Canada Wins Gold in Denmark

 

Photo From CBC

Yesterday the 2022 Women’s World Championship ended in thrilling fashion as Canada and USA met in the final a rematch of the previous year’s tournament in Calgary. To get to the final Canada picked up a convincing 8-1 win over a shorthanded Switzerland team and for the Americans they beat Team Czechia 10-1, knowing how strong the Canadians and Americans usually it is no surprise these rivals were meeting for another gold medal. With USA beating Canada in the final game of group play it was understandable that the US were highly confident as they prepared for this final but if anyone has followed the rivalry between these two you would know that every game is back and forth because these teams are equals in pretty much every category.

Team USA would once again give the start to Nicole Hensley while Canada would look to Ann-Renee Desbiens who owned a perfect record heading into the final. Games between these two teams are usually a close battle from the opening faceoff to the final buzzer and this game was no different. The first period of this one saw the teams play a defensive style in what looked to be a feeling out process because aside from two Canadian powerplays nothing note worthy took place because after twenty minutes the game remained scoreless with the Canadians outshooting their opponent 5-2.

Period two would start just like the first but you could see Canada begin to press the action spending more time in their opponents end but to Hensely’s credit she had an answer for every attempt put on goal by Canada. Just prior to the midway point of period two we would finally see a netminder solved as Brianne Jenner would receive a pass from Captain Marie-Philip Poulin and with Hensley covering her glove side post Jenner would send a wrist shot over her blocker side shoulder and Canada would take the lead 1-0 and, in a game, a close as this one was looking to be opening the score is always crucial.

This goal for Jenner would be her 100^th point as a member of Team Canada, now throughout the tournament’s preliminary games the play of Jenner came into question from fans online as well as the members of the TSN panel because Brianne had not scored in any of the early games. Of course, fans and everyone for that matter are entitled to their opinion and I understand that the ladies on the TSN panel in studio are trying to build storylines and conversations in the intermission. With that said I was a little surprised that the panel who I would like to mention are three former Canadian team members were quick to point out that Jenner had not scored but there was no mention of her play winning board battles and forcing turnovers causing the opponent to defend longer than they had hoped. To most readers who see this they may not think it’s a big deal and that I am focusing on a meaningless little thing but the reason I mention it is because I think more and more kids playing hockey need to understand that of course goals are fun but that isn’t the only thing needed to make you a productive player for your team. When I was coaching Junior A or Minor hockey the staff, I was with would always tell our teams to pay attention to details and that it is the little things that matter. A won faceoff or a tied-up stick of your opponent is just as important and beneficial to your team as scoring a goal. Don’t get me wrong I respect Tessa Bonhomme, Sami Jo Small, and Jayna Hefford for everything they have accomplished in the sport and for what they have done to help grow the women’s game, but I was just a little surprised that three women with their amount of experience would not mention the numerous positives that Brianne Jenner had in her game despite not scoring until the Semifinals but that’s just my two cents.

So, as I said Canada had taken the lead and they would find themselves heading to their third powerplay. Canada after seeing their two opportunities go goalless had only scored six times out of approximately thirty attempts, but this powerplay would cash in as once again Brianne Jenner would catch Hensley cheating as she dropped to her knees early covering the bottom of the net but leaving the top wide open and just like her first goal Jenner would score on Hensely’s blocker side doubling her teams lead to 2-0. With Jenner scoring her 101^st career point I guess it is true when they say big time players step up in big games.

Canada who is now holding a 2-0 lead would have their turn killing penalties as the aforementioned Jenner would be sent off for Interference and that is never a good thing when you are facing an opponent with so much scoring ability like the Americans and late in the second period Canada would see their lead cut in half as Coyne Schofield would send the puck down low to Amanda Kessel who is always dangerous when she has the puck. Desbiens and her defenders would focus on Kessel thinking she was going to shoot but instead she would slide the puck over to a wide-open Abby Roque who had all day to get her team on the board. The second intermission would arrive with the Canadians holding onto a 2-1 lead meaning we would be in for a big third period.

With the States trailing and with twenty minutes left they were looking to apply all sorts of pressure as they searched for the equalizer but thankfully for Canada and their supporters Ann-Renee Desbiens would have an answer for every wave of attack thrown by the Americans. She did an excellent job controlling rebounds and slowing the play down when it was needed. Midway though the third Desbiens would be called for tripping as one of the American forwards were driving the net giving a desperate US team a chance to level the score. As many fans and I were watching hoping for time to run out Canada’s always dependable penalty kill would do their job keeping Canada’s lead intact. In the final minutes of regulation that is when USA was literally throwing everything on goal as the Canadians were on their heels and at one point with Canada scrambling an American player would be left at the side of the net all alone but Desbiens would move post to post to make an incredible toe save when it looked as if a tying goal was inevitable.

Now, in the final minute of play the Americans would have the goalie out for an extra attacker, if anyone reading this happened to miss yesterday’s final find the highlight clip of the final attack from team USA because I will do my best to describe it but it likely will not do justice to what happened. With thirty seconds left the Americans were all over team Canada and with a crowded crease Desbiens would throw herself in front of a shot that Schofield was unable to elevate, and Canada got a much-needed whistle. All game Canada had struggled in the faceoff circle so with ten seconds left and a draw in their end team Canada would finally win a draw, but they would be unable to clear the zone giving the Americans one final chance to tie the game and send it to overtime. Team USA would have possession low in the slot but Marie-Philip Poulin who is usually known for scoring a winning goal this tournament she will be remember for the biggest shot block of her career as she would throw herself in front of a shot as she attempted to block it with her head. Time would run out and Canada would defend their World Championship winning their 12^th all time and for the first time since 2004 they would repeat as Champions. With this win the Canadian women complete the Ladies Triple Crown winning U18 Gold, Olympic Gold, and World Championship Gold beating the Americans in all three finals.

This World Championship had the Cinderella story that was team Japan a team that everyone including myself thinking they would play their games but end up being relegated but instead they made it into the placement games which saw them beat both Sweden and Finland securing a fifth place finish to keep them in the Top Division’s A Group while Finland would drop to Group B for next years event which is to be held in Canada but a location has yet to be named.

So, Canada’s Golden Summer has ended, and the next international tournament will be the Boxing Day tradition as the World Junior Championships take place in Moncton. So, for now we turn our focus back to the Maple Leafs as their Rookie Tournament in Traverse City and training camp are just weeks away. Thanks as always for reading and following along this tournament.