Cloverdale’s Jenn Gardiner and Team Canada took silver at the IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championships.
Canada fell to the U.S. 4-3 in overtime in the gold medal game held at Budvar Arena in Ceske Budejovice, Czechia, April 20.
“I think in general we carried the play, enough to potentially be successful,” said head coach Troy Ryan after the loss. “It’s just the margins for error are so small. Multiple times in the overtime and even in the third we could have won it, it’s just a matter of finishing the opportunities you get and trying to keep them out of our end. I don’t think there were any lopsided parts to the game, it could have gone either way throughout the whole thing.”
Gardiner finished the tourney with 10 points (6 goals, 4 assists) and was the WWHC’s leading goal scorer. She finished second in scoring behind linemate Marie-Philip Poulin, who had 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists). After the gold medal loss, Poulin was named world championships MVP for her 12-point performance.
As for the championship game, Canada and the U.S. battled to a scoreless first. In the second, the Americans potted two goals in 29 seconds. Edmonton’s Danielle Serdachny scored less than a minute later to cut the U.S. lead to 2-1. Then 55-seconds later Gardiner scored, knotting the game at two. Poulin assisted on Gardiner’s tally, giving Poulin her 50th career helper at the WWHCs. With the assist Poulin moved in front of Hayley Wickenheiser for most assists by a Canadian at the tournament.
After the four-goal flurry, the game settled down until the third when the U.S. scored on the power play about 5 minutes into the period. It took Canada another 10 minutes to tie it when Ontario's Sarah Fillier scored to send the game to OT.
Overtime, which was three-on-three, went 17:06 before the U.S. netted the golden goal.
Head coach Ryan benched Gardiner in the OT frame, as she didn’t see one-second of ice time. This despite Gardiner and Poulin connecting on multiple goals over the course of the tourney.
Canada finished second in Group A with a 3-0-0-1 record in the preliminary round, beating Finland, Switzerland and the Czechia, with its only loss against the Americans. Canada punched its ticket to the final with lopsided wins over Japan (9-1) in the quarters and over Finland (8-1) in the semis.
Gardiner got off to a quick start at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championships. She scored three points (2 goals, 1 assist) in a 5-0 win against Finland to open the tournament. That game, played April 9, was Gardiner's world championship debut for Team Canada.
"It’s a pretty incredible feeling getting my first puck from my teammates, who were so supportive all night and have created such a great environment to be part of," Gardiner said after the Finland game. "Being in this room wouldn’t be possible without them and being part of Team Canada is incredible with the staff—I’m so thankful."
or more pictures and info on Gardiner and Team Canada's run at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championships, visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow them on social: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
