Canada blanks Switzerland 4-0, meets U.S. for women's world hockey gold
Melodie Daoust hopes the first women's world hockey championship final of her career yields gold for Canada.
The 29-year-old from Valleyfield, Que., scored twice to lead the host country in a 4-0 semifinal win over Switzerland on Monday.
Canada meets defending champion United States for the gold medal Tuesday.
The Americans are chasing a sixth straight world title and their ninth in the last 10 world championships.
Canada last won a world title in 2012 in Burlington, Vt.
“We've been waiting for this moment for way too long,” Daoust said.
Canada returns to the gold-medal game after falling to host Finland in a 2019 semifinal and taking bronze in Espoo.
It was the first time in the history of the tournament the Canadians didn't reach the final.
Daoust is a two-time Olympian, but donned the Maple Leaf in a world championship for just the second time after her debut in Espoo.
“It was a long road, lots of ups and downs with injuries and really glad to be here as surrounded by this team,” Daoust said.
She leads the championship in scoring with six goals and six assists in six games ahead of linemate Natalie Spooner with four goals and five assists.
Renata Fast had a goal and an assist, Rebecca Johnston scored and Marie-Philip Poulin had two assists for host Canada, which remained unbeaten in the tournament.
Ann-Renee Desbiens posted a 10-save shutout. Andrea Braendli was a workhorse in Switzerland's net stopping 61-of-65 shots.
“She's a huge part (of) why it's only 4-0 today,” Swiss captain Lara Stalder said.
The 2020 women's championship was cancelled because of COVID-19. The 2021 tournament was rescheduled to Calgary in August when Nova Scotia called it off in May.
After the final buzzer, Daoust skated to the glass to wave to her three-year-old son Matheo. Daoust hasn't held her son since July when she and her teammates arrived in Calgary.
“Way too long. It's been 40 days-plus that we've been here in Calgary,” Daoust said. “It's been a challenge for sure, but I'm really happy that I'm surrounded by all my friends here to pick me up every day.
“I guess it really helps when you have a goal in mind. He's the reason why I'm here. And I want to prove (to) him that if you have a dream in mind, you want to go till the end for it. I hope he's going to be proud of me.”
U.S. TOPS FINLAND
The Americans blanked Finland 3-0 earlier Monday.
Canada beat the U.S. 5-1 to cap the preliminary-round and post a 4-0 record in Pool A. Canada blanked Germany 7-0 in a quarterfinal.
The Swiss finished at the bottom of Pool A at 0-4.
A 3-2 overtime win over Russia in Saturday's quarterfinal was Switzerland's first victory of the tournament, and vaulted the Swiss into the final four for the first time since 2012 when they won bronze.
Switzerland mustered the occasional foray into Canada's zone Monday, but spent most of their time and energy in their own zone trying to keep the puck out of their own net.
Johnston wired a shot into the far corner for a power-play goal at 16:58 of the third period.
Canada made Switzerland pay for Sarah Forster's glove to Emily Clark's face after a whistle with Daoust's power-play goal in the second period.
Poulin's shot deflected off Daoust into the air and over Braendli at 5:20.
Daoust scored her first with a long re-direct of a Fast shot at 6:52 of the opening period.
Fast had a lot of net to work with from the slot when Brianne Jenner fed her from the wing at 5:14.
Canada blanked Switzerland 5-0 in the preliminary round and has yet to give up a goal to the Swiss in eight world championship meetings.
Finland and Switzerland will play for bronze, and Russia and Japan will meet in the fifth-place game Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.