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
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.