Women’s Worlds: Canada shuts out Switzerland to begin title defense

Spooner also picked up an assist on Wednesday to put her up to 48 points (26 goals, 22 assists) in 45 career World Championship games, good to rank 19th in all-time tournament scoring.

Fellow Team Canada veteran Rebecca Johnston sits one spot behind Spooner on that leaderboard with 47 points in 55 career games. And after missing the 2022 tournament, the two-time World champion (and current Calgary Flames development staff member) added a goal of her own in the second period against Team Switzerland.

In Johnston’s case, she was Johnny on the spot. The puck found her in the slot after some excellent power-play puck movement by her Canadian teammates. Spooner and Jamie Lee Rattray picked up the assists on Johnston’s 23rd career World Championship goal.

Team Canada stars Sarah Nurse and Sarah Fillier rounded out the scoring on Wednesday, with both Sarahs also adding an assist on the other’s goal. Ann-Renee Desbiens stopped all 12 shots she faced to open the tournament with a shutout; Braendli turned aside 45 of 49 at the other end.

After successfully looking the part of the defending champions in their tune-up game against the Swiss, Team Canada will face a much tougher test on Friday in Daniela Pejsova, Natalie Mlynkova, and the 2022 bronze medalist Team Czechia — albeit without star goaltender Klara Peslarova.

Quick hits

• Team Finland mustered more goals than Team France had shots in their lopsided opening game on Wednesday. The Finns put up one more than a baker’s dozen on their French counterparts, with Jenniina Nylund netting a hat trick and talented 23-year-old Petra Nieminen registering four points. And less than a month after being cut in the neck by a skate blade during a league playoff game, legendary defender Jenni Hiirikoski logged a team-high 21:27 and picked up two assists.

• Ho-hum, just another three-point game for Hilary Knight (the new “Captain America”) and Alex Carpenter as Team USA toppled Team Japan by a 7–1 score on Wednesday. Haruka Toko opened the scoring for Japan in the first period before the Americans rattled off seven in a row to take their opening game in blowout fashion. Mark your calendars: Team USA and Team Canada are set to face off on Apr. 10.

Wednesday’s results

Team France 1, Team Finland 14

Team USA 7, Team Japan 1

Team Canada 4, Team Switzerland 0

Thursday’s games

Team Germany vs. Team Sweden — 11:00 a.m. ET

Team Japan vs. Team Czechia — 3:00 p.m. ET

Team France vs. Team Hungary — 7:00 p.m. ET

All games at CAA Centre in Brampton, Ont.