Winter Universiade: Canada blanked by Russia, settles for silver

GRANADA, Spain (CIS) – Russia defeated Canada 3-0 in the women's hockey final of the 27^th Winter Universiade on Thursday night, ending the Canadians' consecutive FISU championship streak in the sport at three. Despite the heartbreaking loss, the Maple Leaf delegation claimed its first medal of the biennial games.

Anna Shokhina, who played on Russia's 2014 Olympic team, scored a pair of goals, her tournament leading sixth and seventh tallies, to lead her country to the historic win. Netminder Yulia Leskina, another 2014 Olympic veteran, stopped all 40 shots she faced to end the competition with only two goals allowed on 85 shots, a save percentage of .977 and a goals against average of 0.63.

It was also Russia's second consecutive win against Canada in Granada as they previously beat the team of CIS all-stars 3-1 in preliminary play, handing Canada's its first-ever Universiade loss in women's hockey in the process. 

With the win, Russia becomes the first team other than Canada to capture the FISU gold medal, after Canadian teams triumphed in the three previous tournaments since the sport made its debut in 2009. The Russians also exacted a measure of revenge after losing to the Canucks 5-0 in the gold medal final in Trentino, Italy, in 2013. 

Canada also defeated China 3-1 (2009) and Finland 4-1 (2011) in previous gold medal finals.

On Thursday night in the Granada Sport Palace, however, Canada struggled against a powerhouse Russian team that featured eight Olympians. Although the Red and White outshot its competition 40-34, and earned nine power-play opportunities, they could not solve Leksina. 

"Special teams were the difference - they were much more organized than we were, and we knew that coming here," noted Team Canada and University of Manitoba head coach Jon Rempel. "When you play a team with that many quality and veteran players like they have you pretty much have to play a perfect game."

"I thought we generated a lot of stuff today," Rempel added, "but we didn't get a lot of second chance opportunities. Of the 40 shots we had there were some quality ones, but just not enough to get through." 

After a tense opening period, Russia scored the only goal it needed at 2:16 of the second when Shokhina skated hard to the corner of the Canadian net, freezing University of Montreal goalie Élodie Rousseau-Sirois (Pohénégamook, Que.) on the post, and then going around the net for the wrap-around goal.

The Olympian doubled the lead 3:49 into the third stanza when she buried a power-play tally from the slot. 

Forward Valeriia Pavlova scored her first of the tournament with eight minutes remaining to make it a 3-0 game.

Canada's best chances came as the game was winding down. Team captain and 2013 Universiade gold medalist Laura Brooker (Fergus, Ont.) of the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks raced in on a shorthanded breakaway late in the final frame, but was hauled down just as her shot was saved. With Rousseau-Sirois on the bench, the Canucks skated 6-on-4 against Russia, but despite increased pressure, they could not solve Leskina. 

"The bounces were going over our sticks - it happens, every league we play in it happens, but this time it got the better of us," said Brooker. "I'm proud of the team and proud of what we did in the last two weeks."

"The girls worked hard - there's no issue with the effort, they worked hard the whole tournament, and I'm proud of them," echoed Rempel. "We had a lot of challenges here, we faced them as they came our way, and we faced them as we could. It's not the colour we came here to get, but you still want to show well. It's important for the girls to go home with something and show something for their hard work, and this group came together quickly and I give them full marks for not quitting." 

Earlier on Thursday, Japan beat China 3-1 to claim the bronze medal.

NOTES: Canada is now 23-2 overall since women's hockey made its Universiade debut in 2009, with both losses coming this year against Russia... Four members of the 2015 team were returning from the 2013 championship squad, including goaltender Élodie Rousseau-Sirois from the University of Montreal, defenceman Brittney Fouracres from McGill, as well as forwards Laura Brooker from Wilfrid Laurier and Alex Normore from StFX.

Source: CIS