Team Canada has won its first game of the 2025 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Hockey Championship in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic. On Thursday, Canada defeated Finland 5-0.
It was a strong game for Canadian goaltender and Olympic gold medalist Kristen Campbell of Brandon, Manitoba, who made 24 saves for the shutout. She made four saves in the first period, six saves in the second period, and 14 saves in the third period. It should be noted that even though Campbell has won three gold medals at the Women’s World Hockey Championship in the past, Thursday was her first world championship start.
Offensively, Canada was led by Jennifer Gardiner of Surrey, British Columbia, who had two goals and one assist for three points. Two other Canadian players had a multi-point game. They were defenseman and Canadian Olympic gold medalist Ella Shelton of Ingersoll, Ontario, and Canadian Olympic gold medalist Marie-Philip Poulin of Quebec City, Quebec, who each had one goal and one assist for two points. The other Canadian goal scorer was Olympic gold medalist Emma Maltais of Burlington, Ontario.
Campbell, Poulin, Shelton and Maltais won a gold medal for Canada in women’s hockey at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. Poulin also won a gold medal for Canada in women’s hockey at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.