USA celebrates their gold medal win – Photo @ USA Hockey
Tessa Janecke was the hero scoring with less than four minutes to go in overtime to lift USA to the 4-3 win, and gold at the 2025 World Championships.
Janecke forced Joceylne Larocque who had control of the puck behind Canada’s net on the forecheck. Larocque sent a weak pass up the boards which was picked off by Taylor Heise creating a 2-on-1 with Janecke opening up back door where Heise found her beating an outstretched Ann-Renee Desbiens.
“Games between these two teams are always classics and tonight was no different,” said John Wroblewski, head coach of Team USA “We had players up and down the lineup step up for us. It was a team effort I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
At the other end of the ice Gwyneth Philips was spectacular stopping ten shots in overtime. She came into the game midway through the third period after Laura Stacey collided with Aerin Frankel sending Frankel to the bench, and forcing Philips, who played her first World Championship games with USA at this tournament into the crease with the game tied 2-2.
Earlier in the game, the teams traded feverish goals with Caroline Harvey and Abbey Murphy giving USA a 2-0 lead only 29 seconds apart, before Canada answered back tying the game 1:47 later on goals by Danielle Serdachny and Jennifer Gardiner.
After Frankel was injured, Taylor Heise gave USA the 3-2 lead on the ensuing 5-on-3 powerplay.
Canada again answered to tie the game on a goal from Sarah Fillier.
In overtime, Canada dominated the possession, but it was Janecke who gave USA the gold medal.
Marie-Philip Poulin Named Tournament MVP
While USA took gold, Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin was named tournament MVP. She led the tournament with 12 points in seven games and became Canada’s all-time leading scorer in the process.
USA’s Aerin Frankel was named Best Goaltender, while Caroline Harvey was named Best Defender.
The media All-Star team was Klara Peslarova (Czechia), Renata Fast (Canada), Ronja Savolainen (Finland), Kristyna Kaltounkova (Czechia), Marie-Philip Poulin (Canada), and Kelly Pannek (USA).