© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: April 15, 2023; Brampton, Ontario, Kan; United States ahead Hilary Knight (21) shoots the puck towards the Czech Republic within the third interval on the CAA Middle. Obligatory Credit score: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports activities
Posted by Steve Keating
BRAMPTON, Ont. (Reuters) – Hilary Knight scored objectives 27 seconds aside within the third interval as the US surprised arch-rival Canada 6-3 on Sunday to win the gold medal within the ladies’s ice hockey world championship last.
Canada led 3-2 early within the third interval and was on its method to a 3rd straight world title, however gave it up on account of sloppy play, committing two late penalties to present the USA a two-man lead with 3:52 to go the top
The knight made them pay dearly for his or her errors.
After Caroline Harvey tied the rating for the USA at 3-3 early within the third interval, captain Knight scored twice to finish her hat trick, additionally netting within the second interval.
Kayla Barnes scored into an empty web to shut out the scoring and Abby Murphy additionally scored.
Brianna Jenner had a hand in all three of Canada’s objectives, scoring twice within the second interval and Marie-Philippe Poulin scoring one other, nevertheless it was her free kick, together with Claire Thompson’s delay of recreation, that gave the USA the golden alternative.
“It takes a village for one participant to achieve success on the ice,” stated Knight, the USA’s all-time main scorer on the World Championships with 101 factors. “It is a fantastic honor to guide this crew, however the day-to-day enterprise hasn’t modified.
“It is arduous to beat Canada. It is tougher to beat Canada in Canada.”
It was one other dramatic end to one of many sport’s best rivalries, which, as ordinary, performed out at a frenetic tempo from the opening bout to the ultimate whistle.
No nation aside from the US or Canada has received a World Cup or Olympic gold.
Solely as soon as did the Canadians and the People not play one another for the title of world champion, in 2019, the hosts Finland misplaced the sport and took the silver.
In seven ladies’s Olympic finals, Canada has received gold 5 instances, with the opposite two titles going to the People.
“BIG IMPROVEMENT”
The championship received off to an unsightly begin with Finland thrashing France 14-1 within the match opener, and there have been loads of different one-sided scores, together with the USA thrashing the Czech Republic 9-1 within the semifinals.
Sweden took their quarter-final with Canada into extra time earlier than dropping 3-2 to the hosts, nevertheless it was in any other case enterprise as ordinary. The Czechs defeated Switzerland 3:2 and received the second bronze medal in a row.
“The ladies’s recreation has improved lots,” stated the president of the Worldwide Ice Hockey Federation, Luc Tardif, earlier than the ultimate. “You see the variety of shut video games right here.
“The groups is probably not able to beat Canada and the USA but, however they’re getting there.
“It isn’t going to occur in a single day. It’ll take a while. But it surely’s getting higher and higher.”
