CALGARY, Alberta – Marie-Philip Poulin scored in overtime and Canada won the five-time U.S. defending champion on Tuesday night for her first gold medal at the 2012 Women’s Hockey World Championships.
Poulin, the Canadian captain, skated on the left, took a pass from Brianne Jenner and sent it to the crossbar and the post before entering it. The goal was initially disallowed and the game continued to the sudden 3-3 death of overtime until the buzzer sounded after a video review.
The Canadians rushed to the ice and piled on top of each other to celebrate their eleventh world title.
“It’s as weird as it happened,” Canadian striker Sarah Fillier said. “We were all sitting on the bench, thinking we should go finish this next 11 minutes of rest. But the buzzer went and we all jumped. It’s so crazy, but it’s so great.”
Canada fell 2-0 behind in the first period, only their second tournament deficit. But the Canadians scored two goals, 2 minutes, 29 seconds apart, in the second to tie it.
Jenner scored on a power play as he dragged the puck in front of the net and carried it from back to right to avoid Nicole Hensley’s left block.
Jamie Lee Rattray equalized by directing Jocelyne Larocque’s shot from the edge of the box. Rattray almost won it with 90 seconds to go before the end of regulation, but his shot escaped from Hensley and deflected off the post.
“I think our team stayed with him from start to finish. We showed a lot of character,” said Canadian striker Melodie Daoust. “Just to be able to celebrate from here, at home with our family and friends, I think it’s amazing.”
Five of the last seven world finals between Canada and the United States have gone into overtime, including 2011, 12, 16 and 17.
“That’s why it’s the biggest sporting rivalry,” said American striker Amanda Kessel.
Alex Carpenter opened the scoring for the United States for a third straight game. He hit his own rebound between goalkeeper Ann-Renee Desbiens’ legs.
Carpenter scored his fifth goal of the tournament, all in the last three games, in a power play just 12:35 of the match.
The United States had won eight of the previous nine titles, including 2019, when Canada did not reach the final for the first time in the history of the tournament that began in 1990.
In the third match, Petra Nieminen scored her sixth goal of the test and Finland beat Switzerland 3-1.
Finland won its 13th bronze medal at the event. Switzerland was going for its second bronze, the first arrival in 2012 against the Finns.
Tanja Niskanen needed just 99 seconds to put Finland on the board. Niskanen was left unmarked and skated until an open late to send him over Saskia Maurer’s glove for his first goal of the tournament. Finland started the second period similarly, as Ella Viitasuo scored 54 seconds on an offside post with a 2-0 lead.
Nieminen gave Finland a 3-1 lead, three seconds into a play of strength at the end of the second period, by redirecting Michelle Karvinen’s shot from the spot.
Lara Stalder drew Switzerland 2-1 three minutes later, and ended up with a 2-on-2 chance after a key stop from goalkeeper Saskia Maurer at the other end.