A goal and two assists for Victoria Bach led the way as Canada beat Japan 9-0 in the second-to-last group stage game at the 2022 Women’s World Championships. Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice, Sarah Fillier scored once as both centres had three points in the game. Canada also got goals from Emma Maltais, Blayre Turnbull, Ella Shelton, Jamie Lee Rattray, and Sarah Potomak in the win. Jocelyne Larocque and Erin Ambrose both had two assists in the win.

With her three points, Poulin passed Jennifer Botterill and Krissy Wendell-Pohl for 10th all-time in WWC scoring history with her 27th goal and 60th point in the tournament in her career. Pou is now tied with Finland’s greatest player Riikka Sallinen also sitting at 10th with 60 points. Poulin still has a way to go to catch Hayley Wickenheiser all the way up at the top with 86 points in only 61 total GP at the tournament. Also in the top-five in scoring are Jayna Hefford, Hilary Knight, Cammi Granato, and Danielle Goyette.

Team Canada will play Team USA on Tuesday at 2pm ET in the finale game Group A. Winner tops the group, loser gets second with a rematch most likely coming in the gold medal game next Sunday.

Japan managed five shots in the whole game as they spent the vast majority of the game in the defensive zone. Their first shot came at the end of the second period, with four coming in the third. Japan almost scored on Canada twice (which would’ve been huge) in the third period with a pair of two-on-ones.

Defender Kanami Seki led Japan with 28 minutes of hard, tough ice time and impressively was only a -1 in the game. It was a well-controlled game for Canada as everyone was pretty much kept within 10-20 minutes of icetime. Laura Stacy was just under 10 and Renata fast was just over 20.

Japan switched goalies midway through the game after four goals against on 33 shots for starter Akane Konishi — Japan have lots of Akane’s on their team in the same way Canada has lots of Sarahs. Riko Kawaguchi allowed five goals on 36 shots in the final half of the game.

Canada finished the game with nine goals on 69 shots. You have to wonder if the Canadian players had a bit of a chuckle amongst themselves that the shot clock for their side said 69.

Canada’s Lineup

Forwards
20 Sarah Nurse — 29 Marie-Philip Poulin (C) — 19 Brianne Jenner
44 Sarah Potomak — 10 Sarah Fillier — 9 Jessie Eldridge
26 Emily Clark — 40 Blayre Turnbull — 51 Victoria Bach
47 Jamie Lee Rattray — 27 Emma Maltais — 7 Laura Stacey
43 Kristen O’Neill

Defenders
3 Jocelyne Larocque — 14 Renata Fast
28 Micah Zandee-Hart — 21 Ashton Bell
17 Ella Shelton — 12 Meaghan Mikkelson
23 Erin Ambrose

Goalies
38 Emerance Maschmeyer
50 Kristen Campbell

Japan’s Lineup

Forwards
11 Akane Shiga — 14 Haruka Toko — 19 Makoto Ito
22 Yumeka Wajima — 18 Suzuka Taka — 79 Hinata Corazon Lack
27 Remi Koyama — 16 Yoshino Enomoto — 13 Chisato Miyazaki
26 Ogawa Miyuri — 20 Ami Sasaki

Defenders
3 Aoi Shiga — 8 Akane Hosoyamada
7 Kanami Seki — 5 Shiori Yamashita
25 Fumika Sasano — 6 Kohane Sato

Goalies
20 Akane Konishi
1 Riko Kawaguchi

Lineup Changes

No lineup changes for Canada, other than Ann-Renée Desbiens getting the day off after starting yesterday. Backup Emerance Maschmeyer got the start against Japan. For Japan, they had three skaters who didn’t dress, meaning they were playing Canada significantly shorthanded. This is a young team, too, with an average age of just 22. The oldest player, defender Ayaka Hirosato, is only 28 and was not playing in this game due to injury. The youngest is defender Kohane Sato at only 16 years of age.

First Period

1-0

Victoria Bach got the Fillier Award for opening goal of the game with a sick toe drag around her defender before sniping top shelf. Bach was the last CWHL rookie of the year, and this year is finally getting another chance with the national team. After watching the full game, I definitely think a promotion to the second line is in order for her. She just creates so many chances with skill and effort, she really makes a difference.

2-0

Poulin doubled the lead with her second of the tournament again on the power play with a blistering shot from a tight angle into the top of the net. Japan were taking a lot of penalties (five in the first period) simply because Canada spent the entire period with the puck in the offensive zone. And while Japan were doing really well staying in the right structure, they were still reaching and chasing a lot.

3-0

Emma Maltais got this chaotic goal near the end of the first period after a huge scramble in front. Meaghan Mikkelson (who initially got credit for the goal) was basically picking up rebounds from the blocks in front and was just peppering shots towards the net over and over and over from the slot. Eventually one of her shots got through and Maltais was given credit for touching it before it went in. I couldn’t tell you where Maltais was in that scramble.

Second Period

4-0

Blayre “Turbo” Turnbull got her third goal of the tournament by finishing a great play from Bach. The right winger went all the way around her defender and flipped a deft backhand pass over to the blue ice for Turnbull to skate into. Bach couldn’t stop impressing even when she wasn’t scoring.

After four goals, but more importantly 33 shots in 30 minutes, Japan swapped goalies from Konishi to Kawaguchi.

5-0

This fifth goal from Poulin was a thing of beauty after outracing the Japan defender to the puck and making her move in the blink of an eye. Even her best teammates feel a league behind her sometimes when Pou turns it on. Bach and Potomak have both been very impressive in this tournament as relative newcomers, and their attempts at similar moves to this one by Poulin are still several steps away from what was executed here by the best in hockey.

6-0

Ella Shelton got her first national team goal after joining the rush and popping home Canada’s sixth goal of the game. Bach started the play by barrelling down the middle, finding O’Neill on the left wing. Shelton followed up Bach and used the space provided to make the most of her chance.

7-0

Jamie Lee Rattray with another classic Rattray goal from in front of the net as she redirected a pass from Turnbull who was completing a wraparound off the post and into the back of the net.

Third Period

8-0

Potomak made it eight at the beginning of the third period. This play started when Fillier picked up the rebound after a great chance from Micah Zandee-Hart in the slot, circled the zone, and found Potomak at the back corner for her first WWC goal in five years (since 2017).

This was an amazing save from Riko Yamaguchi, getting the glove up and denying Bach a second goal.

Japan Chances

Makoto Ito and Haruka Toko were able to catch the Canadians flat-footed later in the period and got themselves a two-on-one. Ito tried to pass to Toko but Mikkelson dove in between the pass. Seeing this, Maschmeyer had to dart back to the short post and stretch out her legs to try and make the save. I think the puck shot by Ito went off Mikkelson and wide. This along with another chance later were the best chances for a goal by Japan.

9-0

Fillier put on her best Turnbull impression and scored the final goal of the game with a wicked shot on the power play. Short side over the glove, no mistake.

Women's HockeyIIHF World Championships