From the PWHL to the IIHF World Championships, goaltending in elite women's hockey is a difference maker. It's a stacked position where games and tournaments can be won. The IIHF World Championships are underway and it was a day of heroic performances between the pipes in Utica. Klara Peslarova and Aerin Frankel both earned shutouts, but even those performances weren't enough to take Three Star honors from two other goalies. Here's a look at the stars of Day One of the 2024 IIHF World Championships in Utica, New York. FIRST STAR: ANDREA BRÄNDLI (SWITZERLAND) The game against USA ended 4-0 in favor of the Americans, but it could have been 10-0, and likely would have been without Andrea Brändli. She made 51 saves in the game, was Switzerland's best penalty killer, and looked calm and composed under fire. The 26-year-old had an incredible season with MoDo in Sweden and is only proving her place among the top goalies in the world further with games like this. SECOND STAR: HALEY WINN (USA) Quietly, until now that is, Haley Winn has emerged as one of the best offensive blueliners in the world. The Clarkson standout walks the blueline with precision, can turn on a dime, and finds ways to get pucks through to the net, or to rapidly attack in from the point. She scored a pair for USA, and will certainly be one of the top defenders at this tournament. Looking at the opposite side of this puck, if the best defensive defender were honored today, it would certainly be Czechia's Daniela Pejsova, who was a rock for her nation shutting down Finland's attack time and again before jump starting Czechia's attack. THIRD STAR: EMMA-SOFIE NORDSTROM (DENMARK) Players in Group B won't get much love when end of tournament awards are handed out, but without Emma Sofie Nordstrom, this would be a long and dark tournament for Denmark. They were outgunned at every turn against Sweden, pinned into their zone facing a barrage of shots. She faced breakaways, point blank shots, and endured a second period where her team was outshot 20-0. Denmark only managed five shots in the game, two of which came off an Emma Soderberg gaffe that resulted in their lone goal. When Emma-Sofie Nordstrom closed her eyes after this game, where she stopped 36 shots, she likely saw Sweden's blue and yellow. When Swedish shooters closed their eyes, they likely saw Nordstrom. Honorable Mention: Hilary Knight, Natalie Mylnkova, Klara Hymlarova, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Daniela Pejsova
