🇨🇦 Canada 9-0 Sweden 🇸🇪
Four Nations Cup Preliminary Round
Valtti Areena, Tikkurila 🇫🇮
Friday, 09 November 2012

Canada’s National Women’s Team will enter the championship game at the 2012 Four Nations Cup on a high after closing out an undefeated round robin with a 9-0 rout of Sweden on Friday at Valtti Areena.

Natalie Spooner and Jennifer Wakefield scored two goals apiece and Shannon Szabados made 27 saves to help Canada post its third straight victory.

“It’s always nice when you score a bunch of goals,” head coach Dan Church said. “It gives the forwards some confidence. I think on the back end, it was a good performance by our (defence) and goalie to get the shutout.

“Overall, a great way to head into tomorrow.”

Canada will play the United States in the title match while Sweden and Finland play for Bronze.

Gillian Apps, Catherine Ward, Jayna Hefford, Tessa Bonhomme and Vicki Bendus also scored as Canada fired 64 shots on the Swedish net. Canada has outscored the opposition 18-1 over the three games.

The Canadian roster includes almost all the players from the team that won Gold at the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship last spring. Canada beat the Americans 5-4 in overtime in the championship game.

Church likes that his team is playing with confidence.

“I think the players have really battled hard,” he said. “Just the consistency in their approach to the little details in the game I think has made a big difference for us.

“Things like our physical play, backchecking and just the commitment by everybody to play for their role in whatever role they’re given for that game. I think they’ve all done a great job of that.”

Canada last won the Four Nations Cup in 2010, defeating the Americans 3-2 in overtime in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The United States beat Canada 4-3 in a shootout in last year’s final in Nyköping, Sweden.

“I think the players are ready. They’re ready for the challenge of regaining the Gold medal at this tournament,” Church said.

Canada has won this event 12 times over its 16-year history. The tournament also serves as an evaluation opportunity for team brass ahead of the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship in Ottawa this April.

BOXSCORE
1st Period
04:02 – 🇨🇦 GOAL – Wakefield (Irwin)
04:40 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Bram, interference
16:16 – 🇨🇦 GOAL – Apps (Wickenheiser)
19:36 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Asserholt,  hooking

2nd Period
20:38 – 🇨🇦 PP GOAL – Jenner (Ward, Johnston)
26:24 – 🇨🇦 GOAL – Spooner (Irwin)
26:56 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Larocque, roughing
28:53 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Eliasson, hooking
33:02 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Ward, roughing
34:23 – 🇨🇦 SH GOAL – Hefford (Birchard)

3rd Period
41:15 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Johnston, roughing
43:17 – 🇨🇦 GOAL – Wakefield
44:14 – 🇨🇦 GOAL – Bonhomme (Jenner, Bendus)
46:47 – 🇨🇦 GOAL – Bendus (Johnston)
48:30 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Ouellette, body checking
48:30 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Backlin, roughing
51:33 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Slusar, tripping
59:21 – 🇨🇦 GOAL – Spooner (Watchorn, Wickenheiser)

GOALTENDERS
W: 🇨🇦 Szabados (27-27)
L: 🇸🇪 Grahn (55-64)

SHOTS ON GOAL
🇨🇦 20+22+22 = 64
🇸🇪 9+8+10 = 27

ROSTERS
🇨🇦 Goaltenders: Charline Labonté, Geneviéve Lacasse, Shannon Szabados. Defence: Courtney Birchard, Tessa Bonhomme, Jocelyne Larocque, Meaghan Mikkelson, Bobbi Jo Slusar, Catherine Ward, Tara Watchorn. Forwards: Meghan Agosta, Gillian Apps, Vicki Bendus, Bailey Bram, Jayna Hefford, Haley Irwin, Brianne Jenner, Rebecca Johnston, Caroline Ouellette, Marie-Philip Poulin, Natalie Spooner, Jennifer Wakefield, Hayley Wickenheiser.
🇸🇪 Goaltenders: Kim Martin, Sara Grahn. Defence: Emilia Andersson, Lina Bäcklin, Linnéa Bäckman, Linnea Hedin, Frida Nevalainen, Louise Nordberg-Tenglin, Johanna Olofsson, Annie Svedin. Forwards: Jenni Asserholt, Gizela Blom, Anna Borgqvist, Emma Eliasson, Erika Grahm, Elin Holmlöv, Maria Lind, Michelle Löwenhielm, Melinda Olsson, Erica Udén Johansson, Lina Wester, Pernilla Winberg.

Article Credit: Hockey Canada
Photo Credit: The Daily Observer – IIHF – HHOF – IOC