Records for Poulin, Desbiens as Canada downs Finland 8-1 in world hockey semifinal

Canada's Marie-Philip PoulinÊ(29) moves the puck against the United States during second period Rivalry Series women's hockey action in Regina, Friday, February 9, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

ČESKÉ BUDĚJOVICE — Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin and goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens rewrote some women’s world hockey championship history in Saturday’s 8-1 semifinal win over Finland.

Poulin’s first-period goal for her 87th career point in the tournament passed Hayley Wickenheiser for the most by a Canadian.

The 34-year-old from Beauceville, Que., later added an assist for her 88th.

Desbiens of Clermont, Que., became the winningest goalie of all time in the tournament with her 22nd career victory in world championships, which surpassed Florence Schelling of Switzerland.

Desbiens stopped 19 of 20 shots Saturday for Canada, which will face archrival United States for gold Sunday in Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.

Canada and the U.S. clash in a world championship final a 23rd time in 24 tournaments dating back to the first in Ottawa in 1990.

The U.S. weathered a challenge by host Czechia in a 2-1 win earlier Saturday.

Daryl Watts scored twice for Canada in the second period before she was ejected in the third for an illegal hit on Finland’s captain Michelle Karvinen.

Claire Thompson with a short-handed goal, Emily Clark, Danielle Serdachny, Erin Ambrose and Sarah Nurse also scored for Canada in its first semifinal against Finland since the hosts upset Canada 4-2 in 2019 in Espoo.

Wickenheiser, a Hockey Hall of Famer, accrued 86 points from 1994 to 2016. Women’s championships became an annual tournament starting in 1999.

At 39 goals, Poulin was two from breaking Jayna Hefford’s Canadian record. Poulin’s 49 assists were tied with Wickenheiser’s record.

Poulin and Wickenheiser were also tied for the most world championship appearances by a Canadian player at 13. Poulin played in her first in 2009.

Karvinen scored 46 seconds after the opening faceoff and goalie Emilia Kyrkko turned away 26 of 34 shots for the 2024 bronze medallists.

The Finns, who lost 5-0 to the defending champions in Pool A, were a handful early Saturday before Canada’s four-goal burst in a span of one minute 58 seconds late in the second period in front of an announced crowd of 5,273 at Budvar Arena.

Jennifer Gardiner, the tournament’s top goal scorer with five, reunited with Poulin and Laura Stacey after Canadian head coach Troy Ryan stirred his forward lines in a quarterfinal victory over Japan.

Poulin produced Canada’s go-ahead goal at 14:44 with a one-timer off a Gardiner feed.

Watts made Finland pay for losing an offside challenge of her first goal of the game by scoring again on the subsequent bench minor. Clark and Serdachny poured it on before the second-period buzzer.

Thompson scored short-handed on Watts’ major after her high hit on Karvinen. Nurse with her first of the tournament continued Canada’s onslaught.

The two countries traded goals in the first two and a half minutes.

The Finns struck first when Karvinen lifted a shot over Desbiens on a feed from Noora Tulus. Ambrose drew Canada even converting a rebound at 2:38 for her first of the tournament.

Natalie Spooner, the PWHL’s MVP in its inaugural season with Toronto Sceptres, was scratched for a second time in the tournament with defender Micah Zandee-Hart and goalie Eve Gascon also sitting out.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press