United States' Tessa Janecke scores a sudden death goal in overtime during the gold medal match between Canada and United States at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

By Canadian Press

Janecke scores OT winner as U.S. beat Canada 4-3 for world hockey gold

Apr 20, 2025 | 12:26 PM

ČESKÉ BUDĚJOVICE — The United States wrested the gold medal back in its tug of war with Canada with a 4-3 overtime win Sunday at the women’s world hockey championship.

The two countries have met in the tournament’s gold-medal game 23 times. Sunday’s contest was the 10th to go to overtime or a shootout and their record is 5-5.

Tessa Janecke ended it at 17:06 of a 20-minute overtime on a defensive-zone turnover by Canada. Janecke shovelled by puck by goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens on a Taylor Heise feed.

Canada beat the U.S. 6-5 in overtime in Utica, N.Y., last year after the U.S. prevailed 6-3 in Brampton, Ont. in 2023. The Americans earned an 11th gold medal behind Canada with 13.

U.S. captain Hilary Knight extended her record for the most world championship gold medals (10) and medals (15) won by a player.

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“For us, it’s being ready to win,” said Knight, whose black eye from hitting her face on the ice in the semifinal required icing between periods Sunday.

“That was what this tournament was about. Accepting the opportunity to win and that’s hard. It’s hard to close out games, especially against a Canadian squad that’s been here time and time again and proven themselves year after year.”

It wouldn’t be a high-stakes women’s hockey clash between Canada and the U.S. without an extra layer of drama.

The Americans lost goaltender Aerin Frankel to a hard collision with Canada’s Laura Stacey when the two raced for the puck early in the third period.

Gwyneth Philips, who is in her rookie year with the PWHL’s Ottawa Charge, drew in and stopped 17 of 18 shots after Frankel’s 27 saves.

“Every time we’re in one of these, I don’t want to say you should just throw out a scouting report, but it never comes to fruition,” said U.S. coach John Wroblewski.

“Like anything you think the game could go, it takes a turn and then takes another turn, and then it’s a roller-coaster every single time. I don’t like roller coasters, but I like these games. They’re fun to be in.”

The rivalry for women’s hockey supremacy continues into next year’s Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy, where Canada will attempt to defend the gold medal there. The U.S. defeated Canada in a shootout to be Olympic champions in 2018.

Caroline Harvey and Abbey Murphy scored for the U.S. in a 29-second span followed less than a minute later by Canada’s Danielle Serdachny and Jennifer Gardiner within 55 seconds of each other in the second period.

Desbiens, who made 26 saves in the game, didn’t secure a Kendall Coyne Schofield lob from centre ice when Murphy raced in to tap the puck in.

The U.S. was on its first power play of the game in the third period when Stacey’s charging penalty made it a two-player advantage. Heise scored on it, but Sarah Fillier drew Canada even later in the period.

Canada sought a fourth world title in five years, and felt the sting of losing the gold medal less than a year out from the next Olympic Games.

“That one’s gonna suck for a little bit, but we’ve got to go back to work. There’s a big tournament coming up in 2026,” said Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin, who was named MVP after leading the tournament with four goals and eight assists in seven games.

Philips repelled a streaking Fillier early in overtime and stopped Stacey on a couple of good chances.

“The margins for error are so small,” Canadian head coach Troy Ryan said. “Multiple times in that overtime or even in the third, either group could have won it.”

Gardiner, who was the highest-scoring Canadian rookie at a world championship with six goals and four assists in seven games, didn’t play a shift in overtime. Ryan deployed world championship newcomer Daryl Watts multiple times, however.

“I don’t think there’s too many teams or coaches that would play an entire bench in a three-on-three situation,” Ryan said. “The odd time we’d mix it up and play one forward and two defence to give the extra forwards a little bit of a break, but you generally shorten it up.

“You can see we’re getting tired at the end. We’re not looking to play it too safe. We’re looking to attack and trying to find ways to win it. You’re just trying to end it as soon as you can.”

Natalie Spooner, the PWHL’s MVP in its inaugural season with the Toronto Sceptres and the IIHF’s player of the year in 2024, was scratched Sunday for the third game of the tournament.

She missed the first 15 games of this PWHL season, as well as Canada’s five-game Rivalry Series after a knee injury in last year’s PWHL playoffs require surgery.

“Spooner is 100 per cent health-wise, but not 100 per cent back in the game yet,” Ryan said Saturday. “She’s doing her best and everything in her power to get her game back to where it needs to be and I have no doubt she’ll get there.”

Finland downed host Czechia 4-3 in overtime for the bronze medal.

A Czech city hosted the women’s championship for the first time. The announced total attendance of 122,331 at Budvar Arena surpassed the previous high of 119,231 in 2007 in Winnipeg and Selkirk, Man.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2025.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press