Canada’s 10–0 Win Over Denmark Puts The New Women’s Worlds Format In Focus

Two future PWHL Hamilton teammates could have been at opposite ends of the ice Monday when Canada faced Denmark at the Women’s World Championship.

Hamilton selected Denmark’s No. 1 goaltender, Emma-Sofie Nordstrom, in the fifth round of the 2026 PWHL Draft and signed Canada’s Kayle Osborne to a three-year deal in June. Where Osborne sits on Canada’s depth chart depends on whom you ask. Some have her at No. 2, others at No. 3.

But Denmark’s upset win over Japan changed those plans.

With two games in as many days, Denmark had a decision to make. Sweden was up next on Tuesday, and the Danes had a better chance of beating the Swedes than Canada, regardless of who started in goal.

So Denmark saved Nordstrom for Sweden and gave the start against Canada to Caroline Bjergstad. The 21-year-old is in her second season at RPI and has yet to appear in an NCAA game.

And Canada showed her no mercy.

To her credit, Bjergstad kept Canada off the board for more than 15 minutes as the shots piled up. By the first intermission, she had faced 27 shots and given up three goals.

Yes, 27 shots in one period.

For comparison, there were 27 PWHL games last season in which at least one team had 27 shots or fewer all game.

Canada finished with 10 goals on 74 shots. By then, Bjergstad was on the bench. Aya Juhl Petersen, who plays in Sweden’s NDHL, had taken over midway through the second period.

Denmark didn’t register its first shot until a second-period power play and finished with just six.

Even in a game this lopsided, there’s value for Denmark in facing Canada. That’s why I like the new groups. When the top teams are all in one group, countries like Denmark and Austria get fewer chances to test themselves against stronger opponents. There’s plenty to learn from playing Canada or the United States, and games against teams like Sweden and Czechia give them a different test, often with a better chance of competing for a win.

The new group format gives players on lower-ranked teams more chances to measure themselves against the best. Reps matter, but so does who you get them against.

It also keeps Canada and the United States apart in the preliminary round. Maybe that’s my pro wrestling background talking, but why give away the main event on the undercard? Save it for the final.

The new format also gives teams like Canada a chance to get everyone into a game during the preliminary round.

And that’s exactly what Canada did.

Sara Manness took Danielle Serdachny’s spot on the third line, while Hayley McDonald drew back into the lineup in place of Sarah Wozniewicz. Kayle Osborne got the start in net, meaning all three Canadian goaltenders had now started a game at the tournament.

Canada wore white for the first time at these Worlds, so it was Laura Stacey’s turn to wear the ‘C’. And No. 7 made the most of it. She had her best offensive game of the tournament, scoring her first goal and adding two assists to bring her total to four points.

Four points is a good start, but it’s still a long way from the top of the scoring race. American defender Caroline Harvey had a field day against Austria, scoring a hat trick and adding an assist in an 11–0 win. That’s three goals and six assists in three games.

Harvey’s nine points put her three clear of Jessie Eldridge and four ahead of Kendall Cooper and five of her U.S. teammates: Joy Dunne, Tessa Janecke, Casey O’Brien, Lacey Eden and Taylor Fox.

Eighteen Canadian skaters picked up at least a point. The only two left off the scoresheet were Kati Tabin and, somewhat surprisingly, Daryl Watts.

Rebecca Leslie led the way with 10 shots on goal, followed by Laura Stacey with eight and Rosalie Tremblay with seven. 

I expect to see Ann-Renée Desbiens back in net against Finland and to see her start the rest of the way.

Canada and the U.S. are both back in action Wednesday. Canada faces Finland, while the Americans take on Czechia. It’s the last game of the preliminary round for both teams before the quarterfinals.