Hockey·Roundup

United States shuts out Switzerland to open world women's hockey championship title defence

Lina Ljungblom scored the winning goal as Sweden opened the world women's hockey championship with a 3-1 win over Denmark on Wednesday in Utica, N.Y.

Sweden defeats Denmark 3-1; Czech Republic blank Finland 4-0

The Canadian Press · Posted: Apr 03, 2024 2:28 PM EDT | Last Updated: April 4

A group of women's hockey players celebrate a goal. — United States players celebrate a goal in a file photo from 2023. Team USA opened its title defence with a 4-0 win against Switzerland at the 2024 world women's hockey championship on Wednesday. (Zac BonDurant/Getty Images)

Haley Winn scored twice while Hilary Knight had a goal and two assists, and the United States opened its title defence with a 4-0 win over Switzerland at the 2024 world women's hockey championship on Wednesday.

Knight is the tournament's all-time points (103) and goals leader (62).

Kendall Coyne Schofield, with her first international goal since returning from maternity leave, also scored for the U.S.

Aerin Frankel made 11 saves to earn a shutout.

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Switzerland's Andrea Braendli stopped 51 shots against a high-flying United States offence.

After a scoreless first period, Wynn got the Americans on the board 5:23 into the second.

Coyne Schofield doubled the lead later in the second before Knight and Wynn gave the U.S. a commanding lead in the third.

The U.S. beat Canada 6-3 in the final to win gold last year in Brampton, Ont.

Canada plays its first game Thursday against Finland.

Sweden opens with win over Denmark

Lina Ljungblom scored the winning goal as Sweden opened with a win over Denmark.

Ljungblom's goal came late in the second period with Sweden on a power play. Sofie Lundin's shot pass found an unmarked Ljungblom, whose shot beat Danish goaltender Emma-Sofie Nordstrom.

Lundin also set up Josefin Bouveng's insurance goal in the third period.

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Sweden's Felizia Wikner-Zienkiewicz opened the scoring around the midway point of the second period.

Nicoline Jensen scored for Denmark with eight and a half minutes remaining.

Swedish goaltender Emma Soderberg faced just five shots.

Nordstrom made 36 saves for Denmark.

Czechs blank Finland

Adela Sapovalivova, Klara Hymlarova and Natalie Mlynkova each had a goal and an assist to lead the Czech Republic to a convincing 4-0 win over Finland.

Sapovalivova scored the winner 12:46 into the second period when she pounced on a rebound and put a backhand shot past Finnish goaltender Sanni Ahola.