MINNEAPOLIS - Canada's National Women's Team won their seventh consecutive World Championship and extended their unbeaten streak to 35-0-0 at the IIHF Women's World Championship on Sunday, with a 3-2 win over Team USA.
Dana Antal, of Esterhazy, SK opened the scoring, deflecting a Vicky Sunohara shot over USA goaltender Sarah Tueting during a powerplay. Carisa Zaban of USA evened the score on a breakaway at 17:36, as the game was tied 1-1 through the first period of play. Tammy Shewchuk, of St-Laurent, QC, gave Canada a 2-1 lead at 9:45 of the middle frame, on a terrific pass from Kelly Béchard. Kim St. Pierre continued to shine, saving 23 of the 24 shots faced through forty minutes.
Canada went up 3-1 with Botterill's second goal of the game and 8th of the Championship, tipping a shot from Therese Brisson at 16:45. With Canada's Correne Bredin off for holding at 18:34, Team USA's A.J. Mleczko scored a power play goal at 18:41, but Canada held off a late USA attack for the gold medal victory. Canada's St. Pierre stopped 33 of 35 USA shots, while Sara Tueting stopped 15 of 18 shots for Team USA.
Canada's record at the Women's World Championship improved to 35-0-0. Canada has won a gold medal at all seven IIHF Women's World Championships.
Russia upset Finland 2-1 in the bronze medal game to win its first medal at this event.
Following the gold medal game, the IIHF announced it's 2001 World Championship Award winners:
* Players of the gold medal game - Canada Jennifer Botterill, USA - A.J. Mleczko
* MVP OF 2001 CHAMPIONSHIP - JENNIFER BOTTERILL, CANADA
* IIHF DIRECTORATE AWARDS
Top Goaltender - Kim St. Pierre, Canada
Top Defenseman - Karyn Bye, USA
Top Forward - Jennifer Botterill, Canada
TEAM CANADA RETURNS HOME WITH GOLD MEDAL...
FLIGHT INFORMATION ATTACHED:
All the members of Canada's National Women's Teams will be returning to various destinations on Monday, April
9th, 2001. Arrival information and times follows (all times are local). Air Canada is a
premier sponsor and the official airline of the CHA and Canada's National Teams.
All flights are arriving on Monday, April 9th:
| Final destination | Flight # | Arrival time | Players |
| Boston, USA | AT 629 | 3:47 pm | Jennifer Botterill, Correne Bredin, Tammy Shewchuk |
| Ottawa, ON | AC 485 | 5:02 pm | Gina Kingsbury |
| Montreal, QC | AC 424 | 5:40 pm | Isabelle Chartrand, Nancy Drolet, Caroline Ouellette, Kim St.Pierre, Head Coach Danièle Sauvageau, Team Doctor Suzanne Leclerc |
| Calgary, AB | AC 1189 | 6:08 pm | Dana Antal, Kelly Béchard, Cassie Campbell, Danielle Goyette, Colleen Sostorics, Asst. coach Mel Davidson, Asst coach Wally Kozak, Equipment Mgr Robin McDonald, Video Coordinator Ryan Jankowski |
| Toronto, ON | AC 8682 | 8:29 pm | Therese Brisson, Geraldine Heaney, Jayna Hefford, Becky Kellar, Cheryl Pounder, Sami Jo Small, Vicky Sunohara, Therapist Doug Stacey |