Canada blanks Germany, into semifinal of women’s world hockey championship

ESPOO, Finland — Canada advanced to the semifinal of the women’s world hockey championship with a 5-0 win over Germany on Thursday.

Blayre Turnbull scored a pair of goals for Canada in a quarterfinal victory at Metro Areena.

The Canadians awaited the winner of a later quarterfinal between Finland and the Czech Republic to determine their semifinal opponent.

Natalie Spooner, Brianne Jenner and Laura Stacey also scored for Canada.

Defender Brigette Lacquette had a pair of assists in front of an announced crowd of 744.

Emerance Maschmeyer made nine saves for the shutout in her second start of the tournament.

The goalie from Bruderheim, Alta., was in net for Canada’s lone loss so far in Espoo.

Maschmeyer stopped 30 shots in a 3-2 loss to the U.S. in the group stage.

Canada gave Jennifer Harss a workout as the German goalie made 61 saves.

Defending champion United States also moved into the semifinal round with a 4-0 blanking of Japan.

The Americans will face the winner of the quarterfinal between Switzerland and Russia.

In the world championship’s previous format since 2011, the top two countries in Group A earned byes to the semifinals.

So Canada and the U.S. only faced a Group B opponent if there was a quarterfinal upset.

The expansion of the field to 10 countries this year eliminated the quarterfinal byes.

The alternation had Canada meeting Germany in international women’s hockey for the first time in over a decade.

At the 2007 women’s world championship in Winnipeg, Canada won 8-0 and German goaltender Viona Harrer had 61 saves.

The Germans have yet to score a goal on Canada in six meetings.

They spent the majority of Thursday’s game defending in their own zone.

Canada began wearing down the Germans in the second period, outshooting them 29-3.

Canada scored three power-play goals on four chances, but a pair of Canadian goals were waived off in the game.

Officials ruled Jill Saulnier directed the puck with her skate in the third period, and that Melodie Daoust was in Germany’s crease on a Rebecca Johnston goal in the first.

Daoust’s wrist shot ticked off a German defender’s stick and Turnbull at 11:32 of the third period.

Spooner collected her fifth of the tournament, tipping in a Lacquette blast from the point for a power-play goal at 3:11 of the third.

Harss couldn’t handle a Micah Zandee-Hart shot, giving up a rebound and an open net to Stacey at 9:26 of the second.

Jenner scored on a give-and-go with Sarah Nurse redirecting the puck by Harss for a power-play goal at 7:02 of the second.

Canada led 1-0 at 7:40 of the opening period on Turnbull’s third goal of the tournament.

She hit the blue line with speed to beat defender Tabea Botthof and tuck the puck by the left pad of Harss.

The Japanese were outshot 53-10 by the Americans in their first game against each other since 2009.

Japan’s tenacity and goalie Nana Fujimoto helped prevent a blowout, but the Japanese also spent the majority of the game against the Americans in the defensive zone.

“Japan showed up and they’re an extremely disciplined team,” U.S. forward Hilary Knight said. “It’s fun to see how well they’ve done in this tournament and continue to do, but a win’s a win.”

from Canoe http://bit.ly/2IaPMeE