960 x540 2022  w w c  game  preview  f i n

Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Finland

Thursday, August 25 | 1 p.m. ET | Herning, Denmark | Preliminary Round

August 24, 2022
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GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. FINLAND (AUGUST 25)

TV: TSN | Stream: TSN Direct

The reigning Olympic and world champions, Canada’s National Women’s Team drops the puck on a new season on Thursday, opening up the 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship against Finland in Herning.

LAST GAME

Canada closed out a set of pre-tournament games against the United States on Tuesday, beating its cross-border 3-1 ahead of women’s worlds. The U.S. held the Canadians off the board in the first, but it was all Canada after that. Blayre Turnbull’s unassisted score tied the game and women’s worlds rookie Jessie Eldridge netted the game-winner on a power play halfway through the period – her third goal in two exhibition games. Sarah Fillier capped the scoring in the third for Canada, which got a combined 19 saves from Ann-Renée Desbiens and Kristen Campbell.

The Finns closed out their pre-tournament schedule on Sunday, blanking host Denmark 8-0 in Rødovre. Vivi Vainikka paced the offence with a hat trick and an assist, while Elisa Holopainen contributed a goal and three helpers. Anni Keisala earned the shutout in the Finnish goal, making nine saves.

LAST MEETING

The Canadians and Finns met in the preliminary round at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, with Canada earning an 11-1 win on its way to gold in Beijing. Brianne Jenner and Sarah Nurse did the damage up front, scoring a hat trick each, while Natalie Spooner had four assists and Marie-Philip Poulin added three helpers. In total, 16 of the 19 Canadian skaters recorded points.

WHAT TO WATCH

The 2022 women’s worlds will be the ninth for lockdown defender Jocelyne Larocque. While the Canadians are known for their offensive exploits (they scored 34 times in seven games at the 2021 worlds and had 54 in seven at the Olympics), Larocque – who made her 150th international appearance during the pre-tournament – has been a force in the defensive zone; last summer in Calgary, she finished +11 and chipped in with four assists as Canada ended a 10-year gold medal drought.

To beat the scoring machine that is Canada, one has to be strong between the pipes, which Finland certainly is. Keisala was a rock between the pipes as the Finns won bronze at the 2021 worlds, earning Top Goaltender honours and a place on the tournament all-star team after fashioning a .949 save percentage and 1.43 goals-against average. In Beijing, she played all but two periods as Finland claimed another bronze medal, posting a .915 save percentage and a tournament-best two shutouts.

A LOOK BACK

Canada has just a pair of losses and a tie in 86 all-time meetings with the Finns, but the Nordic nation is always a tough matchup.

There have been plenty of impressive individual performances against Finland over the years, but two stand out. When the teams met at the 2006 4 Nations Cup in Kitchener, Ont., Jayna Hefford had a hat trick and four assists and Caroline Ouellette added a hat trick and three helpers to help Canada to an 8-1 win. Hefford’s seven points remain a single-game Team Canada record.

All-time record: Canada leads 83-2-1
Canada goals: 445
Finland goals: 110

For more information:

Esther Madziya
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 284-6484 

[email protected] 

Spencer Sharkey
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 777-4567

[email protected]

Jeremy Knight
Manager, Corporate Communications
Hockey Canada

(647) 251-9738

[email protected]

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