Canada to face archrival U.S. in women's world hockey championship final

Canada lost the women's world hockey championship gold medal on home ice to the United States last year, so poetic justice will be on the minds of Canadian players Sunday in Utica, N.Y.

The two countries will clash for women's international ice hockey supremacy at the Adirondack Bank Center a year after the U.S. doubled Canada 6-3 for gold in Brampton, Ont.

"Our goal tomorrow is to win," Canadian forward Blayre Turnbull said. "It doesn't necessarily matter that we're in the States, but I think it would feel a little bit special considering they beat us last year on home soil."

Canada and the U.S. will clash for gold for the 22nd time in 23 world championship finals.

The Canadians blanked Czechia 4-0 and the U.S. shut out Finland 5-0 in Saturday's semifinals.

Veteran defender Jocelyne Larocque scored and had an assist for Canada in the semifinal. Her goal was the 35-year-old's second in 10 world championship appearances.

Turnbull and Sarah Fillier also scored in Canada's victory.

Ann-Renee Desbiens posted a nine-save shutout in the Canada's net, and thus won't be worn out for the gold-medal game. Her Czech counterpart Klara Peslarova stopped 43 shots in the loss.

WATCH l Canada tops Czech Republic 4-0 at women's hockey worlds:

Clark and Larocque became the 14th and 15th players on Canada's roster to score in the tournament.

American forward Taylor Heise believes a home crowd behind her team Sunday is an advantage.

"Having people getting under like other team's skin and everything like that, like that's a plus-one that we've talked about in the media," Heise said. "It's something that we can't control and other teams can't control but it's in our favour."

The Americans edged Canada 1-0 in overtime Monday in Group A in the fastest and hardest game ever played between the two countries.

A combined 30 players on the two rosters are in their first season in the Professional Women's Hockey League and the remainder played in the NCAA.