Canada blanks Finland 5-0 in Olympic women’s hockey, faces Germany in quarterfinals

Canada's Kristin O'Neill, left, celebrates after scoring her side's third goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Finland and Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

MILAN — Emily Clark scored twice for Canada in a 5-0 win over Finland in Olympic women’s hockey Thursday.

Kristin O’Neill had a goal and an assist, and Jenn Gardiner and Darryl Watts added singles for Canada.

Ann-Renée Desbiens posted a 17-save shutout in her third start in four days. Julia Gosling and Laura Stacey each had two assists.

Sanni Ahola stopped 18 shots for the Finns in a penalty-free game.

Canada (3-0-0-1) finished second in Group A for a quarterfinal date with Germany on Saturday, when Finland takes on Switzerland.

Canada’s captain Marie-Philip Poulin was held out of Thursday’s game after sustaining a lower-body injury early in Monday’s 5-1 win over the Czechs. She didn’t play in Tuesday’s 5-0 loss to the United States.

While head coach Troy Ryan said he was optimistic his captain would play again in the tournament, he’s cautious with a player he will need in elimination games.

Undefeated U.S. faces host Italy and Czechia meets unbeaten Sweden in Friday’s quarterfinals. All five countries in Group A and the top three in Group B advanced.

The Canadians and Finns finally played their game, originally scheduled for Feb. 5, the day before the opening ceremonies, but postponed because of norovirus among the Finns.

Canada didn’t get its anticipated three-day break between the preliminary round and the playoffs.

The defending champions lacked chemistry against the U.S., so Thursday’s dual purpose was to win and establish some cohesion in the absence of Poulin.

The Canadians were better at generating offence down low than they were against the U.S., with passing plays behind the goal line creating chances from close range.

Canada led 1-0 and 3-0, and outshot the Finns 9-4 and 20-10, at period breaks.

Gardiner’s first goal of the tournament started with a Finnish turnover that O’Neill skated into the zone. Gosling fed Gardiner, driving into the slot to score bar down on Ahola at 15:12.

Canadian forward Sarah Fillier jammed her left hand, sliding hard into the backboards after a collision with Nelli Laitinen early in the second period.

Fillier headed to the dressing room for treatment, but was back on the bench and in the game within minutes.

From behind the net, she put a backhand pass on the stick of Watts at the corner of Finland’s net, where Watts shot upstairs on Ahola at 11:38 for her second goal of the tournament.

O’Neill’s shot with Gosling providing traffic deflected off a Finnish skate and by Ahola at 13:40 for a 3-0 lead.

Clark, with a long reach, scored a forehand wraparound goal at 1:22 of the third period for her first of the tournament.

She scored her second at 13:29 when she corralled a loose puck off a Stacey attempt and scored from Finland’s doorstep.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 12, 2026.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press