2004-05 National Women's Team

Canada 10 Sweden 0

Preliminary Round
April 06, 2005
Cloetta Center, Linkoping, SWE

LINKOPING, SWEDEN – Team Canada faced its toughest opponent to date as they faced Sweden on their home soil. With over 4,000 fans in the Cloetta Center to watch the host team try and knock off the eight time defending champions, it was the tournaments best atmosphere by far. Canada had the added benefit of having a couple of touring Canadian girl’s teams from Durham and Orangeville, ON to help cheer on the red and white.
 
Canada opened the scoring on a 5 on 3 advantage as Danielle Goyette pounced on a rebound after a point shot by Delaney Collins. Canada increased its lead to 2-0 as rookie defenceman Carla MacLeod jumped down from the point and slipped one past Swedish goaltender Kim Martin. The first period scoring was rounded out when Cherie Piper scored from her knees to put Canada up 3-0 on a goal mouth scramble.

Sweden started the second period the same way they played most of the first, short-handed. Canada scored their third power play goal of the game, this time Kelly Bechard banged home a rebound after Sarah Vaillancourt deflected a Correne Bredin point shot that Kim Martin was unable to control. Gillian Apps fired a bullet over the shoulder of a stunned Kim Martin for the fifth Canadian goal. Jennifer Botterill had a great solo effort as she cruised off the boards to the slot and riffled one just inside the post, which was Canada’s fourth power play goal. Starting Swedish netminder Kim Martin was replaced in favour of Cecilia Anderson. Vicky Sunohara closed out the second period scoring as she came in the slot as the trailing forward and beat the Swedish netminder to put Canada up 7-0.

Canada continued to dominate team Sweden in the third period. Gillian Apps, Canada’s player of the game, scored two goals to go with her second period marker giving the power forward her first ever World Championship hat trick. Hayley Wickenheiser scored right off a face off to the left of Anderson and registered her 97th career goal. Kim St-Pierre had 14 saves earning her 15th career shut-out. Team Canada has now completed the round robin without allowing goal for the second time, having accomplished the feat at the 1999 World Women’s Championship in Finland.
 
After a day off, Canada will face Finland in the semi finals on Friday at 4pm (local). This game can be seen live on TSN, check your local listing for details.