Janecke scores in overtime as U.S. beats Canada to win gold at women’s hockey worlds

The United States women’s hockey team reclaimed the gold medal from Canada in a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory at the women’s world hockey championship held in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic. Tessa Janecke played the hero with the game-winning goal, securing the U.S.’s second world title in three years.

This victory marked the 11th gold medal for the U.S., trailing just behind Canada’s 13 gold medals in the history of the championship. The intense rivalry between the two teams continued in this final, which was the 10th to go to overtime or a shootout. The U.S. and Canada are now tied at 5-5 in such games.

The rivalry is set to continue into next year’s Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy, where Canada will aim to defend their gold medal. The U.S. previously defeated Canada in a shootout to claim the Olympic title in 2018.

U.S. captain Hilary Knight made history by extending her record for the most world championship gold medals (10) and total medals (15) won by a player. Janecke sealed the victory in overtime by converting a pass from Taylor Heise, while Caroline Harvey, Abbey Murphy, and Heise also found the back of the net for the U.S.

Gwyneth Philip was solid in goal for the U.S., making 17 saves after replacing Aerin Frankel in the third period. Frankel had 27 saves before being shaken up in a collision with Canada’s Laura Stacey. On the other side, Danielle Serdachny, Jennifer Gardiner, and Sarah Fillier scored for Canada, with Ann-Renée Desbiens stopping 26 shots in the losing effort.

Canada and the U.S. have now faced off in 23 world championship finals, with Canada looking to bounce back after losing 2-1 to the U.S. in a previous matchup. The U.S. took an early two-goal lead in the final, only to see Canada rally back to tie the game twice. The momentum swung back and forth throughout the game, with both teams showcasing their resilience and skill.

In the end, it was the U.S. who emerged victorious, with Janecke’s overtime heroics securing the gold medal. The tournament MVP, Marie-Philip Poulin, led the way for Canada with an impressive performance, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the determined U.S. squad.

Overall, it was a thrilling conclusion to the women’s world hockey championship, with Finland claiming bronze in overtime against the host Czech Republic. The tournament, hosted in a Czech city for the first time, drew record attendance numbers, setting the stage for more exciting women’s hockey in the future.