GAME STATS: CANADA 4, SWITZERLAND 0

CALGARY, Alta. – Mélodie Daoust (Valleyfield, Que.) scored two more goals to send Canada’s National Women’s Team into the gold medal game at the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship after a 4-0 semifinal win over Switzerland on Monday night.

The Canadians will face their rivals from the United States in the final on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT).

Daoust scored in each of the first two periods for her fourth-consecutive multi-point effort. Her 12 points (six goals, six assists) are three clear of linemate Natalie Spooner (Scarborough, Ont.) for the tournament scoring lead, and are the most by a Canadian at a women’s worlds since Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que.) recorded 12 in 2013.

Renata Fast (Burlington, Ont.) and Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, Ont.) had the other goals for the Canadians, who are back in the gold medal game after missing out in 2019 when they were upset by Finland in the semifinals.

There would be no repeat in 2021, as Canada took control early. Fast opened the scoring just 5:14 in, jumping in off the blue line and burying a pretty setup from Brianne Jenner (Oakville, Ont.)

Nice pass, eh? 🇨🇦#WomensWorlds | #OurGameIsBack | @RenataFast | @briannejenner pic.twitter.com/XXH07h7wqz

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) August 30, 2021

Fast was in on the second goal as well just 98 seconds later, letting go a wrist shot from the point that Daoust redirected through Andrea Brändli to make it 2-0.

Brändli was busy in the first period, stopping 18 of the 20 shots she faced as the Canadians outshot the Swiss 20-2.

Canada’s power play went to work early in the second period, getting a little puck luck to stretch its lead to three. Poulin threw a centring pass into the slot that deflected off the skate of Daoust and went up and over Brändli for her second of the game.

The Swiss netminder took over from there, stopping almost everything she faced the rest of the way; Brändli finished with 61 saves in all, including 21 of the 22 shots sent her way in the third period.

Johnston added a little more insurance with three minutes to go, wiring a shot just inside the far post for a power-play goal.

Ann-Renée Desbiens (La Malbaie, Que.) was perfect at the other end, making 10 saves for her first shutout of the tournament.

Following the game, Canada’s top three players of the tournament, as selected by the coaches, were named – Daoust, Fast and Spooner.