(Calgary) Canada received offensive contributions from several players and easily defeated Russia 5-1 on Sunday at the Women’s World Hockey Championship.
Sarah Filler, Ella Shelton, Erin Ambrose, Melody Doust and Rebecca Johnston scored for Canada.
It was the first duel between the two teams since the Maple Leaf representatives won the bronze medal match of this tournament, in 2019.
14 players from Canada collected at least one point in Sunday’s game. Anne-Rene Despenses saved six saves in the win.
Olga Sosina benefited from a strong play on the needle thread just a second before the end of the match.
Nadezhda Morozova blocked 33 shots in a loss. She was replaced in the second period by Anna Progova, who put away 24 discs.
The Canadians (2-0) face Switzerland (0-2) on Tuesday before concluding the preliminary competitions against the United States on Thursday.
The Americans (1-0) and the Finns (0-1) meet later on Sunday. In the second group, the Czech Republic (2-0) beat Hungary (0-2) with a score of 4-2.
The tournament’s quarter-final matches will be played on Saturday, followed by the semi-final matches on August 30, and the medal matches on August 31.
Russia continues to be called “COR” (the Russian Olympic Committee) at the International Ice Hockey Federation due to the sanctions imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Canada led the Russians 62-7 in shooting and possession of the disc.
The Russians used their stick and body well to break scoring chances and forced Canada to take several shots from outside. However, the defense began to crumble in the second round.
Villiers opened the scoring in a three-on-one climb, placing the puck between Morozova’s platforms.
Canada doubled their lead less than two minutes later, when Chilton accepted a pass from Brian Jenner before beating the Russian goalkeeper on the gauntlet side.
Morozova was replaced by Progova after Ambrose’s slapped kick hit Russian defender Anna Savonina before stopping her momentum into the net.
Dowset hit the mark in the third inning and Johnston redirected Emily Clarke’s shot to give the Canadians a 5-0 lead.
The 2021 Women’s World Hockey Championship was scheduled to be held in Nova Scotia in April, but was postponed until May. It was eventually canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hockey Canada has moved and postponed the 10-team tournament to August and Calgary.
Natalie Sinclair is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, accurate reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. Her work highlights timely developments, relevant stories, and practical insights in a professional and reader-friendly manner.