🇨🇦 Canada 3-2 Sweden 🇸🇪 (OT)
Women’s World Championship Quarterfinal
CAA Centre, Brampton 🇨🇦
Thursday, 13 April 2023

Sweden took Canada to overtime in the quarter-finals of the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship, playing a tenacious 60 minutes of regular time and scoring in the final seconds to tie the game. Canada would end up with the win however, with Sarah Nurse scoring in extra time.

“We talked before that we everything to win in this game and had nothing to lose,” said Sweden’s Mira Jungåker. “We were playing Canada with a full arena, so we just wanted to go out and play our best hockey. It was close but not enough.”

Sweden’s Josefin Bouveng had the first scoring opportunity of the game, receiving a long pass up ice on Canada’s blue line for a near breakaway, but Canada went on to outscore Sweden 14-5 in the first period and take a 1-0 lead. The first goal of the game belonged to Blayre Turnbull, who used a nifty forehand to backhand move to score five hole on Swedish goaltender Emma Söderberg.

Jocelyne Larocque nearly increased Canada’s lead before the intermission, jumping up into the play with defence partner Renata Fast. Fast passed the puck into the crease for Larocque, who was stymied by Söderberg.

Canada and Sweden traded goals in the second period, starting with the Canadians. Sarah Nurse took a tripping penalty, but Sweden’s power play was short-lived, with a penalty called on Hanna Olsson 15 seconds in. Nearly two minutes of four-on-four play ensued, most of which was in Sweden’s end. Nurse went to work as soon as she was out of the box, battling for the puck on the boards and firing it past Söderberg for the 2-0 lead.

“Nurse just continues to show that she’s one of the best players in the world,” said Canada’s Erin Ambrose. “Her release is something that kind of catches you off guard because of how it comes off her stick, but it’s one of the quickest there is. She continues to take her game to another level and today was just showing that and proving that.”

Then it was Sweden’s turn to score on the power play, with Lina Ljungblom collecting her seventh of the tournament as Sofie Lundin screened Emerance Maschmeyer. This marked the first time since 2004 that Sweden has scored on Canada at a Women’s World Championship.

“Of course it’s like a dream to score on Canada and I think we got some energy from that. It was a team effort today,” said Ljungblom. “I think we’re really good, I just don’t think people know that. But today I think many people can see that we are good and we play as a team and we block shots for each other and we fight for each other.”

The second period saw Canada once against keep Sweden at only five shots while increasing their own shots on Söderberg by 18—many of which might possibly have gone in were it not for an excellent performance from Söderberg.

“I found a nice flow in the game. I had a lot of shots, which helped get me comfortable,” said Söderberg. “I felt confident in our team in the third. We had already put up a good fight for two periods. We knew they wouldn’t be happy, but we just needed one shot. We put up a good fight against them before but that was also a long time ago. But I knew I had to be ready. Their passing is dangerous. They’re sneaking up on the back door a lot trying to get the puck through, so I have to keep turning my head to see where the players are coming.”

Canada controlled most of the third period, but Sweden’s choice to pull Söderberg for a sixth attacker in the final minute led to something never before seen at Women’s Worlds—overtime between Canada and Sweden. While the Canadians almost sealed the deal with an empty net goal, their shot just missed the net. It was then Hilda Svensson’s time to shine. The young Swedish sensation silenced the crowd in the CAA Centre by scoring to tie the game with just 9.2 seconds left on the clock.

“We get so much confidence from this and I think that we know we are a good team, but now we can look back on the game and see that we’re so close to beating the best team in the world,” said Ljungblom. “If we just do the work out there, then we can be a top team in the world.”

Söderberg continued to make save after save in overtime, stunning the crowd and the Canadians. Nurse would end up the hero however, scoring her second of the game to give Canada the 3-2 victory.

With this win, Canada progresses to Saturday’s semi-finals, while Sweden will now play in the placement round.

BOXSCORE
1st Period
08:20 – 🇨🇦 GOAL – Turnbull (Fast)
09:01 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Carlsson, hooking

2nd Period
21:25 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Thompson, body checking
23:59 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Poulin, hooking
30:48 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Nurse, tripping
31:03 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Olsson, body checking
33:01 – 🇨🇦 PP GOAL – Nurse (Ambrose, Jenner)
35:40 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Jungåker, tripping
37:53 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Turnbull, body checking
38:37 – 🇸🇪 PP GOAL – Ljungblom (Svensson, Nylén Persson)

3rd Period
47:16 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Lidman, body checking
59:50 – 🇸🇪 EA GOAL – Svensson (Nylén Persson, Jungåker)

Overtime
64:26 – 🇨🇦 GOAL – Nurse (Fillier, Larocque)

GOALTENDERS
W: 🇨🇦 Maschmeyer (12-14)
L: 🇸🇪 Söderberg (51-54)

SHOTS ON GOAL
🇨🇦 14+18+16+6 = 54
🇸🇪 5+5+4+0 = 14

ROSTERS
🇨🇦 Goaltenders: Kristen Campbell, Emerance Maschmeyer. Defence: Erin Ambrose, Jaime Bourbonnais, Renata Fast, Jocelyne Larocque, Ella Shelton, Claire Thompson, Micah Zandee-Hart. Forwards: Emily Clark, Sarah Fillier, Brianne Jenner (A), Rebecca Johnston, Emma Maltais, Sarah Nurse, Kristin O’Neill, Marie-Philip Poulin (C), Jamie Lee Rattray, Danielle Serdachny, Natalie Spooner, Laura Stacey, Blayre Turnbull (A).
🇸🇪 Goaltenders: Sara Grahn, Emma Söderberg. Defence: Linnéa Andersson, Josefine Holmgren, Mira Jungåker, Anna Kjellbin (C), Nathalie Lidman, Maja Nylén Persson (A), Annie Silén. Forwards: Lova Blom, Josefin Bouveng, Olivia Carlsson (A), Ebba Hedqvist, Sara Hjalmarsson, Lisa Johansson, Lina Ljungblom, Sofie Lundin, Hanna Olsson, Fanny Rask, Hilda Svensson, Hanna Thuvik, Felizia Winker-Zienkiewicz.

Article Credit: 2023 Women’s World Championship
Photo Credit: 2023 Women’s World Championship – IIHF – HHOF – IOC