Given the opportunity, Canada’s Jamie Lee Rattray made the most of it with two goals in Thursday’s 5-1 win over the United States in the women’s world hockey championship.
Rattray was Canada’s spare forward for a couple of games in the preliminary round.
With captain Marie-Philip Poulin out of the lineup recovering from a hard shot to the chest, Rattray’s role expanded.
The 28-year-old from Kanata, Ont., filled the void with back-to-back goals in the second period.
“Any time I get out there I want to make an impact, whether that’s one shift or 10 shifts,” Rattray said.
“You can’t really fill Pou’s shoes. She’s obviously a leader on this team and she has been for a long time, but I think we did a really good job. Everyone stepped up and did the roles that they needed to.”
Melodie Daoust had a goal and an assist for the host country, which scored its five goals in the first half of the game.
WATCH | Canada rolls past U.S. to remain perfect at women’s hockey worlds:
Canada stays perfect at women’s hockey worlds with dominating win over U.S.
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Jamie Lee Rattray scores twice as Canada defeats the United States 5-1 at the women’s world hockey championship and finishes first in Pool A with a 4-0 record. 1:02
Canada topped Pool A at 4-0 ahead of defending champion U.S. at 3-1.
Both countries awaited the outcome of a later Pool B game between Germany and Japan to know their Saturday quarter-final opponents.
Daoust leads Canada in tournament points with three goals and four assists in four games.
Sarah Nurse scored shorthanded and Renata Fast also scored in Canada’s largest margin of victory against the Americans since a 5-1 win Oct. 25, 2017 in Boston.
“I think it’s huge for us,” Rattray said. “Every time we play anybody, but especially them we always want to beat them with the rivalry over the years.
“It was pretty fun to be a part of that win, that’s for sure.”
Goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens stopped 22-of-23 shots for the win. Brianne Jenner, who wore the ‘C’ in Poulin’s absence, had two assists.
Lee Stecklein replied for the Americans in their first meeting with Canada since the conclusion of their five-game Rivalry Series on Feb. 8, 2020 in Anaheim, Calif.
The U.S. won 4-3 in overtime to take the series 4-1.
Desbiens, left, celebrates with Ashton Bell following the final whistle. (The Canadian Press)
American goaltender Alex Cavallini was pulled for Nicole Hensley after giving up four goals on 20 shots before the midway point of Thursday’s game. Hensley turned away six shots in relief.
“We got away from our game. In fact, we never played our game,” U.S. forward Kendall Coyne Schofield said. “You take this game and you don’t repeat any of it except Lee’s goal for Team USA.
“You have to give credit where credit is due. Canada played a phenomenal game today and we didn’t.”
The U.S. didn’t give up a goal in its first three games of the world championship in Calgary.
Finland (2-2) finished third in Pool A following a 6-0 win over Switzerland. The Finns face the Czech Republic, the Pool B winner at 4-0, in a quarter-final Saturday
ROC (1-3) and Switzerland (0-4) were fourth and fifth in Pool A respectively and will meet in another quarter-final.
The semifinals are Monday followed by Tuesday’s medal games.
Poulin’s status
Poulin was scratched after taking a shot to the upper chest in Tuesday’s 5-0 win over Switzerland. A decision has yet to be made on her return to the lineup.
“Our medical team and our management team will continue to evaluate the situation,” Canadian head coach Troy Ryan said.
The Canadians stymied the U.S. with a ferocious forecheck and outshot the Americans 15-4 in the opening period to lead 2-0.
The U.S. pushed back in the third with an 11-4 edge in shots, but generated one goal. Stecklein threaded a shot from the blue-line through traffic at 2:44.
Nurse scored shorthanded on a 2-on-1 with Jenner at 10:36 of the second. Play continued after Nurse’s shot went off the post and in until it was reviewed and ruled a goal.
Rattray scored twice in the period on a wraparound at 7:16 and on a rebound at 4:18.
“Rattray has filled that 13th forward a couple times and we’re comfortable taking her right from the 13th forward spot right into the top line and playing some power-play minutes,” Ryan said.
“Part of the reason why it was easy for us to select her was her versatility.”
Cavallini couldn’t corral the loose puck in front of her and Fast chipped it over the prone goaltender at 13:50 of the first period. The goal was initially waived off, but ruled valid upon review.
Canada produced a first-period goal for the first time in the tournament when the puck sprang off the backboards out to Daoust, who scored from her knees at 7:13.
Natalie Spooner earned her 100th career point with the national team with an assist.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
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