Canada wins gold in women’s hockey, two more medals in speed skating at Universiade

Canada had another strong day Friday, winning three medals including their first gold at the 26th Winter Universiade in Trentino Italy. (Team Canada website / Trentino 2013 website)

And with the men's hockey 2-1 semifinal win over Russia, Canada is guaranteed another Top 2 finish on Saturday. On Friday, Canada won its first gold medal women’s hockey, adding silver and bronze in short track speed skating on the penultimate day of competition.

WOMEN'S HOCKEY
In women’s hockey, Jenna Smith from the University of Calgary scored two goals and added an assist as Canada claimed its third straight Universiade title thanks to a 5-0 gold-medal win over Russia.

With the victory, the CIS all-stars not only completed an impressive run at the 2013 tournament, they remained perfect in 21 games since the inaugural FISU tourney in 2009. In Trentino, they outscored their opponents by a 77-2 margin overall, including another 5-0 win against the Russians in the round-robin and a 15-0 domination of Japan in Wednesday’s semifinals.

“I’m not sure this was our best game," admitted Canadian head coach Howie Draper. "When you’re playing in the final, your nerves start to get the better of you. I felt the first period was little rough but we picked it after we got the first goal and played a little more relaxed. Our girls executed the game plan and I’m very happy for them. It was a great team, great to coach them and nice to finish off with a gold.”

Canada outshot Russia rivals 52-12. Jessica Pinkerton from the University of Guelph scored what stood as the game-winner midway through the opening period. Smith, a native of Swift Current, Sask., finally doubled the lead midway through the second frame and assisted six minutes later on McGill’s Katia Clément-Heydra fifth of the tournament, which made it 3-0 after two periods. In the third, Laurier’s Laura Brooker and Smith, with her second of the night, rounded out the scoring in the last five minutes. Western goaltender Kelly Campbell made 12 saves to register her fourth shutout in as many outings in Trentino. The London, Ont., native faced 31 shots overall during the tourney.

MEN'S HOCKEY
In men’s hockey, Tyler Carroll from the University of New Brunswick had a goal and an assist as Canada advanced to the gold-medal final thanks to a 2-1 semifinal victory over defending two-time champion Russia.

It was a remarkable win for the team comprised of Atlantic University Sport all-stars, who were facing a powerful opponent which entered the contest with an unblemished 4-0 record, having outscored its rivals by a 25-3 margin in the process. The Russian lineup includes 11 players with KHL experience, nine of them currently skating in the league.

Canada (4-1) will face Kazakhstan (5-0) in the championship match Saturday. The Canadians are 3-3 in six previous appearances in the FISU final, including triumphs in 1981, 1991 and 2007, the latter a 3-1 win over Russia when the country was also represented by AUS standouts in Italy (Turin). The semifinal win also ensures the Red and White will return home with a medal for the 13th time in 14 trips to the biennial tournament.

“One of the keys was that we got a chance to get the lead. When you have a quality opponent, and you know it going to be a tight game, it’s critical. We did that and we protected it,” said Team Canada head coach Gardiner MacDougall. “Anytime you get a chance to win a world championship, it’s an amazing opportunity, so we look forward to that tomorrow.”

SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING
In short track, Canadians added two podium finishes on Friday to end the three-day speed skating competition with five medals, including three silver and two bronze.

Guillaume Bastille of Rivière-du-Loup, Que., placed third in the final of the men’s 1000-metre, and then teamed up with Patrick Duffy of Oakville, Ont., Yoan Gauthier of Rivière-du-Loup and Sébastien Landry of Montreal for a second-place finish in the 5000-metre relay.

Bastille is not the only team member to return home with a pair of FISU medals. Duffy claimed silver on Thursday in the 500m, while Gauthier captured bronze in the 1500m on Wednesday.

“The 1000m went pretty well. Before the event, I wasn’t necessarily thinking about a medal,” said Bastille, a University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM) student and a 2010 Olympic gold medallist in the relay. “In the first couple of races, I made some bad decisions. But as the day progressed, I felt better and better.”

In the final, Bastille crossed the line in 1:25.777 behind South Korea’s Noh Jin-Kyu (1:25.506) and Um Cheon-Ho (1:25.642), the same two rivals who beat Gauthier in Wednesday’s 1500-metre contest.

In the relays, the Canadian men competed in the A final of the 5000-metre race after setting a Universiade record (6:51.506) in Thursday’s semis, and after leading for most of the race, Bastille, Duffy, Gauthier and Landry couldn’t hold off their rivals from Hungary at the end and had to settle for silver. In a very fast final, both teams went under the standard set by Canada 24 hours earlier. The judges had to go to the photo finish and Hungary was declared the winner with a time of 6:46.953, compared to 6:46.960 for the Canucks.

In the women’s B final, Canada prevailed in 4:21.222 to finish fifth overall. South Korea won the A final.

Dec. 20 Results
ALPINE SKIING
Women’s Slalom
Top Canadian 24. Sandrine David, Montreal, Que., 1:45.05.

Women’s Combined (Downhill, Super G, Giant Slalom, Slalom)
Top Canadian 17. Sandrine David, Montreal, Que., 216.

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
Women’s 15km Classic Mass Start
Top Canadian 36. Andrea Lee, Black Creek, B.C., 46:47.9.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY
Gold Medal Game
Canada 5 Russia 0

MEN’S HOCKEY
Semifinal
Canada 2 Russia 1

SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING
Women’s 1000m B Final
6. Caroline Truchon, Saguenay, Que., 1:32.996.

Men’s 1000m A Final
3. Guillaume Bastille, Rivière-du-Loup, Que., 1:25.777; 5. Yoan Gauthier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que., 1:29.025.

Women’s 3000m Relay
5. Canada (Namasthée Harris-Gauthier, Montreal, Que.; Jamie MacDonald, Fort St. James, B.C.; Keri Morrison, Burlington, Ont., Caroline Truchon, Saguenay, Que.), 4:21.222.

Men’s 5000m Relay - A Final
2. Canada (Guillaume Bastille, Rivière-du-Loup, Que.; Patrick Duffy, Oakville, Ont.; Yoan Gauthier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que.; Sébastien Landry, Montreal, Que.), 6:46.960