GAME STATS: CANADA 7, GERMANY 0

CALGARY, Alta. – Natalie Spooner (Scarborough, Ont.) scored a pair of goals as part of a three-point performance as Canada’s National Women’s Team booked its place in the semifinals at the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship with a 7-0 win over Germany in its Saturday quarterfinal.

The victory sends Canada into a semifinal showdown with Switzerland or the Czech Republic on Monday (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT).

Ashton Bell (Deloraine, Man.), Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que.) and Sarah Fillier (Georgetown, Ont.) added a goal and an assist apiece, and Mélodie Daoust (Valleyfield, Que.) finished with a goal and two helpers to pad her lead atop the tournament scoring race.

Brianne Jenner (Oakville, Ont.) had the other goal for the Canadians, who allowed just three shots on goal.

Emerance Maschmeyer (Bruderheim, Alta.) earned her second shutout in as many starts.

Just as it did in its prelim finale against the United States on Thursday night, Canada came flying out of the gate, taking a two-goal lead before the game had reached the four-minute mark.

Bell was first just 89 seconds in, jumping in off the blue line and tapping in a gorgeous feed from Daoust for her first goal with Canada’s National Women’s Team.

That pass, though. 😍#WomensWorlds | #OurGameIsBack | @Abell17Bell | @melodaoust15 pic.twitter.com/iVJ7DewOZu

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) August 28, 2021

Spooner made it 2-0 only 1:25 later, knocking in her own rebound after rifling a wrist shot off the post, and Jenner beat Franziska Albl on another second-chance opportunity late in the first period to send the Canadians to the dressing up by three.

The second period was played almost exclusively in the German end, as Canada held its European opposition without a shot in the frame. It’s the 10th time in tournament history the Canadians have achieved the feat.

Spooner got her second of the game eight minutes into the middle stanza, wiring a shot past the glove of Albl from the top of the face-off circle.

There's that shot again! 🚨#WomensWorlds | #OurGameIsBack | @natspooner5 pic.twitter.com/jE2iPdN0BB

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) August 29, 2021

Poulin put her name on the scoresheet after missing Thursday’s game, hammering a one-timer past Albl off a pretty pass from Victoria Bach (Milton, Ont.) to make it a five-goal game after 40 minutes.

The captain played a role in the sixth goal, playing give-and-go on the power play before Daoust slammed a shot through Jennifer Harss, who replaced Albl to begin the third period.

The goal was the first with the man advantage for the Canadians in the tournament; they were 0-for-14 coming into the game.

Fillier capped the scoring with 6:26 left, cleaning up a loose puck at the side of the German net.

Final shots on goal favoured the Canadians, 52-3. It’s the second-fewest shots ever allowed by Canada at the women’s worlds; it gave up just two in a 13-0 win over Kazakhstan in 2005.