ÖSTERSUND, Sweden – For the second straight year, Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team has won the gold medal at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, shutting out Sweden 10-0 on Sunday in Östersund.

Caitlin Kraemer (Waterloo, Ont./Waterloo, OWHA U22 Elite) scored a hat trick in a span of 6:44 in the first period - the fastest in tournament history - and added a fourth goal in the third to give her a tournament total of 10, passing Marie-Philip Poulin for the most goals by a Canadian in a single tournament.

“This team has been such a big part of my achievements, I could not have done it without them,” said Kraemer, who was named to the media all-star team. “We wanted to leave the world knowing who we are. I am at a loss for words. You dream about this as a little kid, and to win is amazing.”

Alexia Aubin (Lévis, Que./Stanstead College, JWHL) scored twice while Piper Grober (Toronto, Ont./Durham West, OWHA U22 Elite), Mackenzie Alexander (Toronto, Ont./Etobicoke, OWHA U22 Elite), Abby Lunney (Holland Landing, Ont./Central York, OWHA U22 Elite) and Charlotte Pieckenhagen (Mississauga, Ont./Mississauga, OWHA U22 Elite) rounded out the scoring.

Canada scored five goals in the first 12 minutes to take control early, added three more in the second and two in the third. The Canadians, who went back-to-back at the tournament for the first time since they won three in a row from 2012-14, outshot the host Swedes 40-21.

“So fun to watch, so proud of this group. We knew they were going to bring it today, but getting to watch them celebrate the little things, be happy for each other was great,” said assistant coach Tara Watchorn (Newcastle, Ont./Stonehill College, NEWHA). “This group was special, no doubt. To get to see them represent their country with pride, class and so much skill was a lot of fun.”

Hannah Clark (Oshawa, Ont./Etobicoke, OWHA U22 Elite) made 21 saves for her first international shutout and fourth win of the tournament.

“We knew what our end goal was; we knew we had a job to do and were going to work as hard as possible to get it done,” said Clark. “Our team has so much heart. I love every one of these girls and I know we love each other. You dream about [winning gold] since you are little, it is so special.”

Following the gold medal game, Canada’s top three players were announced – Kraemer, Emmalee Pais (London, Ont./London, OWHA U22 Elite) and Ava Murphy (Kitchener, Ont./Oakville, OWHA U22 Elite).

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team looks to defend it world title Sunday when it takes on Sweden in the gold medal game at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.

Last Game

Canada booked its place in the final with a come-from-behind 3-2 overtime win over Finland in its Saturday semifinal. Alex Law was the hero for the Canadians, tying the game with 7:22 remaining in the third period before netting the winner 7:32 into the extra period. Abby Stonehouse had the other Canadian goal and Hannah Clark made 24 saves.

Sweden put on a show for 2,122 fans who filled Östersund Arena for its semifinal against the United States, stunning the seven-time world champions 2-1 to move into the gold medal game for the first time since 2018. Mira Jungåker and Astrid Lindeberg provided the offence for the Swedes, scoring power-play goals in the second period, and Felicia Frank finished with 37 saves to keep the U.S. out of the final for the first time ever.

Last Meeting

Canada and Sweden met Monday in preliminary-round play, a 4-2 victory for the Canadians. Caitlin Kraemer scored twice, while Law and Emmalee Pais also added goals. Clark made 43 saves in the win – 16 in the third period – and the Canadians finished 13-for-14 on the penalty kill.

What to Watch

Clark has been a solid presence in the Canadian crease, highlighted by her 43-save effort against the Swedes in the prelims and her 24 stops with the tournament on the line against the Finns. The Oshawa, Ont., native has fashioned a 1.60 goals-against average (third in the tournament) and .939 save percentage (second), allowing just three goals at even strength.

Frank has been terrific in goal for the Swedes, making 37 saves against the U.S. and posting overall numbers similar to Clark (1.50 GAA, .939 SV%), while the defence has contributed seven of the 19 goals scored in the tournament, including both in the semifinals. And let’s not forget about the fans. It should be another loud crowd on Sunday as Sweden chases its first-ever international women’s hockey gold.

A Look Back

Canada and Sweden have met 11 times at the U18 women’s worlds, with Canada owning a perfect record.

A trio of Olympic gold medallists have turned in terrific performances against the Swedes – Mélodie Daoust had four points (3-1—4) to lead the way offensively in a 6-1 semifinal win in 2009, while the defensive duo of Brigette Lacquette (1-3—4) and Erin Ambrose (0-4—4) helped Canada to an 8-0 prelim win in 2010.

This is the second time Canada and Sweden have met in the final of a major international tournament – at the 2006 Olympics, the Swedes upset the U.S. in a semifinal shootout, but Canada earned a 4-1 win for its second of four consecutive Olympic golds.

All-time record: Canada leads 11-0

Canada goals: 59

Sweden goals: 11

Coming off a win over the United States to complete a perfect preliminary round, Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team takes on Finland in a Saturday semifinal at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.

Last Game

Canada wrapped up an unblemished prelims with a 3-1 victory over the United States on Wednesday. Caitlin Kraemer continued her torrid goal-scoring pace, scoring a pair of goals for the third game in a row. Emmalee Pais had the game-winner and Charlotte Pieckenhagen added two helpers to help Canada clinch first place, holding the Americans to just 12 shots on goal.

Finland is coming off a come-from-behind 3-2 quarterfinal victory over Czechia on Thursday. Sanni Vanhanen and Pauliina Salonen scored two minutes apart in the final 7:33 to turn a one-goal deficit into a one-goal lead. Salonen scored twice on the power play, ending an 0-for-9 stretch for the Finns, and Kerttu Kuja-Halkola turned aside 28 shots to backstop Finland to its first win of the tournament.

Last Meeting

Canada and Finland are very familiar foes – the semifinal will be the third time the two teams will face off against each other in a span of nine days. After Finland earned a 4-3 pre-tournament win, Canada answered back with an 8-0 victory in the preliminary-round opener last Sunday. Eleven Canadians got onto the scoresheet in that one, led by Kraemer, who scored twice and added an assist, while Alex Law recorded three helpers.

What To Watch

In the absence of captain Jocelyn Amos, Pais has stepped up for Canada, wearing the ‘C’ for the last two games, scoring against Sweden before netting the game-winning goal against the Americans and posting a team-leading (and tournament-leading) +7 mark while averaging 19:09 of ice time per game, second to Kraemer among all Canadian forwards.

Having scored just five goals in four games (just two in the prelims) while allowing 157 shots, the Finns have leaned heavily on their goaltending. Kuja-Halkola has been a workhorse, appearing in all four games and facing a tournament-high 122 shots (Slovakia’s Livia Debnarova is next at 116, but has played 55 more minutes). She made 40 saves in the prelim loss to the Canadians.

A Look Back

Overall, the long-time women’s hockey rivals have met 12 times at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, with Canada’s lone loss a 2-0 preliminary-round defeat last June in Madison, Wisconsin.

Some of the best Canadian single-game performances have come against the Finns – Laura Fortino (1-4—5) and Natalie Spooner (0-5—5) had five points apiece, and Marie-Philip Poulin scored a hat trick as part of a 17-0 win – Canada’s largest victory ever at the U18 women’s worlds – in 2008.

All-time record: Canada leads 11-1

Canada goals: 71

Finland goals: 6

From an early age, Charlotte Pieckenhagen recalls hearing stories of her dad’s time as a rower with the Canadian national team. Those stories inspired Charlotte as she worked towards her own international dreams.

“All of the stories he told us reminds me of how hard I need to work to get to the top level,” says Charlotte, who is wearing the Maple Leaf this week with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. “He’s a big inspiration for me growing up and I’m so grateful for everything he does for me.”

After making her Team Canada debut last summer in a three-game series against the United States, Charlotte is making sure to take in the whole experience in Östersund.

“It’s my first time oversees, so just being here is an experience in itself, “the 16-year-old (she turns 17 next Tuesday) says. “Its incredible to just be at worlds, and to be here with this team makes it even better.”

Representing Canada isn’t something new for the Pieckenhagens. Curt Pieckenhagen made his national team rowing debut as an 18-year-old at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela, as one of the youngest athletes on the team.

He is also a member of the Harvard Varsity Club Hall of Fame, having helped the Crimson to multiple NCAA championships with the heavyweight crew.

As Charlotte grows as an athlete and faces new challenges, Curt is happy to play the role of proud father. He has supported her every step of the way, from lacing up the skates himself when she first started, to now working out with her in the gym.

“I’m exceptionally proud of her,” Curt says. “She’s always shown a prowess for athleticism from a young age and to get to this level, she’s had to get through barriers and show extreme commitment. For me, I see it as I’ve had my time [with Team Canada] and now I want to make sure that it is my children’s turn with this opportunity.”

Watching the U18 women’s worlds from home in Mississauga, Ont., Curt is sending of encouragement across the Atlantic, something Charlotte says has remained consistent throughout her life.

“He encourages me more during each game,” she says. “He reminds me to use my strength, be the fastest skater out there, and things like ‘If you work for it, you’ll get it.’”

Off the ice, Charlotte is also, not surprisingly, excelling in rowing. Last summer, she was part of the Ridley College rowing team that captured the gold medal at the Canadian Secondary School Rowing Association (CSSRA) championships.

Charlotte has enjoyed training for both sports, too. Whether it’s putting in the extra workouts on the ice, training in the family’s backyard gym or taking the boats out to the water at 5 a.m., Charlotte has found that the training for the two sports have improved her game on the ice.

“There’s a big component that translated over to the ice,” Charlotte says. “Rowing is a lot of legs, arms and core, so when I get back on the ice I have a lot of strength and speed built up from rowing.”

For now, Charlotte is focused on representing Canada on the ice at the U18 women’s worlds. Whenever she sees her name on the Team Canada jersey, she remembers all the work that she has put in, and the people who got her to where she is today.

“When I put the jersey on, the memories of buying my first jersey as a kid come back. It’s a special moment,” Charlotte says. “I feel like I’m representing the family and a really good name.”

ÖSTERSUND, Sweden – Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team finished the preliminary round unbeaten at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship after a 3-1 victory over the United States on Wednesday.

• Caitlin Kraemer (Waterloo, Ont./Kitchener, OWHA U22 Elite) had two goals, bringing her into a tie for the tournament lead with six.
• Emmalee Pais (London, Ont./London, OWHA U22 Elite) had a goal and an assist.
• Charlotte Pieckenhagen (Mississauga, Ont./Mississauga, OWHA U22 Elite) had a pair of assists.
• Abby Lunney (Holland Landing, Ont./Central York, OWHA U22 Elite) provided a helper.
• Hannah Clark (Oshawa, Ont./Etobicoke, OWHA U22 Elite) made 11 saves.
• Canada outshot the U.S. 38-12.

Next Game:
Canada vs. TBD (semifinal) – Saturday, January 14 (time TBD)

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the quarterfinals, semifinals and medal games from Östersund Arena; please check local listings for details.

Quotes:
“It was cool to see everyone bring it tonight. They focused on the habits, what we do well and were able to put together one shift after another; it was fun to watch. We always get excited to play the U.S., [our team] was ready to go from the moment they woke up this morning, hoping to get to another level. Our thing is getting better every day and we are going to find a way to do it culturally on the ice and off the ice. We will take the next two days to do that.”
• Assistant coach Tara Watchorn (Newcastle, Ont./Stonehill College, NEWHA) on finding a new level

“The energy was pretty high on the bench and on the ice. It was a great game; it is always fun to play the U.S. with our rivalry. It is my first time personally in Europe, I like it here, it is fun. The girls are a lot of fun and our energy is high. We need to keep going and keep winning.”
• Alexia Aubin (Lévis, Que./Stanstead College, JWHL) on playing a high-energy game

“Our team played an amazing game; we hustled and were relentless from start to finish. I was able to stay square to the puck and not bite on anything [during the penalty shot]. It is really special [playing against the U.S.]. I love the group that surrounds me, I am super thankful to be able to play for this team and for all of these girls. This experience is awesome.”
• Clark on playing for the team in front of her

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Already with a semifinal spot secured, Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team looks to finish a perfect prelims and take top spot in Group A when it wraps up the prelims against the United States on Wednesday at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.

LAST GAME

Canada earned its second victory in as many tries Monday, a 4-2 win over Sweden. Caitlin Kraemer led the way for Canada, scoring her third and fourth goals of the tournament in the third period, while Hannah Clark was terrific in a 43-save performance, including 16 in the final period. The Canadians leaned heavily on their penalty kill; the Swedes finished 1-for-14 on the power play.

The United States stayed perfect with an 8-1 win over Finland on Monday. Maggie Scannell had a hat trick and two assists, while captain Joy Dunne tallied a goal and two helpers for the reigning silver medallists. On the back end, Molly Jordan led all players with more than 26 minutes of ice time and Layla Hemp made her first start of the tournament, making 19 saves.

LAST MEETING

The North American rivals last met in the finale of a three-game series in Calgary last August, a 7-2 win for the Canadians that finished off their first sweep of the U.S. since 2007. Piper Grober and Abby Lunney led the offence with three assists apiece, and Canada got two goals from Keira Hurry and one each from Kraemer and Abby Stonehouse in the third period to turn a one-goal game into a comfortable win. Clark made 27 saves, 14 in the third period.

WHAT TO WATCH

In its first two preliminary-round games, Canada has received contributions up and down the lineup, but none more so than Kraemer, who is showing she can be a threat to score every time she is on the ice. The Waterloo, Ont., native has scored twice in each game so far, opening the tournament with two first-period goals against Finland and netting a pair of third-period markers against Sweden.

Sitting with Kraemer near the top of the tournament scoring race is Scannell, who has posted seven points (four goals, three assists) in two games. The Americans have also scored on six of their 10 power-play opportunities through two games, which will test an overworked Canadian penalty kill that was on the ice for more than 21 minutes against the Swedes.

A LOOK BACK

Including the U18 women’s worlds and summer series that date back to 2007, Canada and the U.S. have faced off 61 times at the U18 level, with the games almost split right down the middle (Canada leads 31-29). Even the goals are almost even (Canada has a 171-169 edge).

At worlds, the rivals have met in all but one of the 14 gold medal games, with the U.S. holding a narrow 8-7 edge there. That includes last June in Madison, Wis., where Alexia Aubin, Ava Murphy and Jocelyn Amos helped Canada open a three-goal lead, and Mari Pietersen made 29 saves in a 3-2 Canadian victory for its sixth world title.

All-time record: Canada leads 32-29 (9-9 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 171
United States goals: 169

Owen and Avery Pickering have a normal brother-sister relationship with annoyances and disagreements, but they are each other’s biggest competitor and supporter.

“He is still the annoying brother, but I love him, and we have a close relationship in many ways,” Avery says. “We have grown to be competitive with each other and push each other. He is two years older than me and has been my role model on and off the ice.”

Owen is an 18-year-old defenceman and captain of the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League, and was selected 21st overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Avery is a 16-year-old currently patrolling the blue line with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Sweden.

“We have a great relationship. She is a huge person in my life and to see what she is accomplishing makes me super proud,” Owen says.

The two are just 27 months apart in age and hockey became their strongest bond. Many of their family memories include a stick and puck.

“Hockey is how we spend time together. Most of the time that we spent together growing up was playing games – whether that was mini sticks in the basement or being out on the ODR in the backyard,” Avery says. “We’ve never taken a family vacation – we’ve gone on so many different trips for hockey tournaments.”

For as long as Owen can remember, he wanted to play hockey. It was a sport he gravitated to early on and the love for the game grew to become an important part of his life.

“There are pictures of me when I was little putting on my dad’s helmet and playing mini sticks,” he says. “There are videos of me hiding under the table, thinking that no one could see me, drinking maple syrup because I wanted to be an NHL player and they drank Gatorade. The maple syrup was my Gatorade.”

The St. Adolphe, Man., duo put in the hard work to achieve their hockey goals and both will now have the privilege of representing Team Canada at a U18 world championship.

“The first time putting on the Maple Leaf is surreal. You dream about it as a kid, but nothing prepares you for that feeling of walking into the dressing room, seeing the logo and seeing your jersey number with Pickering on the back. It was such a surreal moment,” Owen says.

He got to experience that last year in Germany – recording two assists in four games as Canada fell in overtime in the quarterfinals – and now Avery will get to wear a jersey with Pickering on the back for the first time on the world stage.

“I am still in disbelief. Every day I think about getting to this point and I’ve been working towards this for so long,” she says. “To get the opportunity to come here and be in Sweden to play a world championship for Team Canada is so crazy. There has been so much that has led up to it, it’s just so unbelievable to me.”

For Owen, seeing his sister reach this level is not surprising.

“I am super proud of her. She works so hard and is so committed. There is nothing that is going to stop her. When I see her work ethic, it makes me proud,” he says. “I hope she can take a step back and cherish this moment. I know it won’t be the last time she puts on the Maple Leaf.”

Having gone through a world’s championship, Owen was able to send some brotherly advice to Avery ahead of her debut.

“He shared to play as myself and trust myself – know that what I’ve done has gotten me to this point and to believe that I’ve done it to this point and continue to trust myself and enjoy the moment,” says Avery, who made her national team debut against Finland last summer and helped Canada to a three-game sweep of the United States.

Despite being eight hours away from each other during the hockey season, the two try and stay in touch as much as possible and lean on each other for hockey and life in general.

“We send little texts with congratulations for the accomplishments we’ve gotten, and we send each other songs that we hear. I always enjoy whenever we take the time to talk. It is a reminder for both of us of where we’ve come from,” Avery says. “He is going to continue to be there for me and to talk to about my game. As we both move on in our careers, it is so cool to have that opportunity.”

Owen adds: “There were a lot of times [growing up] I couldn’t stand her and when we get home, we argue about the littlest things, but we are each other’s biggest supporters. To step back and watch what she has accomplished and will continue to accomplish is pretty cool.”

ÖSTERSUND, Sweden – Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team earned its second win at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, clinching a spot in the semifinals by defeating Sweden 4-2 on Monday.

• Caitlin Kraemer (Waterloo, Ont./Kitchener, OWHA U22 Elite) scored the go-ahead goal 4:58 into the third period and added an empty-net goal.
• Emmalee Pais (London, Ont./London, OWHA U22 Elite) and Alex Law (Whitby, Ont./Durham West, OWHA U22 Elite) each had a goal.
• Emma Venusio (Toronto, Ont./Etobicoke, OWHA U22 Elite), Abby Stonehouse (Blenheim, Ont./London, OWHA U22 Elite) and Alexia Aubin (Lévis, Que./Stanstead College, JWHL) provided an assist apiece.
• Hannah Clark (Oshawa, Ont./Etobicoke, OWHA U22 Elite) made 43 saves.
• Canada’s penalty kill was 13-for-14.

Next Game:
Canada vs. United States – Wednesday, January 11 (2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT)

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, are broadcasting 13 games from Östersund Arena; please check local listings for details.

Quotes:
“I think that our team handled the ups and downs well, especially for such a young age. It is super easy to get down on yourself or too high and throw yourself off your game. Something we have focused on right from the start is making sure we can remain composed. We have to remain balanced, on and off the ice; the players on the bench are a big part of staying focused and staying concentrated. It was a different game from last night, that is for sure. We have way more in the tank, way more to show.”
• Head coach Courtney Birchard-Kessel (Mississauga, Ont./Princeton University, ECAC) on adversity

“I’m ready to help the team in whatever way I can, so to jump into the role [of captain] where needed was awesome. When you score you are pretty hyped up, so it was exciting, especially being on a breakaway. Our penalty kill was really good, we have worked on it a lot; we have to focus in on our structure and stay confident in that. The first little bit [in Sweden] was tough, but everyone is into it now and we are ready for the next game.”
• Pais on being a leader

“It was really important to stick together and keep it simple on the penalty kill; we were able to execute it well, which is why we were successful in the end. The lines got mixed up a bit, but it shows that we are playing for each other and no matter what comes our way, we are able to face it head on. The girls were able to work with each other, give it their all, play for one another and that is why we came out with the win.”
• Ava Murphy (Kitchener, Ont./Oakville, OWHA U22 Elite) on finding a way to win

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Coming off a win its tournament opener, Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team looks to keep the momentum going against host Sweden as the preliminary round continues at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.

LAST GAME

Canada started its prelim schedule with an 8-0 win over Finland on Sunday . Caitlin Kraemer opened the scoring with a pair of first-period goals and added an assist for a three-point night. Alex Law had three assists, and Abby Stonehouse, Gracie Graham and Piper Grober had a goal and a helper apiece as Canada outshot the Finns 48-9.

The Swedes opened their tournament Sunday with a 6-3 loss to the United States . Sweden – which blanked the U.S. 1-0 in pre-tournament play – stayed close to the eight-time world champions, going to the second intermission down just a goal before the Americans pulled away in the third period. Emma Rehn, Mira Hallin and Linnea Natt och Dag provided the scoring, while Ida Henriksson made 37 saves.

LAST MEETING

The last time the two teams met was during the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Madison, Wisconsin, when the Canadians earned a 3-1 preliminary-round win . Reichen Kirchmair and Rhea Hicks scored in the first period and Hicks added a second in the second as Canada racked up 56 shots on goal. Mari Pietersen finished with 34 saves, 14 of them in the third period.

WHAT TO WATCH

Canada showed against the Finns that its defence isn’t afraid to jump into the rush or contribute from the point. Three blue-liners – Grober, Graham and Keira Hurry – scored goals and five of the seven recorded points. They also held the Finns to just nine shots on goal, so it was quite a 200-foot performance from the ‘D’ corps.

Just two games in (including pre-tournament play), and goaltending is proving to be a strength for Sweden. Henriksson turned in a solid performance against the Americans as mentioned above, and she combined with Felicia Frank for a 49-save shutout of the U.S. in exhibition action. Success in short-term competition almost always includes terrific netminding, and the Swedes look like they have that.

A LOOK BACK

Canada and Sweden have met on the ice 10 times at the U18 women’s worlds, with Canada owning a perfect record.

A trio of Olympic gold medallists have turned in terrific performances against the Swedes – Mélodie Daoust had four points (3-1—4) to lead the way offensively in a 6-1 semifinal win in 2009 , while the defensive duo of Brigette Lacquette (1-3—4) and Erin Ambrose (0-4—4) helped Canada to an 8-0 prelim win in 2010 .

All-time record: Canada leads 10-0

Canada goals: 55

Sweden goals: 9