MALMÖ, Sweden – Hockey Canada and eBay.ca will launch the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship auction on Tuesday, March 31 at 8 a.m. ET/5 a.m. PT. Up for auction are game-worn jerseys from Canada’s National Women’s Team.

The jerseys up for grabs are Team Canada’s 100th anniversary jerseys worn exclusively at the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship in Malmö. The colour of the jerseys will be decided following Canada’s final game at the world championship.

Canada’s National Women’s Team roster features 11 players who helped Canada win gold at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, including Laura Fortino, Brianne Jenner, Rebecca Johnston, Geneviève Lacasse, Jocelyne Larocque, Caroline Ouellette, Marie-Philip Poulin, Lauriane Rougeau, Natalie Spooner, Jennifer Wakefield and Tara Watchorn.

All proceeds from the sale of game-worn jerseys will go to the Hockey Canada Foundation, whose mission is to promote and foster accessibility to the game of hockey. Proceeds of this auction will support Hockey Canada Foundation initiatives that help ensure Canada remains at the forefront in the development and promotion of amateur hockey as well as creating access to the game.

The auction will last seven days, closing April 6, 2015. Shipping will commence for paid items the week of May 4, 2015.

For more information on Canada’s National Women’s Team and Hockey Canada, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/nwt, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_women.

Former Hockey Canada president Murray Costello has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, in recognition of his contributions to the development of hockey across the country, particularly to Canada's National Junior Team and Canada's National Women's Team.

The prestigious appointment was announced Sat., June 29 by Gov. Gen. David Johnston.

Established in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Order of Canada is the centrepiece of the country's honours system and recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. The Order recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and made a difference to this country. The Order of Canada’s motto is DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM (They desire a better country).

The Officer of the Order of Canada award recognizes a lifetime of achievement and merit of a high degree, especially in service to Canada or to humanity at large.

A former professional hockey player with the NHL's Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, Costello went back to school and became a lawyer following his on-ice career. He served as president of the Canadian Hockey Association from 1979 through 1998, and was a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Board of Directors in Toronto for 17 years. He was himself inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006. The South Porcupine, Ont., native went on to serve in a variety of roles with the IIHF, including auditor for eight years, as well as member of the disciplinary committee for another eight years, member of the statutes committee for four years, and chairman of both the medical and junior committees.

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. UNITED STATES (APRIL 14)

Here we go. Canada’s National Women's Team is one win away from a record-extending 13th gold medal at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, taking on the host Americans in the gold medal game Sunday night.

Last Game

Canada took care of business in the semifinals, shutting out Czechia 4-0 to advance to the gold medal game. Laura Stacey set up first-period goals for Blayre Turnbull and Jocelyne Larocque. Emily Clark and Sarah Fillier rounded out the scoring for the Canadians. Ann-Renée Desbiens made nine saves while Canada put 47 shots on Czechia’s Klara Peslarova.

The United States come into the gold medal game undefeated, earning a 5-0 shutout of Finland in the semifinals. University of Wisconsin forward Laila Edwards recorded a hat trick, with Hannah Bilka and Savannah Harmon finding the back of the net as well. Finland’s Sanni Ahola made 50 saves, while Aerin Frankel stopped 15 shots for the semifinal win.

Last Meeting 

The North American rivals played arguably the best game of the preliminary round last Monday, with the Canadians dropping a narrow 1-0 decision in overtime. Ann-Renée Desbiens was absolutely sensational, finishing with 29 saves, but Canada couldn’t solve Frankel. It marked just the third time in 184 all-time meetings that Canada and the U.S. went 60 minutes goalless – the other two were both in Women’s Worlds gold medal games, in 2005 and 2016.

What to Watch 

While names like Poulin, Nurse, Spooner and Fast get the headlines, Jocelyne Larocque continues to just go about her business quietly and effectively. Set to play in her 10th Women’s Worlds gold medal game, the Ste. Anne, Manitoba, product – who cracked list of top-10 oldest players to represent Canada at the tournament (she was 35 years, 10 months, 17 days for the prelim opener) – leads the Canadian contingent in time on ice (22:21 per game) and tops the tournament with a plus/minus of +15. She’s also chipped in with a goal and four assists in six games.

In order for Canada to have success today, they will need to find a way past Frankel. She has had a record-breaking tournament for the United States, allowing only three goals in five games, with a 0.59 goals-against average and a 0.962 saves percentage. With her semifinal shutout, the 24-year-old set the record for the most shutouts at a single Women’s Worlds with four.

A Look Back 

This will be the 22nd time Canada and the U.S. have met for gold at Women’s Worlds, with Canada holding a 12-9 edge in the first 21. Nor surprisingly, these two teams always seem to play a close game with a world title on the line.

Prior to last year’s 6-3 win for the Americans – which was a tie game with less than four minutes to go – seven of the previous eight gold medal games were one-goal contests, and the only outlier, in 2015, was a two-goal game. Those eight games included five that needed overtime – in 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017 and 2021.

All-time record: Canada leads 104-79-1 (23-20 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 508 
United States goals: 445

Canada’s National Women's Team is into the final four at the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship, taking on Czechia in a Saturday night semifinal in Utica with a place in the gold medal game on the line.

Canada booked its spot in the semifinals after downing Sweden 5-1 in its Thursday quarterfinal. Renata Fast scored twice, opening the scoring in the first period and adding insurance in the second, while Laura Stacey, Natalie Spooner and Jaime Bourbonnais rounded out the scoring for the Canadians. Jocelyne Larocque joined Fast as multi-point scorers, picking up a pair of assists, while Emerance Maschmeyer turned aside 17 of the 18 shots she faced.

Czechia secured its spot in the semifinals thanks to Daniela Pejsova, who got a point shot through traffic for the game’s only goal with 7:06 left to give the Czechs a 1-0 win over Germany. Klara Peslarova stopped all 24 shots the Germans threw her way for her second shutout of the tournament.

Last Meeting 

In preliminary-round play last Sunday, Kristin O’Neill scored two goals and provided an assist, Sarah Nurse contributed with two helpers and Ann-Renée Desbiens made 13 saves for the shutout as Canada blanked the Czechs 5-0.

What to Watch 

While Canada’s goaltending has been the focus, and rightfully so with Desbiens and Maschmeyer combining for a .973 save percentage through five games, let’s turn our attention to the bottom of the Canadian forward group. While the top unit has scored just twice (one of them an empty-netter), the fourth line of O’Neill between Danielle Serdachny and Julia Gosling has been terrific (O’Neill leads Canada in scoring), and the trio of Stacey, Blayre Turnbull and Emily Clark contributed the game-winning goal in the quarterfinals. Don’t sleep on the big guns, though; last year in the semifinals, Sarah Fillier potted a hat trick in a win over Switzerland.

Natálie Mlýnková is tearing it up for the Czechs. The 22-year-old is tied for second in goals with four and tied for second in points with six, and is the top scorer in the tournament not wearing the red, white and blue of the United States. For the trivia buffs, three Czechs — Anezka Cabelova, Tereza Plosova, and Adela Sapovalivova — can make history by winning a medal in Utica; they would join Marie-Philip Poulin (Canada, 2009), Susanna Tapani (Finland, 2011), and Nelli Laitnen and Viivi Vainikka (Finland, 2019) as the only players to win a medal at the IIHF U18 Women's World Championship and IIHF Women's World Championship in the same season.

A Look Back 

History is very, very recent between these two teams. They’ve only met twice – last year in Brampton and last weekend in Utica.

All-time record: Canada leads 2-0-0
Canada goals: 10 
Czechia goals: 1 

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. UNITED STATES (APRIL 8)

Canada’s National Women's Team faces a familiar foe as the preliminary round comes to a close at the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship, taking on its neighbours to the south in a battle of unbeatens with first place in Group A on the line.

Last Game

Canada made made it back-to-back-back wins and back-to-back shutouts Sunday, blanking Czechia 5-0. Kristin O'Neill led the way with three points, scoring twice and adding an assist in the first period, Danielle Serdachny, Renata Fast and Laura Stacey also scored, and Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped all 13 shots she faced as Canada outshot the Czechs 42-13.

The United States outlasted Finland 5-3 on Saturday night for its third-consecutive win in the preliminary round. Kendall Coyne Schofield, who scored twice, Abbey Murphy, Hilary Knight and Taylor Heise powered the Americans to victory.

Last Meeting 

For the second year in a row, Canada pulled off a reverse sweep over the United States, downing it 6-1 in Game 7 of the Rivalry Series in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Feb. 11. Natalie Spooner and Emma Maltais each found the back of the net twice, while Marie-Philip Poulin and Ashton Bell also scored. Desbiens was excellent, stopping 24 of 25 to record the victory.

What to Watch 

Although it has been quiet through two games, Canada’s top line of Sarah Filler, Marie-Philip Poulin and Brianne Jenner have been very good against the Americans over the years. The trio have a combined 132 points (69-63—132) in 197 games all-time against the U.S., and Jenner had two goals the last time the rivals met at Women’s Worlds. Oh, and for those keeping track, Jenner is just two goals away from 50 with Canada’s National Women’s Team, which would make her just the 13th to reach that milestone.

The Americans are leaning on their big guns, with Coyne Schofield, Knight, Alex Carpenter and Caroline Harvey ranking in the top six in tournament scoring, with Coyne Schofield – who missed last year’s Women’s Worlds before giving birth to son Drew in July – leading the way with six points (3-3—6). Knight, of course, is the leading scorer in the history of the IIHF Women’s World Championship, with the five points she has accumulated through three games giving her 106 (63-43—106) in her storied career.

A Look Back 

Canada owns a 5-3-1 record against the United States in New York. The last time these two teams did battle in the Empire State was in the preliminary round at the 2013 4 Nations Cup in Lake Placid. Canada won that one 4-2 thanks to goals from Jenner, Spooner, Haley Irwin and Mélodie Daoust.

All-time record: Canada leads 104-78-1 (23-19 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 508
United States goals: 444

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. CZECHIA (APRIL 7) 

Canada’s National Women's Team looks to make it three in a row in prelim play when it takes on Czechia at the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship on Sunday afternoon.

Last Game 

Canada made it back-to-back wins with a 3-0 shutout victory over Switzerland on Friday. Emma Maltais got Canada on the board just 70 seconds after the puck dropped, Sarah Nurse scored less than seven minutes later and Sarah Filler added an empty-netter late in the third period. Emerance Maschmeyer was terrific in a 17-save effort, posting her sixth career shutout in just 13 starts at Women’s Worlds.

The Czechs found themselves on the wrong end of a 6-0 result against the United States on Friday. Klara Peslarova stayed busy between the pipes, making double-digit saves in every period and finishing with 42 stops. Czechia had five power plays in the first 25 minutes but couldn’t find the back of the net, and no skater registered more than two shots.

Last Meeting 

It was exactly one year ago to the day that the Canadians and Czechs clashed for the first time, meeting in the preliminary round at Women’s Worlds in Brampton. Marie-Philip Poulin scored pair of goals, including the 100th of her decorated international career, Blayre Turnbull added a goal and three assists, and Brianne Jenner and Jocelyne Larocque had two helpers each as part of a 5-1 win for Canada.

What to Watch 

How about the trio of Maltais, Nurse and Natalie Spooner? All three found the scoresheet against the Swiss – Maltais and Nurse with goals, Spooner with an assist – and Maltais has tallied the game-winner in both games in Utica. Add in the pre-tournament win over Finland in Kingston (Maltais and Nurse had a goal and an assist each, and Spooner added a helper) and the PWHL Toronto teammates have been driving the offence for Canada.

Seventeen-year-old Adela Sapovaliova is the one to watch on the ice, but we’ll turn our attention behind the bench. The Czechs have won 11 of 16 games and a pair of bronze medals since Carla MacLeod took over as head coach prior to the 2022 Women’s Worlds, with all five defeats coming at the hands of Canada and the U.S. The PWHL Ottawa bench boss is no stranger to international hockey; she won two Olympic gold medals (2006, 2010) and a world title (2007) with Canada’s National Women’s Team, and was MVP of the 2009 Women’s Worlds.

A Look Back 

Not much history to talk about here; as mentioned above, the meeting last year in Brampton was their first.

All-time record: Canada leads 1-0-0
Canada goals: 5 
Czechia goals: 1 

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWITZERLAND (APRIL 5) 

It’s a very quick turnaround for Canada’s National Women's Team, which resumes preliminary-round play Friday when it takes on Switzerland at the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship, less than 18 hours after closing out its tournament opener.

Last Game 

Canada opened the prelims on a historic note, picking up its 100th Women’s Worlds win by downing Finland 4-1 on Thursday night. Ella Shelton had a goal and two assists, Julia Gosling scored in her world championship debut and Ann-Renée Desbiens was terrific in a 32-save performance.

The Swiss started with a 4-0 loss to the host Americans on Wednesday. Andrea Brändli was busy between the pipes, finishing with 51 saves, but Switzerland could manage just 11 shots on the U.S. goal, with a team-high three coming from 18-year-old Ivana Wey in her first Women’s Worlds game.

Last Meeting 

Canada and Switzerland last faced off in the semifinals at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Brampton. Sarah Fillier scored a hat trick, Natalie Spooner set up three goals, and Jamie Lee Rattray and Rebecca Johnston added a goal each as the Canadians booked their place in the gold medal game with a 5-1 victory.

What to Watch 

Two words. Sarah Fillier. She may have been held off the scoresheet against the Finns, but the Georgetown, Ontario, product has been historically good against the Swiss. In eight career games, Fillier has recorded 15 points (9-6—15), including four goals and a helper in two meetings a year ago in Brampton. Of course, she has been pretty darn good against anybody at Women’s Worlds, putting up 28 points (15-13—28) in 22 games on the international stage.

For the Swiss, it has to be Alina Müller. The lone PWHL player on the Swiss roster, Müller – the No. 3 pick in the inaugural PWHL Draft – is having a great season for Boston, putting up a team-leading 13 points (3-10—13) in 19 games. She’s also been pretty good internationally, recording four goals and 10 points in seven games a year ago in Brampton – including the lone goal for Switzerland in its semifinal loss to Canada – and posting the same stat line at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing.

A Look Back 

Canada hasn’t played the Swiss often in the grand scheme, facing off just 19 times since 1997, but they’ve been frequent foes lately, facing off in the prelims and semifinals at each of the last three Women’s Worlds, and in Beijing.

Prior to their final-four face-off in Brampton, the Canadians and Swiss met in the prelim opener for both; in that one, Spooner and Sarah Nurse led the way with a goal and an assist each, and Desbiens posted a 12-save shutout in a 4-0 win for Canada.

All-time record: Canada leads 19-0-0
Canada goals: 152 
Switzerland goals: 9 

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. FINLAND (APRIL 4) 

Let the games begin! Canada’s National Women's Team kicks off preliminary round play Thursday at the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship, facing off against Finland at the Adirondack Bank Center. 

Last Meeting 

Canada earned an 8-2 pre-tournament victory over Finland last Saturday in Kingston, Ontario, scoring the game’s final seven goals to erase a second-period deficit. In all, seven different skaters found the back of the net, led by Blayre Turnbull, who scored twice and added an assist in the exhibition win. 

Last Game 

We already talked about the last game, so how about the one before that? Canada scored a 6-1 victory over the United States in Game 7 of the Rivalry Series on Feb. 11 to complete the reverse sweep for the second year in a row in St. Paul, Minnesota. Natalie Spooner and Emma Maltais finished with two goals and an assist each for the Canadians, while Ann-Renée Desbiens made 24 saves.

Finland fell 4-0 to Czechia in its preliminary-round opener on Wednesday. Sanni Ahola stopped 29 of the 31 shots she faced — the Czechs had two empty-netters — in what was the first penalty-free game in Women's Worlds history. Noora Tulus led the way with four shots on goal for the Finns, who were outshot 33-21.

What to Watch 

With an average age of 28 years, two months and 20 days, Canada is icing its oldest roster ever at Women’s Worlds, with captain Marie-Philip Poulin back for her 12th appearance, veteran defender Jocelyne Larocque set for her 11th, and Spooner and Brianne Jenner both ready for their 10th. But head coach Troy Ryan has a few young guns at his disposal, including Sarah Fillier and Danielle Serdachny, both of whom were top-10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Award as the best player in NCAA women’s hockey, and cousins Julia and Nicole Gosling, who both registered their first Team Canada goals in the exhibition win Saturday.

Jenni Hiirikoski is returning for a record 16th Women's Worlds. The Finnish captain – seven times the Top Defender at the tournament – continues to be a big part of Finland's success on the international stage — she finished tied for fifth in scoring (3-8—11) a year ago in Brampton, second among all blue-liners. Petra Nieminen is also back following her stand-out performance last spring when she finished second in tournament scoring (6-7—13). The 24-year-old was red hot this year with Luleå HF in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League, leading the league with 24 goals and sitting fourth with 45 points in 33 regular-season games. 

A Look Back 

Canada may have the upper hand all-time, having lost just twice and tying once in 89 meetings, but the Finns are no pushover. 

These two teams have faced each other six previous times in the Empire State, the most recent coming in the 2013 4 Nations Cup gold medal game in Lake Placid, when Canada downed the Finns 6-3 to capture its 13th tournament title. Vicki Bendus had a goal and two assists, Jenelle Kohanchuk scored twice, and Jenner, Jennifer Wakefield and Haley Irwin were the other Canadian goal-scorers. 

All-time record: Canada leads 86-2-1 
Canada goals: 460 
Finland goals: 114 

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. FINLAND (MARCH 30)

Ahead of the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Utica, New York, Canada’s National Women's Team faces off against Finland in a pre-tournament tune-up Saturday at Slush Puppie Place in Kingston.

Last Meeting

Ahead of last year’s Women’s Worlds, Canada earned a 3-1 pre-tournament win over Finland in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Brianne Jenner broke a scoreless tie midway through the second period and added an assist on Marie-Philip Poulin’s insurance marker in the third. Emily Clark also scored for the Canadians, who got 19 combined saves from Ann-Renée Desbiens and Emerance Maschmeyer.

Last Game

Canada completed the reverse sweep again in the Rivalry Series, defeating the United States 6-1 in Game 7 in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Feb. 11. Natalie Spooner opened the scoring on the power play midway through the first period—her first of two goals. Poulin and Ashton Bell found the back of the net in the second period, and Emma Maltais scored two goals of her own in the third.

What to Watch

With the NCAA season complete, Canada’s roster has been bolstered by the addition of young talent. Sarah Fillier finished her senior season at Princeton with 30 goals and 43 points, and was named a top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award as the best player in NCAA women’s hockey. Julia Gosling recorded career-highs during her senior year at St. Lawrence, notching 22 goals and 51 points, while Nicole Gosling (Julia’s cousin) finished her senior year at Clarkson with 14 goals and 39 points and was named a First Team All-American.

Petra Nieminen returns to Women’s Worlds after finishing second in tournament scoring (6-7—13) with the Finns a year ago in Brampton. The 24-year-old had 24 goals and 45 points during the regular season with Luleå HF in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League. In the PWHL, Susanna Tapani has been making an impact with Boston, recording a plus-12 rating along with three goals and eight points.

A Look Back

Although Canada has only a pair of losses and a tie in 88 all-time meetings with the Finns, the Nordic nation is always a tough matchup.

The teams have met before in Kingston. Throwing it back to 1996, Canada and Finland faced off at the inaugural 3 Nations Cup, with the Canadians winning 3-1. Lori Dupuis opened the scoring, while Amanda Benoit notched the game-winning goal off a pass from Angela James. Nancy Deschamps added an insurance goal in the third period.

All-time record: Canada leads 85-2-1
Canada goals: 452
Finland goals: 112