In a nail-biting overtime victory, Team Canada clinched the IIHF women’s world championship title with a 6-5 win over Team USA in Utica, N.Y. Danielle Serdachny struck the decisive blow, scoring the game-winning goal on the power play less than six minutes into the first overtime period. This thrilling match against their rivals set a new record for the second-highest scoring gold medal game in women’s worlds history, surpassing the previous record of 7-5 set in 2015.
Marie-Philip Poulin led the way for Canada, notching two goals in the game, a significant improvement from her two assists in the previous six games. Erin Ambrose, Julia Gosling, and Emily Clark also contributed to the Canadian scoring. Ann-Renée Desbiens made 19 saves on 24 shots, securing the win for Team Canada. Last year, Team USA had defeated Canada in the gold medal game on Canadian soil in Brampton, ON, adding extra motivation for the Canadians heading into this year’s final.
American forward Hilary Knight earned a silver medal, making her the most decorated player in women’s world championship history with 14 medals (10 gold, four silver), surpassing Hockey Hall of Fame forward Hayley Wickenheiser’s record of 13. The Canadians were determined to rewrite their narrative from last year’s disappointment and achieved their goal with this hard-fought victory over their rivals.
