(Herning) Sarah Fillier thought about it for a moment, but instead made her plan B work.
Posted at 4:15 p.m.
Updated at 6:47 p.m.
Canada’s youngest player at the World Women’s Hockey Championship scored twice in a 4-1 win over Switzerland on Saturday at Kvik Hockey Arena in Herning, Denmark.
The 22-year-old Ontarian gave Canada a 2-0 lead in the second period, but there was an interesting moment in the seconds before her first goal of the game.
PHOTO BO AMSTRUP, RITZAU SCANPIX VIA AP
Julia Liikala was the only one to thwart Ann-Renée Desbiens.
Behind the enemy net, Fillier briefly thought of carrying the puck in the air on the blade of his stick to send it into the goal. This maneuver, nicknamed “the Michigan”, was made popular by Mike Legg, who performed it for the first time in 1996, in a Wolverines uniform.
“It crossed my mind,” Fillier said after the game. I just wanted to see if the puck was going to jump off my stick blade quickly and the right way, but it didn’t happen. »
Instead, she skated with the puck and threaded the needle with a shot from the top of the slot after accepting a pass from Ella Shelton.
“When I got to the far post, I thought I was just going to try a play with Ella. She was free and she gave me the puck, observed Fillier. I played luck because there were deviations. It was good to be lucky at the start of the game. »
Blayre Turnbull had a goal and an assist as Emily Clark scored once for Canada, which is tied with the United States for the top of Group A. Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped seven throws.
Andrea Braendli stopped 42 shots in the loss. Alina Marti ended Desbiens’ shutout hopes by flashing the red light midway through the final third.
Braendli’s brilliance limited Canada to its shortest victory against Switzerland since a 3-1 victory in the semi-finals of the 2014 Olympic tournament.
But despite six chances on the power play and the support of its noisy supporters, Switzerland only fired eight shots towards Desbiens. Canada are 16-0 in history against the Swiss.
“It’s always fun to play against the best players in the world,” said Swiss forward Alina Mueller. We had a great battle and in the second period they showed us how they could play hockey. »
Despite 66 saves from Finnish goaltender Anni Keisala, the Americans prevailed 6-1 earlier Saturday. Switzerland find themselves ahead of Finland in Group A.
Also on Saturday, Sweden edged Germany 4-3 in a Group B duel.
Canada will have less than 24 hours to recover when they face Japan on Sunday afternoon. The defending champions will finish the preliminary round by meeting the United States on Tuesday.
Switzerland’s best result at the World Women’s Hockey Championship came in 2012, with a bronze medal. Two years later, at the Sochi Games, she also won bronze.