we felt it might even after allowing three goals off the first 11 shots faced in the tournament.

The thing that sets Canada apart from every team it faced so far is depth. Head coach Vicky Sunohara has an embarrassment of riches on this roster. It’s easy to imagine a team finding a way to silence, for example, Stryker Zablocki, only to be overwhelmed by Maxine Cimoroni. However, if anybody can come up with answers to everything, the American defence looks the best equipped as it goes for a title defence.

Risto: Now that is the question, isn’t it? Even though the US team has only allowed two goals in the tournament, Team Canada will pose a tougher challenge to goaltender Morgan Stickney & Co. 

However, the Swedes were supposed to be more physical and snuff out the American offence, but by the grace of Bella Fatale, the US scored more goals than Sweden. 

Canada is the team to beat, though. Zablocki won’t need much space to leave the defenders in the dust and score. Also, there’s Chloe Primerano who’s quietly (?) climbed up the scoring race, and also broken the Team Canada record for most career points in the under-18 Women’s Worlds. 

How to stop them? By being as relentless as only Team USA can be. 

What about the U.S.?

Risto: All teams in the tournament can defend, and Team Canada definitely can box out the opposition as well as the next team. Maybe Canada is the team that can use their physical advantage and keep Christina Scalese, Haley Box, Mary Derrenbacher, and Annabelle Lovell on the outside. 

Of course, that still leaves Fanale, Kylie Amelkovich and Evelyn Doyle, and that’s not an easy task by any means. 

Morgan Stickney hasn't really been tested yet, but it would be foolish to call her a weak link, so I won’t. 

Can’t wait to see this final. I just hope the coaches let the players go all out!

Andy: It’s all a bit irresistible force meets immovable object, isn’t it? The US defence has been incredible so far. It’s not just the miserly two goals allowed through five games, it’s the lack of significant shots on Stickney’s net. The defensive effort has been rock-solid so far, albeit without facing an offence as potent as Canada’s.

Going forward, Bella Fanale’s game-winning semi-final show speaks for itself. Moreover, I like the way so many American players have contributed to the scoring: 17 skaters have at least one point, as does Stickney after picking up an assist to go with her three shutouts. There’s depth on this roster that can trouble any opponent.

What is the one thing you’ll watch for in the final?

Andy: I really want to see how two excellent defensive units cope with a serious test. Up to now, with the greatest of respect to the other teams here, nobody has applied consistent, 60-minute pressure to either Canada or the U.S. We know a lot about what these teams can do in favourable conditions. On Sunday, we get to see how they cope with opposition that can and will punish the slightest lapse. And that makes for a compelling spectacle.

Risto: Like I said, there’s so much talent and speed and grit on the ice that I hope it doesn’t become a battle of Xs and Os, and collapsing down and waiting for mistakes. There’s no need for us to witness a boring final, not with these players on the ice. 

Give me a 6-6 game and an overtime!

What will decide the bronze medal game?

Risto: I was going to say that Czechia only has 18 hours to recover from a tough semi-final against Canada. But then I remembered seeing the team after the game, stretching, and regrouping, looking as focused as ever. I don’t think the recovery time matters. 

I think it’ll come down to a hot goalie. Both Maja Helge (SWE) and Daniela Novakova (CZE) are excellent goaltenders, who can win games on their own. 

And if Sweden finally gets goals from all four lines, or even three, they’ll win. 

Andy: It’s tempting to see this as a straight shoot-out between Edit Danielsson and Linda Vocetkova. The two lead their teams in scoring with identical five-point hauls. You sense that the player who finishes higher up the scoring chart will be going home with the hardware.

However, I have a slight lean towards Sweden here – and it comes down to the draw. Three of the Swedish centres – Moa Johannesson, Matilda Osterman and Miranda Lindstrom – have won more than 55% of their face-offs. For Czechia, only Lucie Sindelarova is over 50%. The Czechs' subsequent need to win back possession in open play contributes to the team taking more penalties than anyone else in the competition so far. In a game that promises to be tight, these are the kind of fine margins that could swing it.

Some new stars are born in every tournament. Who has impressed you in Vantaa?

Andy: Mostly people I’ve already mentioned! Morgan Stickney’s goaltending has been excellent in her first World Championship. Aged 16, she should be back next year armed with even greater experience. Edit Danielsson has been here before, but she didn’t trouble the score sheets a year ago; this time she’s been a huge presence for Sweden all over the ice, fully deserving the plaudits that have come her way. Similarly, Linda Vocetkova has shown how she is building on the experience of previous seasons to become a true leader for her country.

Risto: I’ll go off the board and mention Japan's 16-year-old Umeka Odaira, who can go head-to-head against anyone as far as stickhandling and acceleration are concerned. Add a great hockey sense to that, and you’re looking at a star. The same can be said about Switzerland’s Norina Muller and Elisa Dalessi. I think we’ll be writing stories about them for years to come. 

And I’ll also bring up Julia Kuhta’s name from the Finnish team that bowed out earlier than the home crowd had hoped. She’s got size and next year she’ll probably be a centrepiece for Team Finland.