CESKE BUDEJOVICE, Czech Republic — The United States proved its favorite status by shutting out host Czechia, 4-0, at the women’s ice hockey world championship on Friday.
Abbey Murphy led with two goals, North Reading’s Alex Carpenter had a goal and and assist, and captain Hilary Knight also scored to claim their second straight win in Group A.
Czech goalie Michaela Hesová had to face 48 shots while her US counterpart Gwyneth Philips stopped 10 for the shutout.
Murphy scored the opener with a one-timed slap shot from the left circle with 5:02 to go in the opening period and roofed the second from close range 6:58 into the second.
“Our leaders paved the way for us,” said Murphy, a four-year star at the University of Minnesota. ”They’re a good, strong team over there. Give them a lot of credit for playing us pretty hard off the bat. But honestly, we just found our way. Putting pucks in the net, finishing off opportunities we’ve been getting all game. It was really cool, and the atmosphere was awesome.”
Knight tapped in the puck that bounced off the boards behind the goal early in the third period. Also the captain of the PWHL’s Fleet, Knight is the all-time leading scorer at the worlds with 67.
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Carpenter capped the scoring when she deflected in a shot by the Fleet’s Megan Keller from the blue line on a power play. It was Keller’s third assist in the game.
Earlier, defending champion Canada scored three goals in a span of 2:32 to beat Switzerland, 4-0, for its second consecutive shutout.
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Laura Stacey had a goal and an assist. Micah Zandee-Hart, Natalie Spooner, and Daryl Watts also scored, and captain Marie-Philip Poulin recorded three assists in the Group A game.
Zandee-Hart scored on a rebound in the opening period, and Canada struck three times in the middle frame when it outshot the Swiss, 16-3.
Spooner doubled the advantage on a power play 7:14 into the period. Stacey added the third on a one-timer 1:52 later, and Watts needed just 40 seconds to make it 4-0 from the left circle.
Goalkeeper Ann-Renee Desbiens, the PWHL’s top goaltender who hadn’t played since needing to be helped off the ice at Tsongas Center on March 18, stopped 17 shots for the shutout.
Canada shut out Finland, 5-0, in its opening game on Thursday with Kristen Campbell in the goal.
Canada and the US, the two title favorites, meet on Sunday.
“They’re super-skilled, a great team, and we’re just excited,” Watts said about the Americans after scoring her first career goal at the worlds.
Japan secured its second win from two games, 2-0, over Hungary. Yumeka Wajima scored on a breakaway with 0:23 left in the opening period and Akane Shiga scored into an empty net with eight seconds remaining. Japan goaltender Miyuu Masuhara stopped 27 shots.