Women’s Worlds: Team Canada star Marie-Philip Poulin scores 100th international goal

Mike Gould
Mike Gould
Apr 8, 2023, 11:21 EDT
Women’s Worlds: Team Canada star Marie-Philip Poulin scores 100th international goal
Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Team Canada captain (and future first-ballot Hockey Hall of Fame inductee) Marie-Philip Poulin tallied goals No. 100 and 101 of her international hockey career in a 5–1 victory over Team Czechia on Friday.

Poulin helped Canada, the reigning world champions, improve to 2–0–0–0 through two games at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship. Czechia captured the bronze at last year’s tournament in Denmark.

Through 53 games over 11 Women’s Worlds appearances, Poulin now has 31 goals and 67 points — accounting for roughly a third of her international totals. The 32-year-old center is among the most decorated players in hockey history, with three Olympic gold medals, three Women’s Worlds golds, and a variety of other individual awards in the CWHL, NCAA, and international play.

It took just 8:03 in the first period against Czechia for Poulin to open the scoring with international goal No. 100, and it was a beauty. Racing down the ice alongside Blayre Turnbull, Poulin received a perfect pass in the low slot and proceeded to undress Czech goaltender Blanka Skodova before depositing the puck into the yawning cage.

Natalie Mlynkova tied the game at one with 1:33 remaining in the first period, but Team Canada wasn’t exactly content to go into the intermission without the lead. It took just 25 seconds for Renata Fast to respond in kind, restoring the hosts’ one-goal advantage with 1:08 to play in the opening frame.

Turnbull, who had three assists against the Czechs, gave the Canadians a much-needed insurance goal midway through the second period. Then, in the third, Poulin struck again off a beautiful individual effort to make it 4–1.

Laura Stacey sealed the deal with 5:20 left in regulation to put Canada on top 5–1, which would hold through the final buzzer. Canada ultimately outshot the Czechs by a 42–15 margin in the contest.

Things won’t get any easier from here for Team Czechia, which is set to take on Team USA in a critical tune-up clash on Sunday. Meanwhile, Poulin will go for goal 102 (and potentially more) against Team Japan on Saturday.

Quick hits

  • Team Finland captain Jenni Hiirikoski was honored in a pre-game ceremony on Friday for playing in her 400th international game. The 36-year-old defender proceeded to pick up a pair of assists while logging a team-high 22:01 as the Finns shut out Team Germany by a 3–0 score. And as our very own Steven Ellis told us on Friday, Hiirikoski’s accomplishments at this year’s Worlds are made all the more impressive by what she had to overcome to get to this point.
  • Abby Roque led the way for Team USA in a 9–1 win victory over Team Switzerland on Friday. The 25-year-old forward, who is known in equal measures for her elite skill and chirping ability, tallied four points (one goal, three assists) in the blowout win. Eight different players contributed goals for the Americans, with high-flying defender Caroline Harvey ending up as the only multi-goal scorer in the contest. But Roque only needed to score one time to make a difference — and, accordingly, she scored with a one-timer.

Friday’s results

Team Switzerland 1, Team USA 9

Team Finland 3, Team Germany 0

Team Czechia 1, Team Canada 5

Saturday’s games

Team Sweden vs. Team Hungary — 11:00 a.m. ET

Team Japan vs. Team Canada — 7:00 p.m. ET

All games at CAA Centre in Brampton, Ont.

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