A capsule look at the women’s world hockey championship field

ESPOO, Finland — A capsule look at teams competing in the 2019 women’s world hockey championship April 4-14 in Espoo, Finland. Listed in order of world ranking:

GROUP A

UNITED STATES

Reigning world and Olympic champions, the U.S. has beaten Canada in the seven of the last eight world finals. Edged Canada 3-2 in a shootout for Olympic gold last year in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Kendall Coyne Schofield’s lap in the NHL all-star skills competition moved the women’s game forward similar to Billie Jean King beating Bobby Riggs in tennis. U.S. forwards are fast and skilled in tight spaces.

Player to watch: Hilary Knight was voted the world’s best female hockey player in a recent poll of NHL players conducted by their players’ association.

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CANADA

New general manager Gina Kingsbury made it clear reclaiming international women’s hockey territory from the U.S. is paramount. Two straight victories over the U.S. under new head coach Perry Pearn to win a three-game Rivalry Series in February put wind in Canada’s sails. Big-game goal-scorer and captain Marie-Philip Poulin starts the tournament day-to-day with a knee injury.

Player to watch: Melodie Daoust. MVP of 2018 Olympic women’s hockey tournament makes her world championship debut.

FINLAND

The Finns beat Canada for the first time in a preliminary-round game at the 2017 world championship in Michigan. Finland’s systems, execution and chutzpah have come a long way under coach Pasi Mustonen, who is under contract under 2022. They still lean heavily on star goaltender and Espoo product Noora Raty in games against Canada and the U.S.

Player to watch: Jenni Hiirikoski. Named top defender at the 2018 Olympic women’s tournament.

RUSSIA

Head coach Alexei Chistyakov navigated the host team to gold — and a 2-0 win over Canada in the final — at the World University Games in Krasnoyarsk last month. Anna Shokhina, who led Russia in scoring in Pyeongchang, will serve a two-game suspension to start the world championship because of a kicking infraction at the buzzer of the Olympic bronze-medal game.

Player to watch: Goaltender Nadezhda Morozova. A seasoned veteran in Russia’s net at age 22, she posted a 34-save shutout in the Winter Universiade final.

SWITZERLAND

Goalie Florence Schelling backstopped the Swiss to Olympic bronze in 2014 and was an equalizer against favoured opponents, but she retired last year. Coached by former national-team player Daniela Diaz, the Swiss power play demands respect with a tournament-leading seven goals in Pyeongchang.

Player to watch: Alina Mueller. Top scorer for the Swiss 2018 Olympics with seven goals and three assists in six games.

GROUP B

SWEDEN

The country’s hopes for a return to glory ride on Ylva Martinsen, who took over as head coach prior to this season. She was a national-team defender the last time Sweden stood on the podium at the Olympics (silver in 2006) and world championship (bronze in 2007).

Player to watch: Emma Nordin. Scored 11 goals in 11 games for Lulea in the Swedish women’s league playoffs.

JAPAN

The Japanese women earned their first international hockey victory over a European opponent beating Sweden 2-1 in overtime in Pyeongchang. Defenders Aina Mizukami and Sena Suzuki played in the CWHL this past season for the Calgary Inferno and Toronto Furies respectively.

Player to watch: Top-line centre Haruna Yoneyhama.

GERMANY

The surprise of the 2017 world championship, promoted Germany beat Sweden and the Czech Republic in the preliminaries and upset Russia in the quarterfinals to place a best-ever fourth.

Player to watch: Marie Delarbre. Scored game-winner in that quarterfinal victory over Russia.

CZECH REPUBLIC

The Czech roster includes five players who won a bronze medal at the 2014 women’s world under-18 hockey championship.

Player to watch: Goaltender Klara Peslorova. Posted a 2.48 goals-against average and .925 save percentage in her first season with Modo of the Swedish women’s league and signed a three-year contract extension.

FRANCE

Promoted to the top-tier women’s world championship for the first time, France went 4-0-1 to win last year’s Division 1 tournament. France went undefeated in a four-country tournament last month involving Slovakia, Norway and Hungary.

Player to watch: Gwendoline Gendarme. Named top defender of Division 1 tournament.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press