TIKKURILA, Finland – Canada’s National Women’s Team defeated Sweden 9-0 on Friday at Valtti Areena for its third straight win at the 2012 4 Nations Cup, earning a spot in Sunday’s gold medal game against the United States.

The puck drops for the gold medal game at 5 p.m. local time/10 a.m. ET, after Finland and Sweden face off for the bronze medal at 2 p.m. local time/7 a.m. ET. The gold medal game will not be broadcast on television, but you can follow live updates at www.hockeycanada.ca/nwt and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hc_teamcanada.

On Friday, netminder Shannon Szabados (Edmonton, Alta./Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, ACAC) made 27 saves to lead Canada to a 9-0 shutout win. It was also her second shutout of the tournament after beating Finland 6-0 on Tuesday. Canada scored twice in the first period, three times in the second and four more in the third to earn the win. Forwards Natalie Spooner (Scarborough, Ontario/Toronto, CWHL) and Jennifer Wakefield (Pickering, Ont./Toronto, CWHL) both scored twice in the victory. Later Friday, the United States beat Finland 15-1 to advance to the gold medal game.

Canada finished in first place during the preliminary round, defeating Finland 6-0 on Tuesday, the United States 3-1 on Wednesday and Sweden 9-0 on Friday. The Americans finished second, while host Finland came in third and Sweden settled for fourth place.

Canada has won 12 gold and three silver medals at the 3 Nations/4 Nations Cup since the tournament’s 1996 inception. Last November, Canada lost 4-3 in a shootout to the United States in the gold medal game in Nyköping, Sweden.

The 2012 4 Nations Cup will serve as an evaluation opportunity for Canada’s National Women’s Team coaching staff and Hockey Canada scouts for the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship in Ottawa, Ont., and 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Players will continue to be evaluated with their club teams during the 2012-13 season.

Following the tournament, all players that attended Canada’s National Women’s Team September Camp/Fall Festival will continue to be monitored with their club teams throughout the 2012-13 season, in order to select those that will represent Canada at the 2013 Meco Cup in Germany in January and the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship.

The 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship, taking place April 2-9 at SBP Arena and the Nepean Sportsplex, will mark the sixth time Canada has hosted the tournament. Canada also hosted in 1990 in Ottawa, 1997 in Kitchener, Ont., 2000 in Mississauga, Ont., 2004 in Halifax, N.S., and 2007 in Winnipeg, Man. The host committee is still recruiting volunteers for the event; please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/2013ottawa for more information.

Ticket packages for the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship are on sale now and include 12 games at SBP Arena, home of the Ottawa Senators, all Team Canada games and all medal round games. For more ticket information, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/2013ottawa, and to purchase 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship ticket packages, please CLICK HERE.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Francis Dupont, Hockey Canada’s manager of media relations, will be on site at the 2012 4 Nations Cup in Kerava and Tikkurila, Finland. He will be handling all interview requests and can be reached at [email protected].

For more information on Canada’s National Women’s Team and Hockey Canada, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/nwt, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_teamcanada.