 |
Canada has earned a bye into the semifinals at the IIHF world women's hockey championship.
A 2-0 win over Finland Tuesday in Winterthur, Switzerland, left Canada with a perfect 3-0 record in the preliminary round and atop the Group B standings.
Earlier in the tournament, Canada beat Switzerland 12-0 and Kazakhstan 7-0.
In the first period against Finland, Rebecca Johnston of Sudbury, Ont., scored the only goal Canada would need. Jayna Hefford of Kingston, Ont., added an empty-netter in the final minute.
Shannon Szabados of Edmonton made 14 saves to get the shutout and extend Canada's record in preliminary-round play at the worlds since 1990 to 35-0.
Szabados was the third Canadian goalie to record a shutout in this year's tournament -- Charline Labonte of Boisbriand, Que., and Kim St. Pierre of
Chateauguay, Que. had the earlier blankings.
Canada won't find out its semifinal opponent until after the conclusion of preliminary-round play Wednesday.