Marie-Philip Poulin has set a Canadian record for career points in women’s world hockey championships.
Poulin’s goal in the first period of a semifinal against Finland gave her 39 goals and 48 assists for a career 87 points.
Poulin of Beauceville, Que., passed Hayley Wickenheiser’s 86 accrued from 1994 to 2016.
WATCH l Poulin surpasses Wickenheiser with 87th career point at worlds:
Marie Philip-Poulin’s first period goal marks her 87th career point at the worlds, passing Hayley Wickenheiser to become Canada’s all-time leading scorer.
Women’s championships became an annual tournament starting in 1999.
Poulin and Wickenheiser are tied for the most world championship appearances by a Canadian player at 13. The 34-year-old Poulin played in her first in 2009.
Canada’s goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens also sought a tournament record in the semifinal. The 31-year-old from Clermont, Que., needed one win to set an all-time tournament record of 22 by a goaltender.
U.S. beats Czechs in semifinal
Kelly Pannek scored to rally the United States past the host Czech Republic 2-1 and into the final at the women’s hockey world championship on Saturday in Ceske Budejovice.
In Sunday’s final, the U.S. will play defending champion Canada or last year’s bronze medallist Finland, who meet in the other semifinal later Saturday.
With the victory, the Americans improved to 6-0 against the Czechs all-time at the worlds and 3-0 in semifinals.
Laila Edwards also scored for the U.S. and captain Hilary Knight recorded an assist to increase her record at the worlds to 52. U.S. goalie Aerin Frankel made 10 saves.
“I’m proud of how this team fought tonight,” U.S. coach John Wroblewski said. “Pucks were not bouncing our way early but we dug in and pulled it off.”
Pannek has earned at least a point in every U.S. game and leads the team with four goals.
Pannek skated around the net and her backhand shot was saved by Czech goalie Klara Peslarova, but she netted the winner on a rebound 8:26 into the final period.
In the second period where the Americans pushed hard for an equalizer, outshooting the Czechs 17-2 and 45-11 overall, Edwards got it 8:56 in, wristing a shot into the roof of the net from the left circle on a power play.
Tereze Plosova scored for the Czechs, who will play the bronze medal game for the fourth straight tournament.
The Czechs stunned the hot favourite, taking a lead with 4:32 left in the opening period to the delight of the sell-out crowd of almost 6,000. Klara Hymlarova seized the puck behind the goal and fed Plosova, who shot over the shoulder of Frankel.
