Great Britain – USA 0:6 (end) | Canada – Czech Republic 2:1 (end) | Italy – Slovakia 0:1 (0:1 after SO)
final
Canada
2:1 (1:0, 0:0, 1:1)
Czech Republic
Wednesday 07.06.2017, 19:00 • World Cup (women) • Skupina W
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 19:00 CEST, 13:00 EDT.
     
    This is a the last group-stage game for both teams, and it's a big one for top spot in the Women's round robin group.

    The Czechs currently lead with 11 points and Canada is 2nd with 9 points. In over to overtake the Czechs for first place, the Canadians must win in regulation, otherwise the Czechs will be first. The Czechs can finish no worse than 2nd, whereas the Canadians could potentially fall to 3rd place if they lose and Slovakia wins later vs Italy -- Slovakia holds the head-to-head tiebreaker by beating Canada 2-1.

     
    Teams on the floor for pre-game warmups.

    Canada is designated as the home team and wearing black jsereys with red and white trim, black shorts, socks and helmets. The Czech Republic is designated as the visiting team and wearing white jserseys with red and blue trim, blue shorts, white socks and blue helmets.

     
    Starting lineups:

    Canada: Sugiyama (Girouard) – Berzins, Marsz, Cooze, Jahnston, Duhamel, Tinkler – Kurio, Tulk, Desmier, Rattray, Eagle, Francis, Traversa, Kean, Skeats, Palotta, Swanson, Drake, Pickford.

    Czech Republic: Zechovská (Teplá) – Herzigová, Kosinová, Němcová, Rejlová, Volková, Fričová, Držmíšková – Horálková, Topičová, Křížová, Patočková, Rullová, Kvasničková, Kubínová, Palová, Lédlová, Kábrtová, Manhartová, Přibylová, Hyksová.
     
    The teams are on their bluelines and the starting lineups are being announced . . .
     
    The opening faceoff is moments away . . .
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    00:04
    The ball goes out of play quickly, faceoff outside the Canadian blueline.
     
    00:41
    Penalty for Czech Republic (Katerina Nemcova – 2 min., Tripping).
     
    01:27
    Goal for Team Canada!
    They strike quickly on the power play and it's a blast from the point by MICHELLE MARSZ that beats Zechovska over the left shoulder.
    Assist: Giuliana Palotta
    01:27 Marszová (CAN) - 1:0
     
    03:11
    Canadians back on the attack again, ball out of play in the Czech zone, faceoff inside.
     
    04:39
    Icing Czech Republic.
     
    05:32
    Offside Canada.

    Unofficially, the goal by Marsz is the only shot on goal so far in the game.
     
    06:17
    Icing Canada.
     
    06:40
    A weak shot is deflected and bounces to Sugiyama that might get registered as a shot and save. Then the ball goes out of play. Faceoff in the Canadian zone.
     
    07:18
    2 on 1 Czechs and Hyskova fans on the shot.
     
    07:47
    Ball into the Canadian bench, faceoff inside their zone.
     
    08:56
    Giveaway in front of the Czech net, Jamie Lee Rattray goes to her backhand but can't beat Zechovska, who makes her first save of the game and it's huge.
     
    09:42
    Offside Canada.
    09:42
     
    10:35
    Whata a rush by Francis, splitting the Czech defence but can't beat Zechovska, who's now made 2 huge saves.
     
    12:00
    Potential breakaway pass for Kubinova but she can't control the ball and it rolls into the corner.
     
    12:33
    Icing Canada.
     
    13:28
    Penalty for Canada (Kristen Cooze – 2 min., Body-checking).
     
    We're also getting co-incidental penalties for a mix up that happened in the corner on the delayed penalty, but the Czechs will have the power play.
     
    13:28
    Coincidental penalty:
    Penalty for Czech Republic (Jana Frycova – 2 min., Roughing).
     
    13:28
    Coincidental penalty:
    Penalty for Canada (Devon Skeats – 2 min., Roughing).
     
    13:53
    Penalty for Canada (Michelle Marsz – 2 min., Tripping).
     
    14:20
    The Czechs with a couple of shots so far on the 2-man advantage.
     
    14:54
    And a long shot sails high and over the glass, but apparently deflected. Faceoff in the Canadian zone.
     
    15:00
    1st period finished.
     
    Canada got a quick power-play goal, then the rest of the period was quite conservative, with neither side generating much offence. Things got a little more emotional in the late going with a rash of penalties, but the Canadian 1-0 lead stands up.

    Shots on goal in 1st period: CAN 3, CZE 4.

    2nd period begins at 19:34 CEST, 13:34 EDT.
     
    2nd period faceoff moments away. Czechs have a 5 on 3 power play for another :28.
     
    15:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    15:30
    Cooze out of the box and chases a loose ball in the Czech zone, Canada still 1 player short.
     
    16:00
    Canada back at full strength, Czechs got 1 shot in the period on the PP.
     
    16:30
    Offside Czech Republic.
     
    16:45
    Icing Canada.
     
    17:13
    Icing Canada again, as a pass missed its intended target.
     
    17:26
    Czechs in control in the Canadian zone but the ball bounces out of play, faceoff outside.
     
    17:43
    Long shot from DuHamel, stick save Zechovska.
     
    17:58
    Hand pass Canada in the Czech zone, faceoff outside.
     
    20:50
    Canada trying to pressure in the Czech zone, but not getting shots through to the net.
     
    21:45
    Now the Czechs pressuring in the Canadian zone. Again, shots not getting through.
     
    22:11
    Offside Czech Republic.
     
    22:45
    Skeats attempts a couple of shots, both miss.
     
    23:40
    Wrister hits Zechovska in the chest.
     
    24:17
    Long breakaway pass to Barbora Patockova, tries to go five-hole but Kristen Sugiyama takes it away.
     
    25:18
    Rullova finds Hyksova headed to the net, the re-direction but Sugiyama makes another big save.
    25:18
     
    25:30
    A couple more Czech shots, Sugiyama kicks them both out.
     
    26:45
    Icing Canada, as they had to relieve the pressure, and the Czech fans here cheer the pressure put on by their team. Still no goal though.
     
    27:25
    Backhander from Rullova, stick save Sugiyama.
     
    27:34
    Penalty for Canada (Heather Berzins – 2 min., Tripping).
     
    27:50
    A rocket off the post, bounces off the back of Sugiyama, then rolls just wide of the post slowly, as the crowd ooohed in unison.
     
    29:29
    Shot wide of the goal, off the end boards and back in front, Sugiyama covers and then we get some pushing and shoving. :04 left in the penalty.
    29:29
     
    29:29
    Penalty for Canada (Giuliana Palotta – 2 min., Cross-Checking).
     
    30:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    The first part of that second period looks pretty similar to the first, but in the second half the Czechs really started pouring it on as the Canadians ran into some penalty trouble. Still, the score is 1-0 Canada.

    Shots on goal in the 2nd period: CAN 2 (5), CZE 8 (12).

    3rd period begins at 20:06 CEST, 14:06 EDT.
     
    30:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    30:40
    Penalty for Czech Republic (Veronika Volkova – 2 min., Cross-Checking).
     
    31:14
    Offside Czech Republic, teams still 4 on 4.
     
    31:30
    Wild scramble in the Canadian goal crease but the ball is put just wide of the net as the Canadians get back to full strength. They now go to the power play.
     
    32:17
    Big blash from Rattray, save Zechovska.
     
    32:31
    Penalty for Czech Republic (Karolina Kosinova – 2 min., Delay of Game).
     
    32:56
    Zechovska covers a loose ball, 1:34 left in Canadian power play.
     
    33:01
    Penalty for Canada (Elysia Desmier – 2 min., High Sticking).
     
    33:45
    Long blast by Nemcova, pad save Sugiyama.
     
    33:56
    Faceoff in the Canadian zone. Teams playing 4 on 4 for another :34, then Czechs to the PP.
     
    34:14
    Battle for the ball in the corner, it's frozen and the whistle goes with :16 left in the Czech penalty.
     
    35:05
    After a brief Czech power play, Canada ice the ball and are now back at full strength, 5 on 5.
     
    36:20
    What a chance by th Canadians. First Rattray with the move, then the ball sitting loose in the crease and Kean put it wide.
     
    37:22
    Now a backhander and a kick save by Zechovska.
     
    39:15
    More pressure from the Canadians, Zechovska kicks away a low shot from Desmier.
     
    39:45
    Play now in the Canadian zone, Manhartova with the backander in close, stopped and covered by Sugiyama.
     
    40:40
    End to end action right now but no shots.
     
    41:00
    Now Sugiyama covers a loose ball with exactly 4:00 to play.
     
    41:35
    Goal for Team Canada!
    Big slapper from Cooze is tipped at the side of the net by ELYSIA DESMIER just inside the post to give Canada a bit of breathing room.
    Assists: Kristen Cooze, Jamie Lee Rattray.
    41:35 Desmierová (CAN) - 2:0
     
    41:35
    Timeout Czech Republic.
     
    42:57
    Icing Czech Republic.
     
    43:05
    Low shot, stick save Zechovska
     
    43:25
    Play to the Canadian end, Zechovska to the bench for a 6th attacker.
     
    43:41
    Penalty for Canada (Mallory Johnston – 2 min., Interference).
     
    44:20
    Big slapper from Nemcova, rebound just wide.
     
    44:32
    Goal for Team Czech Republic!
    The shutout is over as they score on the power play. PAVLINE HORALKOVA finishes off the play to bring the Czechs within one.
    Assists: Denisa Krizova, Veronika Volkova.
    44:32 Horálková (CZE) - 2:1
     
    44:44
    Faceoff in the Czech zone with :16 left. They still need a goal at the other end of the ice.
     
    Game over.
     
    Canada kept the ball down in the Czech end for the final few seconds to get the win and clinch 1st place in the round robin.
     
    Players of the Game:

    CZE – Karolina Kosinova, D
    CAN – Kristen Cooze, D
     
    So Canada finishes 1st and the Czech Republic finishes 2nd. One team will play the USA and the other will play Slovakia in the semi-finals, depending on the result of tonight's Slovakia-Italy game. If Slovakia wins, regulation or shootout, it will be CAN-USA and CZE-SVK. If Italy wins, regulation or shootout, it will be CAN-SVK and CZE-USA.

    The semi-finals will be played on Friday. (20:36:30)

    Commentary by

    Derek OBrien

    CZ@@Djob76

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 2. Marsz (Palotta), 42. Desmier (Cooze, Rattray) – 45. Horalkova (Krizova, Volkova)

    Canada: Sugiyama (Girouard) – Berzins, Marsz, Cooze, Jahnston, Duhamel, Tinkler – Kurio, Tulk, Desmier, Rattray, Eagle, Francis, Traversa, Kean, Skeats, Palotta, Swanson, Drake, Pickford.
    Czech Republic: Zechovská (Teplá) – Herzigová, Kosinová, Němcová, Rejlová, Volková, Fričová, Držmíšková – Horálková, Topičová, Křížová, Patočková, Rullová, Kvasničková, Kubínová, Palová, Lédlová, Kábrtová, Manhartová, Přibylová, Hyksová.
    Referees: Keller, Vokalova