Canada Sets Up Gold Medal Rematch Beating Czechia In Semis

Canada cruised through Czechia in the 2024 IIHF World Championship semifinals to set up yet another gold medal rematch between Canada and USA.

UTICA, New York — Canada is one step closer to exacting revenge for a heartbreaking defeat.

Emily Clark and Jocelyn Larocque had a goal and an assist apiece as the Canadians cruised to a 4-0 win over Czechia to advance to the gold-medal game at the IIHF Women's World Championship.

After having lost gold to the United States on home soil in Brampton, Ontario in 2023, the Canadians will aim to return the favor when the teams face one another in the championship game on Sunday at 7 p.m.

"If you can't get up for something like that, you've got to check your pulse," Clark said. "It's a game that you dream about as a kid. Every year you just work to get back in that position. So yeah, it's everything. It's exactly where we want to be."

Sunday marks the 22nd time the teams will face one another for gold. Canada has defeated the U.S. for the title in three out of four meetings south of the border.

Blayre Turnbull scored the only goal Canada needed and Laura Stacey had two assists.

Turnbull got Canada on the board at 4:32 of the first period by breaking past Czechia's defense finishing off a pass from Stacey in the slot.

"Joss (Larocque) did a really good job of moving it up to Stacey," Turnbull said. "Stacey has so much speed that she drew a defenseman over to her and I was pretty wide open in the middle. She hit me with a great pass."

Stacey then set up Larocque's goal which doubled Canada's lead. With 1:45 left in the opening period, Stacey carried the puck low and fed the puck through traffic to Larocque, who was crashing the net. The defender beat Czechia netminder Klara Peslarova low and inside the left post.

Canada built a 3-0 advantage 1:39 into the second period. Natalie Spooner forced a turnover in the left corner and Clark picked up the puck. Her first shot went off the skate of Czechia's Vendula Pribylova. She backhanded the rebound over Peslarova's right pad.

Sarah Fillier capped the scoring 4:40 into the third. The forward tipped a shot by defender Renata Fast which got between Peslarova's pads and trickled across the goal line.

The Canadians were dominant in puck possession, outshooting Czechia 47-9. The Czechs were held to just one shot in the first period and three in the third.

"I think we played the game that we wanted to play, we dictated the play and I think we stuck to our little details in our game plan that we want to bring tomorrow," Stacey said. "Everybody's pretty happy with the result tonight, but more importantly we're looking forward to a big game tomorrow."

Ann-Renee Desbiens registered her second shutout of the event.

The victory is Desbiens' 19th in the Women's World Championship, moving her into a tie for second all-time alongside countrywoman Kim St. Pierre and Sara Grahn of Sweden. She trails only Switzerland's Florence Schelling, who has 21.

Czechia will play for its third straight bronze medal when it faces Finland on Sunday at 3 p.m.

"We're maturing in our game," Czechia Coach Carla MacLeod said. "We're learning how to be accepted at this level. We belong here. We're learning to belong, and that's a process. But we're a good hockey team.

"There was some animosity out there, and I take that as a compliment to Czechia," MacLeod added. "If the Canadians and Americans are getting frustrated playing against us, we're doing something right, and it's just continuing down that path now."

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