BEIJING –
Canada is a win away from reclaiming an Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey.
Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice to pace Canada to a 10-3 win over Switzerland in Monday’s semifinal in Beijing.
The Canadians advanced to Thursday’s gold-medal game at Wukesong Sports Centre.
They’ll face the winner of Monday’s later semifinal between defending champion United States and Finland.
After four consecutive gold medals, Canada fell 3-2 in a shootout to the U.S. in the final in Pyeongchang, South Korea, four years ago.
Canada’s Brianne Jenner, Jamie Lee Rattray, Blayre Turnbull, Renata Fast, Erin Ambrose, Emily Clark, Emma Maltais and Claire Thompson also scored Monday.
With 53 goals in Beijing, Canada broke its own tournament scoring record (44) from 2010, and set other new benchmarks Monday.
Canadian goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens turned away 10 of 13 shots after a 51-save performance in a 4-2 win over the U.S. in her previous start.
Toronto’s Thompson set a tournament record for points by a defender with two goals and 10 assists in six games.
Jenner’s ninth goal tied the tournament record jointly held by Canada’s Meghan Agosta and Switzerland’s Stephanie Marty.
Canada allowed more than two goals against in a game for the first time in Beijing with captain Lara Stalder scoring twice and Alina Mueller once for the Swiss.
Saskia Maurer replaced Andrea Braendli in Switzerland’s net in the first period when Canada scored four times in a span of two minutes five seconds for a tournament record.
The Americans and Canadians have met in every gold medal game except 2006 since women’s hockey made its Olympic debut in 1998 in Nagano, Japan.
The U.S. took the inaugural gold before Canada rattled off four straight titles in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. Sweden fell 4-1 to Canada in Turin, Italy, for a silver medal in 2006.
Melodie Daoust, who led Canada in scoring en route to a world title last summer, returned to the lineup Monday. She hadn’t played since an upper-body injury in second period of 12-1 win over the Swiss on Feb. 3.
Switzerland mustered better defence of its own zone at times Monday, but didn’t sustain it.
Five Canadian goals in a span of 3:24 — another tournament record — starting at 7:16 of the opening period left no doubt which team would play for gold. A timeout called after Canada’s third goal failed to reset the Swiss.
Braendli stopped 14 of 18 shots before Maurer drew in for 37 saves.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2022.
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