The 2019 IIHF Women's World Championship kicks off on Thursday, April 4 and all eyes will be on Canada, which has not won gold since 2012 and is coming off a silver medal performance at the 2018 Olympics.
The tournament, held in Espoo, Finland, will feature 10 countries for the first time in its history.
Two years ago, Canada lost in the gold-medal game to the United States, 3-2 in overtime, and have lost in the championship game seven of the last eight worlds.
Hockey Canada is hoping head coach Perry Pearn will be able to turn things around. Pearn, who last coached at a world championship in 1993 when he led Canada's junior men's team to gold, was on the bench for Canada's two wins in the best-of-three Rivalry Series in March.
Here's everything to know about the tournament, including how to watch live games online in Canada and a complete schedule with updated scores and standings.
Team Canada’s schedule, results at World Championship
With two additional teams, the format for the 2019 World Championship consists of two groups of five. They'll play a preliminary round robin to determine seeding, followed by a single-elimination tournament. Unlike previous years, the bye into the semifinal for the top two teams in Group A has been eliminated. Canada drew Group A, which also includes Switzerland, Russia Finland and the United States.
Date | Opponent | Result | TV info |
April 4 | Switzerland | W 6-0 | 9 a.m. ET (NHLN, TSN, RDS) |
April 6 | USA | L, 3-2 | 12:30 p.m. ET (NHLN, TSN, RDS) |
April 8 | Russia | W, 5-1 | 12:30 p.m. ET (TSN, RDS) |
April 9 | Finland | W, 6-1 | 12:30 p.m. ET (TSN, RDS) |
April 11 | QF: Germany | W, 5-0 | 9:00 a.m. (NHLN, TSN, RDS) |
April 13 | SF: Finland | L, 4-2 | 9:00 a.m. (NHLN, TSN, RDS) |
April 14 | Bronze-medal game | W, 7-0 | 9:00 a.m. (NHLN, TSN, RDS) |
How to watch Canada games live online
TSN, RDS and NHL Network will be showing select games.
MORE: 10 players to watch at the 2019 women's world championship
Team Canada’s 2019 Women's World roster
The Canadian roster is littered with some of the greatest women to ever lace up skates. Veterans Shannon Szabados, Natalie Spooner and Marie-Philip Poulin have a treasure trove of medals and titles and will bring a wealth of experience to the team. The only question is whether Poulin, who injured her knee in Les Canadiennes de Montreal's last regular season game and didn't skate in the postseason, will be able to compete in Finland.
While she considered one of the best in the game, Canada does have Worlds newcomers Melodie Daoust, 2019 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner Loren Gabel and 2018 CWHL Jayna Hefford Award winner Jamie Lee Rattray.
Sixteen players return from the 2018 Olympic roster along with eight players (Laura Fortino, Brianne Jenner, Rebecca Johnston, Geneviève Lacasse, Jocelyne Larocque, Poulin, Spooner and Szabados) who were on the 2012 roster — the last team to win gold at the Women's World Championship for Canada.
FORWARDS
# | Name | 2018-19 team | Hometown |
6 | Rebecca Johnston | Calgary (CWHL) | Sudbury, Ont. |
7 | Laura Stacey | Markham (CWHL) | Kleinburg, Ont. |
11 | Jullian Saulnier | Montreal (CWHL) | Halifax, N.S. |
15 | Melodie Daoust | Montreal (CWHL) | Valleyfield, Que. |
19 | Brianne Jenner | Calgary (CWHL) | Oakville, Ont. |
20 | Sarah Nurse | Toronto (CWHL) | Hamilton, Ont. |
24 | Natalie Spooner | Toronto (CWHL) | Scarborough, Ont. |
26 | Emily Clark | University of Wisconsin (WCHA) | Saskatoon, Sask. |
29 | Marie-Philip Poulin | Montreal (CWHL) | Beauceville, Que. |
36 | Loren Gabel | Clarkson University (ECAC) | Kitchener, Ont. |
39 | Ann-Sophie Bettez | Montreal (CWHL) | Sept-Iles, Que. |
40 | Blayre Turnbull | Calgary (CWHL) | Stellarton, N.S. |
47 | Jamie Lee Rattray | Markham (CWHL) | Kanata, Ont. |
DEFENSE
# | Name | 2018-19 team | Hometown |
3 | Jocelyne Larocque | Markham (CWHL) | Ste. Anne, Man. |
4 | Brigette Lacquette | Calgary (CWHL) | Mallard, Man. |
8 | Laura Fortino | Markham (CWHL) | Hamilton, Ont. |
14 | Renata Fast | Toronto (CWHL) | Burlington, Ont. |
23 | Erin Ambrose | Montreal (CWHL) | Keswick, Ont. |
25 | Jamie Bourbonnais | Cornell University (ECAC) | Mississauga, Ont. |
28 | Micah Zandee-Hart | Cornell University (ECAC) | Saanichton, B.C. |
GOALIES
# | Name | 2018-19 team | Hometown |
1 | Shannon Szabados | Buffalo (NWHL) | Edmonton, Alta. |
31 | Geneviève Lacasse | Montreal (CWHL) | Kingston, Ont. |
38 | Emerance Maschmeyer | Montreal (CWHL) | Bruderheim, Alta. |
SN Q&A: Canada's Jamie Lee Rattray talks team chemistry, facing USA
World Championship standings
GROUP A
Team | Wins | Losses | OTL | Points |
1. USA | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
2. Canada | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
3. Finland | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
4. Russia | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
5. Switzerland | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
GROUP B
Team | Wins | Losses | OTL | Points |
1. Czech Republic | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
2. Germany | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
4. Japan | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
3. Sweden | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
5. France | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Wins in regulation = 3 points
Overtime win = 2 points
Overtime loss = 1 point
Full Women's World Championship schedule
THURSDAY, APRIL 4 | ||
Sweden 1, Germany 2 | 5:30 a.m. | |
Canada 6, Switzerland 0 | 9 a.m. | NHLN, TSN, RDS |
Japan 3, France 0 | 11 a.m. | |
USA 6, Finland 2 | 12:30 p.m. | NHLN, TSN, RDS |
FRIDAY, APRIL 5 | ||
France 1, Czech Republic 3 | 9 a.m. | |
Switzerland 1, Russia 2 | 12:30 p.m. | |
SATURDAY, APRIL 6 | ||
Czech Republic 5, Sweden 3 | 5:30 a.m. | |
Finland 4, Russia 0 | 9 a.m. | |
Germany 3, Japan 2 | 11 a.m. | |
Canada 2, USA 3 | 12:30 p.m. | NHLN, TSN, RDS |
SUNDAY. APRIL 7 | ||
Sweden 2, France 1 | 9 a.m. | |
USA 8, Switzerland 0 | 12:30 p.m. | NHLN, TSN, RDS |
MONDAY, APRIL 8 | ||
Czech Republic 3, Japan 1 | 5:30 a.m. | |
Switzerland 2, Finland 6 | 9 a.m. | |
France 3, Germany 2 | 11 a.m. | |
Russia 1, Canada 5 | 12:30 p.m. | TSN, RDS |
TUESDAY, APRIL 9 | ||
Japan 3, Sweden 2 | 5:30 a.m. | |
Russia 0, USA 10 | 9 a.m. | NHLN, TSN |
Germany 0, Czech Republic 2 | 11 a.m. | |
Finland 1, Canada 6 | 12:30 p.m. | TSN, RDS |
THURSDAY, APRIL 11 | ||
USA 4, Japan 0 (Quarterfinal) | 5:30 a.m. | TSN |
Sweden 3, France 2 (9th place) | 7 a.m. | |
Canada 5, Germany 0 (Quarterfinal) | 9 a.m. | TSN |
Russia 3, Switzerland 0 (Quarterfinal) | 11 a.m. | |
Finland 3, Czech Republic 1 (Quarterfinal) | 12:30 p.m. | TSN |
SATURDAY, APRIL 13 | ||
Canada 2, Finland 4 (Semifinal) | 9 a.m. | NHLN , TSN |
USA 8, Russia 0 (Semifinal) | 1 p.m. | NHLN , TSN |
SUNDAY, APRIL 14 | ||
Russia vs. Canada (Bronze-medal game) | 9 a.m. | NHLN , TSN |
USA vs. Finland (Gold-medal game) | 1 p.m. | NHLN , TSN |
(All times Eastern)