In My Own Words: Emerance Maschmeyer
The National Women’s Team goaltender talks about life with partner Geneviève Lacasse, starting a family, being a trailblazer in the PWHL and the importance of being one’s true self
A few of our friends described it as a “hard launch.”
Geneviève and I decided not to officially “come out,” but instead we decided to just post the photos from our wedding last July. At that point, our friends, our families, our circle – the people who meant the most – all knew about our relationship.
We wondered if we needed to have a big coming out story. But we thought posting the photos of the day was a fun way of saying, “This is us. We got married,” like anyone else would post about getting married. It was time for us to just put ourselves out there and not be scared. There was so much love and support, and it was just so inspiring to see the effect we were able to have, just posting about our relationship.
We have a platform and influence, and we have people who follow our journeys. At the end of the day, those who support us will support us, and we want them in our lives, and we want to connect with them, but those who don’t, that’s all right.
We knew the impact we could have sharing our relationship and sharing our story; we knew there would be a positive impact, and we could help so many other individuals with their journey. And so maybe with age, there was some courage in telling our story, but we have all the support we need. So, for us, it was – how do we help others and support others now?
Going public was a huge weight lifted off our shoulders that neither of us recognized was there. And now I feel like we’re very open to having conversations, talking about our relationship and being our true selves. It’s been a rewarding journey. It was only a year ago, and it’s been so fun to just be out there and be us as a couple.
Geneviève and I started dating in 2015. I told my sister pretty early on about our relationship. Geneviève was the first woman that I ever dated. So, I also wanted to make sure that it was something, a longstanding relationship, before I told my entire family, which I would’ve done in any relationship that I was in.
I was in school at Harvard at the time, and so my teammates and friends at school knew early as well. And I knew I wanted to tell my family, but I wanted to do it in person. I didn’t want to make it a big deal, but I also know the norm in society is still, you’re heterosexual until you say otherwise. You have to come out and tell your story. I wanted to make it as normal as possible, but I also wanted to have in-person conversations with my family.
About a year after we started dating, I started telling my family. I told my parents one at a time. I went through my family. And I have a big family, so it was a lot of conversations. Being young, I was 20 years old, I was quite nervous about the conversations, but ultimately my family was so supportive– every conversation left me with ‘my family supports me and loves me no matter who I love.’ I know that’s not the case for everyone, but I am very fortunate to have a family that has my back no matter what. They were just happy I was in a loving relationship.
There were hesitations in coming out publicly, but it didn’t really have anything to do with our sexuality. It had everything to do with the fact that both of us were still active with the National Women’s Team, and we didn’t want our news to be about our relationship or our sexuality. We wanted it to be about hockey and our performance.
It’s certainly not easy when you and your partner share a profession. At the beginning, we had to say to each other that in many ways our relationship comes first, but we also have to put our own hockey first. And not in a selfish way, it’s more like… “If you do everything you can to make a team and to put yourself in a position to play, and I do everything I can to make a team and put myself in a position to play, then it’s not up to us. It’s up to the coach, it’s up to the scouts, it’s up to external factors.”
We were on the journey together, we were working hard and doing everything we could do individually, but when it came down to those decisions, we weren’t angry at each other. We could feel empathy if one played over the other, but at the end of the day, if one of us is in net, then it became, “Okay, I support you or you support me.”
We did have some bumps in the road along the way. I was released from the 2018 Olympics and she made the team. And then vice versa, in 2022, I made the Olympic team and she was released. This presented us with a big learning opportunity in our relationship. The first time around when I was released, we weren’t equipped with the skills to handle it. It was a big dream of mine to make that team and to play in the Olympics. And what do you say to your partner on either end, the one who makes it or the one who doesn’t? Navigating the situation and our dynamic was complex. We were supportive of one another, and to protect our relationship we felt that not talking about hockey was the best course.
The second time around, going into Beijing, we learned how to talk through it. We gained an understanding of how to have difficult conversations, to talk about how we feel. We wish that neither of those situations happened, but they actually made our relationship a lot stronger. We have acquired the skills to support each other and communicate through difficult situations, and recognize the importance of continuously practicing and refining those skills.
We found out we were pregnant in late 2023, a few months after we got married. We’re fortunate that we have friends that have gone through the fertility treatment process that we could use as a resource, and so we asked a lot of questions. We did a lot of research. We were living in Quebec, and luckily there’s funding to make the financial burden easier. Our journey to conception wasn’t long, and for that we are grateful.
It’s been quite a journey. We’re so excited to start our family and welcome our little boy to the world. It’s something that we had been wanting to do for so long, but having us both playing, it wasn’t really a possibility, especially without the salaries and security of a professional league. But now we’re finally in a position where I’m playing in the PWHL and Geneviève has security in her job as manager of corporate sponsorships and sales with the league. It’s the most security and stability we’ve had in a long time, and we’re excited to start our family.
We are looking forward to having our son grow up around strong women. And we know that he’ll grow up to respect women and look at women’s athletes as just athletes.
And I can’t forget the gender reveal! I was sitting on the bus with Emily Clark on a road trip this year, and we were chatting about doing a gender reveal, and just brainstorming some ideas. And then somehow it came up that it would be so fun to have an obstacle course and have the team involved. It evolved into Clark vs. Jenner, boy vs. girl, and went from there.
Geneviève and I gave them the link to the gender, because we wanted to be surprised as well. We set up one day after practice, and Clarky and Jenner, they came up with how the race would go. It turned out so good!
This year has been such a whirlwind. The wedding, the announcement of the PWHL, signing with Ottawa, finding out we were pregnant, launching the league, winning another world championship … hard to believe that’s only the last 11 months.
It’s been so incredible, the momentum that we have in the PWHL, the fandom, the support, the investment and the visibility. And just the growth that we’ve had within just our first season. Being a professional hockey player still feels surreal to me, but the pride I felt every time I stepped onto the ice with my teammates in Ottawa this season … it’s indescribable to be part of something so special.
Obviously, there’s still a long way to go for equity and parity, but we’ve made some huge steps in the past few years. Even in the grassroots now, there’s that ripple effect from the PWHL of getting women in sport and staying in sport.
At our games, I see young fans, not just young girls, but young boys too who just see us as hockey players. They don’t see us as women’s hockey players. They’re looking up to us like, “You’re my favourite player, you’re my favourite goalie.” They’re not saying, “You’re my favourite female goalie.” It’s been fantastic to see the shift in the mindset, and there are so many more stepping stones to come.
Because it is Pride Month, which means so much to me, I did want to end with a few thoughts.
Individually, everyone can look inward and see where they can do the work. I think often, people lead with assumptions when meeting someone. But we can all do a better job at letting them tell their story versus labelling them with, ‘You are this or you are that.’ It can be intimidating to be your true self because of preconceived assumptions.
Unfortunately, there’s going to be hate online. That’s unavoidable in the social media age we live in. But I think as much as we can, we need to hold on to the love and the support, and ensure the kind, loving, supportive voices drown out the negative ones.
As someone who’s in a same-sex relationship, I know that at times I can still be a little timid or discouraged to be my true self, but for those in our community, I encourage you to be as courageous as you can. Be your true self. If you come into a conversation and lead with your authentic self, it will start changing minds slowly. One person at a time.
We are moving in the right direction, and together is how we’re going to keep moving.
Memories of 200
From Lake Placid to Ceske Budejovice and so many points in between, Jocelyne Larocque is set to make National Women’s Team history in typical understated fashion
Jocelyne Larocque remembers Game No. 1.
It was Nov. 4, 2008, in Lake Placid, New York, and a 20-year-old Larocque was in the lineup for Canada’s National Women’s Team for the first time as it opened up the 4 Nations Cup against Finland.
“I remember being extremely nervous, but really grateful for the opportunity to play on the national team,” Larocque says. “Just thinking every day, be a sponge, absorb as much as you can, watch what other players do and try to do what they do.”
Her debut was a successful one, both individually and as a team; Canada blanked Finland 6-0 and Larocque chipped in the sixth goal in the final minute, jumping in off the blue line to stuff in a Sarah Vaillancourt rebound.
Sixteen-and-a-half years later, Larocque is on the cusp of history. When she steps onto the ice Sunday for the gold medal game at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, the Ste. Anne, Manitoba, product will become just the fifth player in Team Canada history – and the first defender – to appear in 200 international games.
She will join Hayley Wickenheiser, Jayna Hefford, Caroline Ouellette and Marie-Philip Poulin, who reached the milestone in Canada’s quarterfinal win over Japan on Thursday.
“When I reflect on my history with Team Canada, I just feel a lot of gratitude,” says Larocque, who plies her trade professionally with the Ottawa Charge of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). “I don't think it’s common for people to be able to do what they love at the highest level on so many occasions. I reflect on when I first came on the team to where my journey has gone, and what really stands out to me is the people, the staff and players that I've been able to play with.”
She is a four-time world champion (2012, 2021, 2022, 2024) and a two-time Olympic gold medallist (2014, 2022) whose hockey résumé is as impressive as they come.
Twice an NCAA national champion (2008, 2010) and twice a First Team All-American (2008-09, 2010-11) at the University of Minnesota Duluth, Larocque also won a trio of Western Women’s Hockey League titles with the Calgary Oval X-Treme from 2005-07 and a Clarkson Cup with the Markham Thunder in 2018, and she was the first Canadian selected in the inaugural PWHL Draft in 2023, going second overall to Toronto.
And yet she still finds herself as one of the most underrated players in the women’s game. Perhaps it’s her lack of offensive numbers – that goal in her debut all the way back in 2008 is one of just nine she has scored wearing the Maple Leaf.
But what she brings to the team, and to the defensive group in particular, is so much more valuable.
“She hasn't been in a position to produce offensively because of that really important [shutdown] role that she's been given,” says Renata Fast, a teammate since 2015 and frequent blue-line partner. “She owns it, and she's so good at it. She loves shutting down other teams, and a lot of the time, a player like her, who's very defensive-minded, doesn't get the credit they deserve. I think for years, she's been the hardest player in the world to play against, and she's been a huge part of the success this program has had because just of her steadiness back there.
“In my time in the program, she's been the person that's changed the culture, allowing players to play their game right away, because she wants people to come in and be themselves, and you can sense that from just being around her. She’s just such an incredible teammate and one of the greatest leaders.”
As a leader, Larocque learned from the best. At that 2008 4 Nations Cup, she remembers the generosity of veterans Becky Kellar and Cheryl Pounder, providing an opportunity to pick their brains about all things Team Canada. She also mentions Wickenheiser and Colleen Sostorics as role models.
Now it’s her turn to be that role model for a young defensive group that in Ceske Budejovice includes 24-year-old Sophie Jaques and 18-year-old Chloe Primerano, two players with a combined six games of senior team experience coming into the tournament.
But for Larocque, it’s not about experience. It’s about having fun, playing relaxed and simply just enjoying the time you have with the Maple Leaf on your chest. That’s where success begins.
“I'm extremely competitive,” she says. “Everybody in this [Women’s Worlds] is, but you do have to remember that you're having a lot of fun. And I find when I'm playing light and free and fun, that's when I'm playing my best. Our D corps for many years now, things are very light and fun, but also very focused and detailed. I feel really proud that we've created that.
“What I like to remind younger players is that this is the highest level, so there are going to be mistakes, but to not let the mistakes define you or hurt your confidence. You can learn from them but still be confident in yourself and your abilities and to not let that snowball.”
Jocelyne Larocque played for 🇨🇦's National Women's U22 Team on the day Chloe Primerano was born (Jan. 2, 2007). Jocelyne Larocque jouait pour l’équipe nationale féminine des M22 du 🇨🇦 le jour où Chloe Primerano est née (2 janv. 2007).#RivalrySeries | #SérieDeLaRivalité pic.twitter.com/oCGSB70y5g
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) November 6, 2024
Born May 19, 1988, Larocque has been the elder stateswoman with Team Canada for a number of years now, but the soon-to-be 37-year-old admits it wasn’t until Sarah Fillier joined the team as its first player born in the 2000s a few seasons ago that she really started to think about age.
Not surprisingly, they were thoughts of gratitude.
“The longer you play, obviously [younger] people are going to be coming up,” she says. “It’s kind of inevitable, but it's also something where you do take a second and you're like, ‘Wow, I am grateful that I'm still able to play at this level, doing what I love,’ because hockey brings me so much joy.”
“You have someone at this world championship like Chloe, who's quite a bit younger than her, and I know Chloe is so comfortable to go up to Joce and ask her for advice and spend time with her,” Fast adds. “And I know when I joined the program, Joce is someone that I migrated towards right away, just because of the quality she exudes, just so comforting and such a positive person in our locker room.”
But don’t let all this talk about age give the wrong impression. In her 12th Women’s Worlds and with a potential fourth Olympic Winter Games less than a year away, Larocque isn’t going anywhere.
“I've never let age dictate or hold me back,” she says. “I still think that I'm getting better and better every year, but [playing 200 games] also comes with a lot of discipline, where you do need to stay on top of your fitness. And I think that what has helped me stay on this team for so many years is making sure that I'm always ready – physically, mentally and emotionally.”
Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. United States
Sunday, April 20 | 12 p.m. ET | Ceske Budejovice, Czechia | Gold Medal Game
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. UNITED STATES (APRIL 20)
It all comes down to this. Canada’s National Women's Team faces off against the United States on Sunday in the gold medal game at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship.
Last Game
Canada scored four goals in 1:58 late in the second period
to down Finland 8-1 in the semifinals Saturday. The Finns opened the scoring just 46 seconds
into the game, but Erin Ambrose responded quickly and Marie-Philip Poulin
added a record-breaking goal as the game-winner before the end of the first
period. Fifteen players registered at least a point in the game, with Claire
Thompson leading the way with her second-straight three-point performance
(1-2—3) and Daryl Watts scoring a pair of goals. Ann-Renée Desbiens had 19
saves to record her 22nd Women’s Worlds win—the most of any goaltender in
tournament history.
The U.S. earned its spot in the gold medal game with a narrow 2-1 win over Czechia. After the hosts scored the lone goal of the first period, Laila Edwards tied the game on a power play in the middle frame and Kelly Pannek notched the game-winning goal midway through the third to keep the Americans’ streak of appearing in every Women’s Worlds intact—24 for 24.
Last Meeting
Always the marquee matchup of the preliminary round, Canada dropped a 2-1 decision to the United States last Sunday. The Americans held a 2-0 lead after two periods before Laura Stacey scored on a breakaway to cut the lead in half seven minutes into the third. Desbiens made 26 saves in goal.
What to Watch
Jocelyne Larocque is set to become the first defender to reach 200 career games with Canada’s National Women’s Team. The 36-year-old has been a cornerstone of the Canadian blue line for over a decade and will become the fifth player to reach the milestone, following Poulin earlier in the tournament. In addition to her typical standout play on the defensive side, Larocque has three assists and is +5 heading into the gold medal game. On offence, Poulin continues to lead the way with four goals and seven assists in six games, putting her atop the tournament scoring list. The 34-year-old has found tremendous chemistry with Victoire de Montréal teammates Jenn Gardiner and Laura Stacey; the trio has combined for 11 goals and 27 points in six games and are a combined +31.
The Americans have gone with a scoring-by-committee approach, getting at least four points from six different players (Carpenter, Janecke, Keller, Knight, Murphy, Pannek). Hilary Knight continues to play at a high level in her 15th Women’s Worlds; the U.S. captain came into the tournament as the all-time leader in goals (67) and points (119), and became the all-time assist leader on April 15, passing the legendary Hayley Wickenheiser and her 49 assists to now sit at 52. Pannek is leading the way offensively for the Americans with four goals and eight points in six games.
Milestone Watch
Poulin may have taken over from Hayley Wickenheiser as Canada’s all-time points leader at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, but Captain Canada still has a couple of milestones on her mind. She needs two more goals to surpass Jayna Hefford as Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer and one more assist to take over from Wickenheiser atop that category.
A Look Back
It’s Chapter 192 in the story of Canada vs. United States, with the Canadians in search of win No. 109 in the rivalry.
This Women’s Worlds in Czechia marks the 11th different country to have hosted the North American rivals (in order of countries played in: Canada, Finland, United States, Japan, Sweden, Italy, China, Russia, South Korea, Denmark and Czechia).
All-time record: Canada leads 108-82-1 (25-21 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 530 United States goals: 467
Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Finland
Saturday, April 19 | 1 p.m. ET | Ceske Budejovice, Czechia | Semifinal
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. FINLAND (APRIL 19)
It’s Semifinal Saturday at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, with Canada’s National Women's Team set to take on Finland in its final four faceoff at Budvar Arena.
Last Game
Canada punched its ticket to the semifinals with a 9-1 win over Japan in its quarterfinal Thursday. Jenn Gardiner and Sarah Fillier scored two goals apiece to pace the offence for the Canadians, who piled up 62 shots on goal. Claire Thompson added a goal and two assists, Renata Fast had three helpers, and 14 skaters recorded at least a point. Included in that list was Marie-Philip Poulin; the captain celebrated her 200th international game with her 86th point at Women’s Worlds, pulling even with Hayley Wickenheiser for the most by a Canadian in tournament history.
The Finns survived their Nordic neighbours in their quarterfinal, edging Sweden 3-2 in the first game of the day Thursday. Jennina Nylund and Ronja Savolainen scored in the first period and Susana Tapani netted the winner midway through the second after the Swedes had battled back, assuring Finland a place in the medal games for the second year in a row and 22nd time in 24 Women’s Worlds dating back to the inaugural event in 1990.
Last Meeting
Canada and Finland met last Thursday in the Canadians’ prelim opener, a 5-0 win. Gardiner scored a pair of goals, Poulin had a goal and an assist and Kristen Campbell was perfect in her first-ever Women’s Worlds start, making 24 saves for the shutout.
What to Watch
Gardiner has been a revelation for the Canadians, leading the tournament with five goals in as many games (and sitting in a four-way tie for second with seven points) despite coming into the tournament with just four games of National Women’s Team experience (and only 14 across all three levels of the Team Canada women’s program). And it doesn’t seem to matter where head coach Troy Ryan plugs the Surrey, B.C., native into the lineup – she opened the tournament with a pair of goals on the top line with Poulin and Laura Stacey, and struck twice on the fourth unit alongside Kristin O’Neill and Emma Maltais against the Japanese. Gardiner is no stranger to filling the net; she averaged more than a point per game across her final three NCAA seasons with Ohio State University and won a pair of national championships with the Buckeyes, and those offensive skills have transferred pretty well to the pro grame; Gardiner is second in PWHL rookie scoring with 16 points (4-12—16) in 27 games, trailing only Fillier.
Finland misses Jenni Hiirikoski. Seven times the Top Defender at Women’s Worlds, the tournament’s all-time leader in games played (96) and the Finns’ heart-and-soul captain, Hiirikoski is absent from the lineup for the first time since 2003 due to a mysterious illness that has kept her sidelined for all but four games since January. With the future Hall of Famer missing, Savolainen has done the heavy lifting on the Finnish blue-line, scoring three of her team’s 10 goals and averaging more than 21 minutes per game. Finland will also need its goaltenders to step up. The trio of Sanni Ahola, Anni Keisala and Emilia Kyrkko have all made appearances thus far, but have combined for a tournament-low .870 save percentage.
Milestone Watch
Poulin has a couple of milestones on her mind. Captain Canada needs three more goals to surpass Jayna Hefford as Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, and two more assists and one more point to take over from Hayley Wickenheiser atop those categories.
In goal, Ann-Renée Desbiens needs just one victory to surpass Swiss icon Florence Schelling and become the winningest goaltender in Women’s Worlds history (22).
A Look Back
The head-to-head history sways decisively to the North American side of the Atlantic Ocean, with Canada owning 88 wins and a tie in 91 all-time meetings with Finland.
This will be the 14th time the Canadians and Finns will face off in a semifinal at Women’s Worlds; the 12th and most recent victory for Canada came in 2017 in Michigan, when Poulin had a goal and an assist and Shannon Szabados posted a 23-save shutout in a 4-0 win.
All-time record: Canada leads 88-2-1 Canada goals: 469 Finland goals: 115
Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Japan
Thursday, April 17 | 2:30 p.m. ET | Ceske Budejovice, Czechia | Quarterfinal
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. JAPAN (APRIL 17)
It’s on to the playoff round for Canada’s National Women's Team, which faces off against Japan in quarterfinal action Thursday at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship.
Last Game
Canada closed its preliminary-round schedule Monday with a 7-1 win over host Czechia that locked up second place in Group A. Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice to give the Canadians a 2-1 lead after two periods before they exploded for five in the final frame, including three in a span of 58 seconds. Kristin O’Neill added a pair of goals of her own, Erin Ambrose celebrated her 100th international game with a pair of assists and Sophie Jaques got her first Team Canada goal to round out the scoring.
The Japanese clinched second place in Group B with a narrow 1-0 win over Germany in their prelim finale Tuesday. Miyuu Masuhara was terrific in a 34-save shutout performance, including 17 in the third period as the Germans pushed for the equalizer. Rui Ukita netted the lone goal early in the second for Japan.
Last Meeting
Canada and Japan clashed in the preliminary round at the 2023 Women’s Worlds in Brampton, where the Canadians earned a 5-0 win. Sarah Fillier led the offence with two goals and an assist as Canada jumped on the Japanese early with 26 shots in the first period (and finished with a 60-11 advantage overall). Sarah Nurse added a goal and an assist, and Emerance Maschmeyer turned aside all 11 shots she faced for the shutout.
What to Watch
Entering this tournament, three members of the Team Canada roster were still in search of their first international goal – all of them defenders. Micah Zandee-Hart got off the schneid first, scoring against Switzerland (in her 69th game!) and Jaques put herself on the scoresheet against the Czechs. That just leaves Chloe Primerano. The 18-year-old – the third-youngest player to appear for Canada at Women’s Worlds – has acquitted herself nicely thus far, averaging 13:31 of ice time per game across three prelim games. She put herself squarely on the international radar with her epic shootout winner against the U.S. in the Rivalry Series in November, but is still in search of her official maiden marker. Primerano is no stranger to Team Canada goals – she scored 18 in 21 games with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, the second-most in U18 program history.
The Japanese are as disciplined a team as you will ever see. In their four preliminary-round games, Japan took only two penalties, allowed just a single power play and has gone more than 136 minutes without being whistled for an infraction. Their goaltending has also been terrific, with Masuhara playing every second of the prelims and fashioning a 1.01 goals-against average and .965 save percentage while making the second-most saves of any netminder (110).
Milestone Watch
Poulin is set to become just the fourth player to reach 200 games played with Canada’s National Women’s Team, but that’s not the only milestone on her mind. Captain Canada needs three more goals to surpass Jayna Hefford as Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, and three more assists and two more points to take over from Hayley Wickenheiser atop those categories.
In goal, Ann-Renée Desbiens needs just one victory to surpass Swiss icon Florence Schelling and become the winningest goaltender in Women’s Worlds history (22).
A Look Back
Canada has been nothing short of dominant in eight all-time meetings with Japan, winning all eight, averaging 12 goals a game and not allowing a single goal.
The most goals Canada has ever scored in an international game is 18, which it has done three times – twice against Japan. Angela James and Vicky Sunohara had hat tricks in an 18-0 victory at the inaugural Women’s Worlds in 1990, and Wickenheiser and France St-Louis contributed three-goal efforts to an 18-0 win at the 1996 Pacific Rim Championship.
All-time record: Canada leads 8-0 Canada goals: 96 Japan goals: 0
Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Czechia
Monday, April 14 | 1 p.m. ET | Ceske Budejovice, Czechia | Preliminary Round
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. CZECHIA (APRIL 14)
After a loss against the United States yesterday, Canada’s National Women's Team returns to the ice on Monday to face host Czechia in the final game of the preliminary round at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship.
Last Game
Always the marquee matchup of the preliminary round, Canada dropped a 2-1 decision to the United States for its first loss of the tournament. The Americans held a 2-0 lead after two periods before Laura Stacey scored on a breakaway to cut the lead in half. Ann-Renée Desbiens made 26 saves in goal.
The Czechs dropped their second game in Group A on Saturday, losing 4-2 to Finland. Tereza Vanisova gave Czechia a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes, but Finland responded with four unanswered goals before Kristyna Kaltounkova scored with just over two minutes remaining. Klara Peslarova made 24 saves.
Last Meeting
Canada and Czechia last met in the 2024 Women’s Worlds semifinals, with the Canadians blanking the Czechs 4-0 on their way to a 13th gold medal. Blayre Turnbull kicked off the scoring 4:32 into the game, with Jocelyne Larocque giving Canada a 2-0 lead after the first period. Emily Clark and Sarah Fillier rounded out the scoring, while Ann-Renée Desbiens made nine saves for the shutout.
What to Watch
Line chemistry in short international tournaments is important, and the Canadians have the benefit of utilizing the Montréal Victoire’s top line on an international stage. Jenn Gardiner, Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey are the top three scorers for the first-place Victoire, combining for31 goals and 59 points. In three games in Ceske Budejovice, all three are top-10 in scoring and have combined for five goals and 14 points with a combined +17. Poulin has a goal and five assists, putting her atop the tournament scoring list and within shouting distance of a trio of all-time scoring records (more on that below).
The Czechs have some young talent emerging this season. Natalie Mlynkova—Chloe Primerano’s teammate at the University of Minnesota—notched 16 goals and 34 points in her fifth NCAA season, while 18-year-old Adela Sapovalivova recorded 15 goals and 36 points with MoDo in the Swedish women’s league. Kristyna Kaltounkova is making her debut on the senior team after becoming the first Czech player to be named a top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award and leads the Czechs in the tournament with two goals.
Milestone Watch
Poulin has a few major marks in her sights. She needs five more goals to surpass Jayna Hefford as Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, and three more assists and four more points to take over from Hayley Wickenheiser atop those categories.
In goal, Desbiens is even with Swiss netminder Florence Schelling for the most in Women’s Worlds history (21).
And keep an eye on a few more games-played milestones on the blue line; Erin Ambrose is set to reach 100 appearances in her Team Canada career when she takes the ice today, while Jocelyne Larocque is four shy of becoming the first defender to reach 200 games.
A Look Back
These two teams have a relatively new history at the IIHF Women’s World Championship. They have only met three times— once in Brampton in 2023 and twice at last year’s championship.
All-time record: Canada leads 3-0-0 Canada goals: 14 Czechia goals: 1
Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. United States
Sunday, April 13 | 1 p.m. ET | Ceske Budejovice, Czechia | Preliminary Round
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. UNITED STATES (APRIL 13)
Always the marquee matchup of the preliminary round, Canada’s National Women's Team is back in action Sunday at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship to take on the United States in a first-place showdown in Group A.
Last Game
Canada made it two wins – and two shutouts – in as many games with a 4-0 blanking of Switzerland on Friday. Marie-Philip Poulin had three assists, Micah Zandee-Hart scored her first Team Canada goal in her 69th international game and the Canadians got three goals in 2:32 midway through the second period – from Natalie Spooner, Laura Stacey and Daryl Watts (also her first international marker) – to pull away. Ann-Renée Desbiens’ return from injury was a success as she turned aside all 17 shots she faced for the shutout.
The Americans also improved to 2-0 on Friday, shutting out host Czechia by a 4-0 score. Abbey Murphy scored in each of the first two periods before veterans Hilary Knight and Alex Carpenter added insurance in the third for the U.S., which outshot the Czechs 48-10. Megan Keller added three assists in the win, while Gwyneth Philips recorded the shutout.
Last Meeting
The forever rivals closed out the Rivalry Series in Summerside, P.E.I., on Feb. 8, with the Canadians claiming the series for the third year in a row thanks to a 3-1 victory in the deciding Game 5. Jenn Gardiner netted her first international goal as the game-winner with less than seven minutes to go for the Canadians, who also got goals from Brianne Jenner and Stacey.
What to Watch
While young guns like Gardiner, Watts and Chloe Primerano have been making their presences felt through the first two games, the Canadians continue to go as Poulin goes. As the captain approaches 200 career games (she’s three away from becoming just the fourth player to reach the milestone), she shows no signs of slowing down. Poulin has a goal and four assists through the first two games, putting her atop the tournament scoring list and within shouting distance of a trio of all-time scoring records (more on that below). The 34-year-old has found tremendous chemistry with Victoire de Montréal teammates Gardiner and Stacey; they have combined for four goals and 11 points in two games and are a combined +14.
The Americans have gone with a scoring-by-committee approach in their first two games, getting at least three points from five different players (Carpenter, Keller, Knight, Murphy, Pannek). Knight continues to play at a high level in her 15th Women’s Worlds; the U.S. captain is already the all-time leader in goals (67) and points (114) in tournament history, and she’s two back of the assists record (she’s at 47), although teammate Kendall Coyne Schofield also sits at 47 and Poulin is up to 46, so any or all of the three should likely pass the legendary Hayley Wickenheiser and her 49 assists before the end of the gold medal is awarded in Ceske Budejovice.
Milestone Watch
As mentioned above, Poulin has a few major marks in her sights. She needs five more goals to surpass Jayna Hefford as Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, and four more assists and five more points to take over from Wickenheiser atop those categories.
In goal, Desbiens’ win brought her even with Swiss netminder Florence Schelling for the most in Women’s Worlds history (21). While the starter against the U.S. won’t be known until closer to puck drop, Desbiens is 19-8 with a 2.28 GAA and .908 save percentage all-time against the Americans.
And keep an eye on a few more games-played milestones on the blue line; Erin Ambrose is two appearances away from 100 in her Team Canada career, while Jocelyne Larocque is five shy of becoming the first defender to reach 200 games.
A Look Back
It’s Chapter 191 in the story of Canada vs. United States, with the Canadians in search of win No. 109 in the rivalry.
This is the first-ever meeting in Czechia, making it the 11th different country to have hosted the North American rivals (in order of countries played in: Canada, Finland, United States, Japan, Sweden, Italy, China, Russia, South Korea, Denmark and Czechia).
All-time record: Canada leads 108-81-1 (25-21 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 529 United States goals: 465
Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Switzerland
Friday, April 11 | 9 a.m. ET | Ceske Budejovice, Czechia | Preliminary Round
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWITZERLAND (APRIL 11)
Less than 18 hours after Canada’s National Women's Team opened with a win at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, the team is back on the ice to face Switzerland as the preliminary round continues at Budvar Arena.
Last Game
Canada got off to a strong start with a 5-0 shutout of Finland on Thursday. Jennifer Gardiner led the Canadians with two goals and an assist in her first Women’s Worlds game. Ella Shelton, Marie-Philip Poulin and Emma Maltais also scored and Kristen Campbell made 24 saves to record the shutout in her tournament debut.
Switzerland opened Wednesday with a 3-0 loss to the host Czechs. The Swiss threw 26 shots on Klara Peslarova and had six power-play opportunities, but were unable to convert. Andrea Brändli made 26 saves.
Last Meeting
The Canadians faced Switzerland in the preliminary round at last year’s Women’s Worlds, earning a 3-0 shutout win. Emma Maltais got Canada on the board 70 seconds into the game and Sarah Nurse doubled the lead just over six minutes later. Sarah Fillier added an empty-netter, while Emerance Maschmeyer made 17 saves for the shutout.
What to Watch
When Maschmeyer and Ann-Renée Desbiens both sustained lower-body injuries in March, it provided a chance for Campbell and Ève Gascon to shine on the international stage. In 19 games with the Toronto Sceptres this season, Campbell has a 2.23 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage. Gascon just finished her sophomore year at University of Minnesota Duluth, posting a 1.83 GAA and.942 save percentage while earning First Team All-American honours.
Switzerland’s offence is powered by three-time Olympians Lara Stalder and Alina Müller. Stalder, the Swiss captain, has 27 goals and 50 points in 22 games with EV Zug in the Women’s League, while Müller is in her second PWHL season, registering seven goals and 19 points with the Boston Fleet. Brändli had a strong performance at last year’s Women’s Worlds in Utica, facing 173 shots in five games and recording a .921 save percentage.
Milestone Watch
Jenner is just one goal away from 50 for her Team Canada career, which would make her the 14th player to reach that mark. Stacey is three points from 50 in her career. Marie-Philip Poulin has the potential to break several Canadian records at this Women’s Worlds: the captain is within striking distance of the records for career goals (needs five), assists (needs seven) and points (needs eight) by a Canadian at the tournament. She’s also four games from 200 in her Team Canada career, while stalwart defender Jocelyne Larocque needs six appearances to become the first blue-liner to get to 200.
A Look Back
Surprisingly, Canada and Switzerland have only faced off 20 times since 1997, but they have been frequent foes at the last four Women’s Worlds.
They last faced off in Europe in the semifinals of the 2022 tournament in Denmark, with the Canadians earning a 8-1 win. Poulin (2-1—3) and Fillier (1-2—3) each recorded three-point performances.
All-time record: Canada leads 20-0-0 Canada goals: 155 Switzerland goals: 9
Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Finland
Thursday, April 10 | 1 p.m. ET | Ceske Budejovice, Czechia | Preliminary Round
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. FINLAND (APRIL 10)
Here we go! Canada’s National Women's Team opens its quest for a 14th gold medal at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship against Finland on Thursday at Budvar Arena.
Last Meeting
The Canadians faced Finland in its tournament opener at last year’s Women’s Worlds, coming away with a 4-1 win over the Finns. Brianne Jenner opened the scoring in the first period, and Emma Maltais and Julia Gosling scored in the second before Ella Shelton added a final insurance goal late in the third. Ann-Renée Desbiens made 32 saves between the pipes.
Last Game
Canada captured the Rivalry Series for the third-consecutive season with a 3-1 victory over the United States in Summerside, P.E.I., in early February. Jenner opened the scoring in the second period before the Americans tied it up just over three minutes into the third. Jennifer Gardiner’s first goal with Canada’s National Women’s Team was the game-winner and Laura Stacey added an empty-net goal to secure the win—and the series—for the Canadians.
Finland opened its tournament Wednesday with a 7-1 loss to the United States. Petra Nieminen scored the Finns’ sole goal on a power play in the second period, with Elisa Holopainen and Nelli Laitinen picking up assists. Sanni Ahola made 17 saves.
What to Watch
Canada has several new faces that will make their Women’s Worlds debuts in Czechia. Daryl Watts and Gardiner have joined the forward corps after strong seasons in the PWHL. Watts sits third overall in the league with 26 points (11-15—26) with the Toronto Sceptres, while Gardiner has recorded 16 points (4-12—16) with the Montreal Victoire. On the blue line, Sophie Jaques makes her debut after sitting fourth in the PWHL in assists with the Minnesota Frost. After a strong showing in November’s Rivalry Series games, Chloe Primerano will become the second-youngest defender to play for Canada at Women’s Worlds roster, six months older than Cheryl Pounder in 1994. Primerano recorded five goals and 31 points with the University of Minnesota this season and captained Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team to gold at U18 Women’s Worlds in January. In between the pipes, Ève Gascon made her first Women’s Worlds roster after posting a .942 save percentage and 1.83 goals-against average with the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Notably, Finnish captain Jenni Hiirikoski, the all-time games leader at Women’s Worlds (96), will not compete due to illness. The Finns have a lot of young talent on their roster with seven players currently attending NCAA schools, including Primerano’s teammates Nelli Laitinen and Krista Parkkonen. Susanna Tapani has been a key contributor on the PWHL’s Boston Fleet this season, registering 11 goals and 18 points, and Ronja Savolainen has made an impact during her first season with the Ottawa Charge, earning 11 points (2-9—11).
Milestone Watch
Jenner is just one goal away from 50 for her Team Canada career, which would make her the 14th player to reach that mark. Stacey is four points from 50 in her career. Marie-Philip Poulin has the potential to break several Canadian records at this Women’s Worlds: the captain is within striking distance of the records for career goals (needs six), assists (needs eight) and points (needs 10) by a Canadian at the tournament. She’s also five games from 200 in her Team Canada career, while stalwart defender Jocelyne Larocque needs seven appearances to become the first blue-liner to get to 200.
A Look Back
Canada has typically had the upper hand over Finland historically, having lost just twice and tying once in 90 meetings, but the Finns are still tough competition.
This is the first time the teams will meet in Czechia. Canada and Finland last faced off across the pond at the 2022 Women’s Worlds in Denmark, with the Canadians earning a 4-1 win. Sarah Nurse, Poulin and Meaghan Mikkelson scored in that matchup, with Blayre Turnbull adding an empty-netter in the final minutes.
All-time record: Canada leads 87-2-1 Canada goals: 464 Finland goals: 115
Hannah Miller to miss 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship
Hockey Canada names Julia Gosling as replacement on Team Canada’s roster
CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that Hannah Miller (North Vancouver, BC/Toronto, PWHL) has been deemed ineligible by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to compete for Canada at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, April 9-20 in Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.
The IIHF stipulates a two-year timeline from when Miller last played overseas in order for her to be eligible to play for Canada.
“We are extremely disappointed to learn that Hannah is not able to compete for Canada at the upcoming world championship,” said general manager Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda QC/Toronto, PWHL). “We remained optimistic and believed she had met all the conditions outlined by the IIHF to represent her country, including the two-year timeline around the transfer portal. Hannah has worked hard this season, earned a spot on our roster and we will look forward to future opportunities for her to wear the Maple Leaf.”
Miller, who was set to make her IIHF Women’s World Championship debut, was one of 25 players named to Canada’s National Team roster earlier this month. She is in her second season with the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres and is currently fourth in league scoring with 24 points (10-14—24) in 26 games.
Julia Gosling (London, ON/Toronto, PWHL) will be the replacement for Miller. Gosling made her Women’s Worlds debut last year and helped Canada win its 13th gold medal in Utica, New York.
Canada opens the tournament against Finland on April 10. It will face Switzerland on April 11 and the United States on April 13 before closing out the preliminary round on April 14 against Czechia.
TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will carry extensive game coverage throughout the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, airing all of Canada’s games. TSN will broadcast all 29 games from Budvar Arena. RDS will provide coverage of all Team Canada games, in addition to two quarterfinals and two semifinals, as well as the medal games.
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
National Women’s Team named for 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship
25 athletes to chase 14th Women’s Worlds gold medal starting April 9 in Czechia
CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the 25 players named to Canada’s National Women’s Team roster who will look for a fourth gold medal in five years at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, April 9-20 in Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.
Three goaltenders, eight defence and 14 forwards were selected by general manager Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, QC/Toronto, PWHL), head coach Troy Ryan (Spryfield, NS/Toronto, PWHL) and Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON), senior manager of player development and scouting. Assistant coaches Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow, NS/Montréal, PWHL), Caroline Ouellette (Montréal, QC/Concordia University, RSEQ) and Britni Smith (Port Perry, ON/Syracuse University, AHA), along with goaltending consultant Brad Kirkwood (Calgary, AB/Toronto, PWHL), also provided input.
“We are excited about the team we have selected for Women’s Worlds, a team that is built on exceptional talent, character and commitment,” said Ryan. “We are focused on our preparation and ultimately winning a gold medal. We are ready for the challenge and proud to represent our country.”
The roster includes 18 players who helped Canada capture its 13th Women’s Worlds gold medal in Utica, New York, in 2024 (Ambrose, Campbell, Clark, Desbiens, Fast, Fillier, Gosling, Jenner, Larocque, Maltais, Nurse, O’Neill, Poulin, Serdachny, Shelton, Spooner, Stacey, Turnbull).
Five players will be making their IIHF Women’s World Championship debut (Gardiner, Gascon, Jaques, Primerano, Watts).
“With less than a year to go until the 2026 Olympics, this is our final opportunity to face a number of opponents and compete at the highest level as part of our preparation,” said Kingsbury. “We are excited about the team we have assembled to contend for a gold medal while also looking long-term on the road to Milan.”
The 10-team tournament features the defending champion Canadians in Group A with host Czechia, Finland, Switzerland and the United States, while Group B includes Germany, Hungary, Japan, Norway and Sweden.
Canada will travel to Tabor, Czechia, for its pre-tournament camp ahead of Women’s Worlds. It opens the tournament against Finland on April 10 and will face Switzerland on April 11 and the United States on April 13 before closing out the preliminary round on April 14 against Czechia.
TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will carry extensive game coverage throughout the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, airing all of Canada’s games. TSN will broadcast all 29 games from Budvar Arena. RDS will provide coverage of all Team Canada games, in addition to two quarterfinals and two semifinals, as well as the medal games.
For more information from the International Ice Hockey Federation, please visit the official tournament site HERE.
In 23 appearances at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, Canada has captured 13 gold medals (1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2012, 2021, 2022, 2024), in addition to nine silver (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2023) and one bronze (2019).
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
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