ZLIN, Czech Republic – Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team will play for the gold medal at the 2012 IIHF U18 Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship after defeating Sweden 7-0 in semifinal action Friday at PSG Arena.

Canada will take on the United States in the gold medal game for the fifth time in as many years, tomorrow at 7 p.m. local time/1 p.m. ET at PSG Arena. Live statistics from the game will be available online at www.HockeyCanada.ca and www.IIHF.com

In Friday’s semifinal, six different players scored to lift the Canadians to a shutout win over the Swedes, with Cayley Mercer (Exeter, Ont./Bluewater, PWHL) contributing two goals, including game-winner at 6:09 in the first and a power play marker at 5:11 in the second. Captain Erin Ambrose (Keswick, Ont./Toronto, PWHL) had a goal and an assist, claiming player of the game honours, and netminder Elaine Chuli (Waterford, Ont./Stoney Creek, PWHL) earned the shutout.

In the other semifinal, the U.S. beat Germany 7-1 to earn its spot in the gold medal game. Germany and Sweden will face off in a battle for the bronze medal tomorrow at 3 p.m. local time/9 a.m. ET, also at PSG Arena in Zlin.

Canada and the United States have met in all four previous gold medal games at the IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship. Canada won its lone world title in 2010, defeating its cross-border rival 5-4 in overtime in Chicago, Ill. The U.S. took gold in 2008, 20, beating Canada 5-2 in Stockholm, Sweden last January.

Ambrose, Mercer, alternate captains Meghan Dufault (Winnipeg, Man./Balmoral Hall, JWHL) and Cydney Roesler (Stittsville, Ont./Ottawa, PWHL), along with forward Laura Stacey (Kleinburg, Ont./Toronto, PWHL), all returned to Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team after claiming silver at the 2011 IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship. 

The 22-player roster chosen to represent Canada at the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship includes two goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards, led by head coach Pierre Alain (Mirabel, Que./St-Jérôme, Collégial AA), as well as assistant coaches Jim Fetter (Waterloo, Ont./St. Cloud State University, WCHA) and Carla MacLeod (Calgary, Alta./Mount Royal University, ACAC).

Kristyn Capizzano (Oakville, Ont./Mississauga, PWHL), Catherine Dubois (Quebec City, Que./Ontario Hockey Academy, U19), Abbey Frazer (Hudson, Que./John Abbott College, Collégial AA) and Sarah Lefort (Ormstown, Que./Stanstead College, NAPHA) made their debuts in a Team Canada jersey at this event.

In preliminary round action, Canada defeated Switzerland 13-1 on Saturday, Germany 6-0 on Sunday and Finland 7-0 on Tuesday, earning a bye straight to semifinals Friday.

Kristen Lipscombe, Hockey Canada’s coordinator of communications, is on site in the Czech Republic for the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship. Please contact her for any interview requests at +4407714183062 or [email protected].

Follow Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at www.twitter.com/HC_TeamCanada, become a fan of Hockey Canada on Facebook for updates from the Czech Republic at www.facebook.com/HockeyCanada, and for more information, please visit www.HockeyCanada.ca.