USA scores in OT to beat Canada, winning gold at 2025 Women’s World Championship

Hunter Crowther
Hunter Crowther(HunterCrowther)
Apr 20, 2025, 15:48 EDT
USA scores in OT to beat Canada, winning gold at 2025 Women’s World Championship
Credit: © Daniel DeLoach/Utica Observer-Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

For the second straight year, a Canada-USA gold medal game in the Women’s World Championship went to overtime. But this time, it was the Americans scoring the golden goal, with Tessa Janecke scoring her third of the tournament, giving the U.S. a 4-3 overtime win and the tournament championship.

The U.S. now has 11 Women’s World Championship gold medals, two behind Canada’s 13.

The game’s first four goals were scored in a two-minute span midway through the second period. The USA opened the offense when a scramble off a turnover led to a loose puck for University of Wisconsin standout Caroline Harvey, who scored her second of the tournament to make it 1-0.

Just 30 seconds later, an awkward bounce saw Abbey Murphy bury a rebound past Ann-Renee Desbiens for her third of the tournament to make it 2-0.

Not along after that, Canada responded with Danielle Serdachny scoring her second of the tournament to cut the deficit to one.

Less than a minute later, Marie-Philip Poulin fed a pass to her Montreal Victoire teammate Jennifer Gardiner to bury her sixth of the tournament to tie the game at two.

With the assist, Poulin broke the Canadian all-time women’s world championship record for assists with 50.

Five minutes into the third period, Laura Stacey collided head-on with Aerin Frankel, forcing the U.S. goaltender out of the game, with Gwyneth Philips having to take over.

With a two-skater advantage, Taylor Heise scored her second of the tournament to make it 3-2 for the Americans.

With five minutes to go, 2024 PWHL No. 1 overall pick Sarah Fillier threw a loose puck with eyes through traffic and scored her third to make it 3-3.

The game went to overtime with three skaters on each side. With under three minutes to go in the extra frame, a bad turnover from Jocelyne Larocque found Heise’s stick, who fed Janecke a pass and put it past Desbiens to seal the victory. Janecke threw her stick into the crowd and was tackled by her teammates, who celebrated the victory.

Janecke and Canada’s Renata Fast were named the players of the game.

Tournament MVPs

Best Goalie – Aerin Frankel (USA)

Best Defender – Caroline Harvey (USA)

Best Forward – Marie-Philip Poulin (Canada)

MVP – Marie-Philip Poulin (Canada)

Bronze Medal Game

Earlier in the day, Finland defeated Czechia 4-3 in overtime in the bronze medal game. Elisa Holopainen scored twice for Finland, with Junniina Nylund and Elli Suoranta chipping in a goal of their own. Finland also defeated Czechia in the bronze medal game in 2024

MORE WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Read more women’s hockey stories on DFO

Keep scrolling for more content!