The Canadian Press
Donna Spencer
KAMLOOPS, B.C.—A dominant performance by Jennifer Wakefield and her linemates propelled Canada into the semi-finals of the women’s world hockey championship.
Wakefield scored twice and assisted on two goals in Canada’s 6-1 win over Finland to conclude the preliminary round yesterday in Kamloops, B.C.
The host country finished 2-1 and ranked second behind the U.S. at 3-0 in Pool ‘A.’
The Canadians and the Americans have today off while four other countries play quarter-finals.
Canada will face the winner between Finland and the Czech Republic while defending champion U.S. meets the victor of the Russia-Sweden quarter-final.
Sunday’s semi-final winners advance to Monday’s championship game.
The trio of Wakefield, Rebecca Johnston, and Brianne Jenner combined for four of the host country’s six goals against the Finns.
Finland couldn’t contain the 5’10”, 172-pound Wakefield from Pickering, Ont. as she led Canada in shots on goal with nine.
“My God, that girl can shoot the puck,” said Canadian head coach Laura Schuler.
“She’s a natural goal scorer and she’s such a powerful forward.
“It’s good chemistry between the three of them,” Schuler added.
“Jenner is a player that makes things happen. She’s that two-way, 200-foot player for us,” she noted.
“‘Johnny’ has such poise and control with the puck and Jenn’s that finisher, so the three of them, they combine well.”
Johnston collected a goal and two assists while Jenner added a goal.
“They’re two really fast players and big bodies, so it’s been a super-easy transition to use each other,” Wakefield said of her linemates.
“Jenner and I played together at last year’s world championship and we seem to have taken a step forward from last year,” she added.
Captain Marie-Philip Poulin and Jill Saulnier also scored while Emerance Maschmeyer earned the win with 18 saves.
Petra Nieminen replied for the Finns.
Meeri Raisanen took the loss after allowing five goals on 32 shots for last year’s bronze-medallists.
She was replaced after two periods by Anni Keisala, who stopped eight of nine shots.
“We gave them the red line and that gave them the chance to get it deep, and that’s not what we want,” stressed Finnish forward Michelle Karvinen.
Canada had a scare in the second period when alternate captain Meghan Agosta hobbled off of the ice, but the forward returned and played the third period.
The Americans, meanwhile, downed Russia 8-0 to go undefeated in the round robin.
Sweden topped Pool ‘B’ with three wins, including yesterday’s 2-1 overtime win over Switzerland.
The Czechs, who edged Japan 3-2 in a shootout yesterday, were the surprise of Pool ‘B’ with two wins and a loss.
The Czechs earned promotion from the ‘B’ world championship last year and opened with a 3-1 upset win over Olympic bronze-medallist Switzerland.
The Swiss (1-2) and Japan (0-3) will play a best-of-three relegation round, with the loser dropping to the ‘B’ championship in 2017.
