BRAMPTON, Ontario – Canada did its part to set up a showdown with the United States by winning its third straight game at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship on Saturday, while Sweden’s high-scoring first period fueled a win over Germany.
 
SWEDEN VS. GERMANY
Sweden and Germany each feature three players with WCHA ties on its rosters, although it was Lina Ljungblom scoring four of six goals in Sweden’s 6-2 victory. Although Minnesota Duluth’s Emma Soderberg wasn’t in goal for Sweden, Ohio State’s Sofie Lundin contributed with a shot on goal in the high-scoring first period that featured a combined six goals.
 
As St. Thomas’ Lotti Odnoga served as an assistant captain, Minnesota Fall 2023 signee Emma Kreisz tallied four shots on goal – the second-most by any Hungary player on the day. Rounding out WCHA contributions was former Bemidji State player Hayley Williams with a shot on goal in the opening period.
 
IIHF GAME RECAP: https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2023/ww/news/43085/ljungblom_sensational_in_sweden_s_first_win
 
CANADA VS. JAPAN
In the second game of the day, defending gold medalist Canada shutout Japan 5-0. It was Wisconsin alum Sarah Nurse who posted a two-point performance when she followed up her first period assist with a power play goal in the second. To put Canada up 4-0, Natalie Spooner (Ohio State) tipped in a bouncing shot, before Blayre Turnbull (Wisconsin) added an apple on Canada’s fifth and final goal.
 
On a Team Canada squad that features eight players with WCHA ties, those players contributed 17 shots on goal as Canada held a 60-11 edge against Japan.
 
IIHF GAME RECAP: https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2023/ww/news/43153/canada_rolls_along
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Sunday’s action begins with Finland facing Sweden, before the United States takes on Wisconsin alum Carla MacLeod’s Czechia squad. Rounding out the day is Germany against France. With the United States dropping the puck at 2 p.m. CT, it can be watched live on the NHL Network.

Canada is 3-0 with nine points in Pool A of this tournament and plays Team USA Monday night. The Americans, the silver medalist last year, are 2-0 with six points heading into its Sunday matchup with bronze medalist Czechia. The winner of Monday’s game figures to be the top seed in Pool A, heading into Thursday’s medal round.
 
Canada, USA, Czechia, Switzerland, and Japan compete in Group A of the two-tiered preliminary round, while Group B consists of Finland, Sweden, Hungary, Germany, and France. All five Group A teams will move on to the medal round of competition, while the top-three Group B teams advance to the next stage.
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE: IIHF - Schedule and Results 2023 IIHF WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
 
TOURNAMENT STANDINGS:  IIHF - Standings 2023 IIHF WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

ROSTER BREAKDOWN
All eight WCHA programs have ties to players at the Women’s World Championships, while of the 10 countries competing, eight have WCHA representation.

The United States leads WCHA representation with 15 players. Team Canada, which beat the United States for the gold medal in the 2022 Winter Olympics and the last two Women’s World Championships, has eight WCHA players speckling the lineup. Switzerland boasts a total of five WCHA players, while Germany and Finland each have four with WCHA ties. Sweden, Hungary, and Czechia each have three players with WCHA connections, while Czechia is coached by former Wisconsin standout Carla MacLeod.

Wisconsin has the most representatives at the event with 11 players, plus head coach MacLeod, including six on Team USA and five on Team Canada. Minnesota has eight players in the tournament, while Minnesota Duluth matches the eight players. St. Cloud State has seven competitors at Women’s Worlds, while Ohio State holds six players. St. Thomas’ trio of participants are all active 2022-23 student-athletes, while Bemidji State has a representative in Hayley Williams as she laces up for Hungary. Rounding out the WCHA rosters is a two-year Minnesota State player in Abbey Levy as she is between the pipes for the United States.

The Team USA contingent also includes former WCHA Commissioner Katie Million as USA Hockey’s Director of National Team Programs, Minnesota State’s assistant coach Shari Dickerman, hockey operations manager Nick Bryant, who has worked at both Minnesota State and Minnesota Duluth, along with Minnesota’s strength coach Cal Dietz. Wisconsin’s athletic trainer Stef Arndt and equipment manager Sis Paulsen also join the staff.
 
For more information on the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, follow the league on Twitter and Instagram @WCHA_WHockey, and online at the new wcha.com.
 
45 PLAYERS, 22 CURRENT STUDENT-ATHLETES, 4 FUTURE STUDENT-ATHLETES, 1 COACH
 
UNITED STATES (15 Players, 7 Current)
Cayla Barnes – Boston College, Ohio State (Fall 2023)
Hannah Bilka – Boston College, Ohio State (Fall 2023)
Britta Curl – Wisconsin *
Lacey Eden – Wisconsin *
Caroline Harvey – Wisconsin *
Taylor Heise – Minnesota *
Gabbie Hughes – Minnesota Duluth *
Amanda Kessel – Minnesota
Hilary Knight – Wisconsin
Nicole LaMantia – Wisconsin *
Abbey Levy – Minnesota State, Boston College
Abbey Murphy – Minnesota *
Kelly Pannek – Minnesota
Abbey Roque – Wisconsin
Lee Stecklein – Minnesota
 
CANADA (8 Players, 1 Current)
Kristen Campbell – North Dakota, Wisconsin
Emily Clark – Wisconsin
Ann-Renee Desbiens – Wisconsin
Jocelyne Larocque – Minnesota Duluth
Emma Maltais – Ohio State *
Sarah Nurse – Wisconsin
Natalie Spooner – Ohio State
Blayre Turnbull – Wisconsin
 
SWITZERLAND (5 Players, 3 Current)
Andrea Braendli – Ohio State, Boston U.
Saskia Maurer – St. Thomas *
Lara Stalder – Minnesota Duluth
Nicole Vallario – St. Thomas *
Laura Zimmermann – St. Cloud State *
 
FINLAND (4 Players, 3 Current, 1 Future)
Sanni Ahola – St. Cloud State *
Nelli Laitinen – Minnesota *
Jenniina Nylund – St. Cloud State *
Sofianna Sundelin – St. Cloud State (Fall 2023)
 
GERMANY (4 Players, 2 Current)
Marie Delarbre – Minnesota Duluth, Merrimack
Nina Jobst-Smith – Minnesota Duluth *
Laura Kluge – St. Cloud State
Svenja Voigt – St. Cloud State *

CZECHIA (3 Players, 2 Current)
Klara Hymlarova – St. Cloud State *
Katerina Mrazova – Minnesota Duluth
Blanka Skodova – Minnesota Duluth *
Head Coach Carla MacLeod – Wisconsin
 
SWEDEN (3 Current Players)
Josefin Bouveng – Minnesota *
Sofie Lundin – Ohio State *
Emma Soderberg – Minnesota Duluth *
 
HUNGARY (3 Players, 1 Current, 1 Future)
Emma Kreisz – Minnesota (Fall 2023)
Lotti Odnoga – St. Thomas *
Hayley Williams – Bemidji State
 
* active player