Canada forward Brianne Jenner (19) battles USA defender Savannah Harmon (15) for the puck during first period IHF Women's World Hockey Championship hockey action in Brampton, Ont., on Sunday, April 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
BRAMPTON, Ont. – Hilary Knight scored the go-ahead goal as part of a hat trick in leading the U.S. to a 6-3 gold-medal victory over Canada at the world women’s hockey championship on Sunday.
Abbey Murphy, Caroline Harvey and Cayla Barnes added the other goal for the U.S. Aerin Frankel earned the win in goal as the Americans won their 10th world title.
Brianne Jenner, with two goals and an assist, and Marie-Philip Poulin, with a goal and an assist, scored for Canada. Ann-Renee Desbiens took the loss in net.
Jenner has five goals across the last three world championship gold-medal finals. The Oakville, Ont., native had both of Canada’s goals in a 2-1 win over the U.S. last year and one in Canada’s 3-2 overtime victory in 2021.
The two sides have met in every world championship gold-medal final since the tournament’s inception in 1990 except for 2019, when the U.S. defeated Finland and Canada settled for bronze.
Czechia defeated Switzerland 3-2 in the bronze-medal game earlier on Sunday. The 2024 worlds will be held in Utica, N.Y., from April 4-14, USA Hockey announced Sunday afternoon.
The Americans almost opened the scoring just under five minutes in when Lacey Eden sent a backhand on net that almost trickled in from beneath Desbiens’s pads, but the netminder kept it out.
Twenty-five seconds after Hayley Scamurra was sent to the penalty box for hooking, Eden joined her for a delay of game after sending the puck into the crowd from the U.S. zone.
A mere 14 seconds later, Canada struck on the 5-on-3 power play. Poulin scored on a one-timer from the right faceoff circle on a dish from Erin Ambrose 6:23 into the first period.
Murphy knotted the contest with 1:59 left in the first. She took the puck on a dish from Alex Carpenter, put a toe drag move to get around a diving Ambrose and sent it five-hole on Desbiens.
Coming out of a successful penalty kill early in the second period, Canada came out firing with scoring chances. After a few misses, Jenner scored from the point on a dish from Renata Fast 5:03 into the frame.
Knight tied the contest 8:30 into the second. Amanda Kessel drove into Canada’s zone on a 2-on-1, got around a diving Ella Shelton, and sent the puck across to Knight, who tapped it in.
Jenner doubled her scoring total just 69 seconds later. She tipped in a point shot from Fast to make it 3-2 for Canada.
Harvey tied the game 5:40 into the third period. She moved in from the point, made Blayre Turnbull bite on a fake and sent a wrist shot that beat Desbiens glove side.
Knight gave the Americans their first lead of the game with 3:10 left in the third. She scored on a 5-on-3 power play after Jenner (tripping) and Claire Thompson (delay of game) were sent to the penalty box.
Twenty-seven seconds later, Knight completed her hat trick to give the U.S. a two-goal lead. With 1:58 remaining, Barnes furthered the Americans’ advantage with an empty-netter.
Sarah Fillier of Canada was named tournament MVP. She had seven goals and four assists in seven games.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2023.
