USA Beats Canada to Win 2025 Women's Hockey World Championship Behind Janecke OT Goal

Team USA forward Tessa Janecke scored an overtime game-winner to lead her team to a 4-3 win over Canada in the International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship on Sunday in České Budějovice, Czechia.

Late in OT, Canada committed a turnover in its own end after Taylor Heise collected a loose puck. She immediately found Janecke, who plays collegiately for Penn State, on the back side of the net. Janecke did the rest, and the United States emerged victorious.

Neither team scored in the first 27 minutes and 15 seconds, but the USA and Canada then combined for four goals in a 2:16 span.

Caroline Harvey scored first for the USA, followed by Abbey Murphy 29 seconds later.

Danielle Serdachny then scored at 8:37 for Canada to cut the deficit in half before Jennifer Gardiner put one home 55 seconds later for a two-all tie.

Heise put the Americans back up top at 5:27 of the third while on the power play. However, Sarah Fillier responded with 5:48 remaining in regulation.

It was a tough loss for Canada, which out-shot the USA 46-30 and came into the game scorching-hot after winning its knockout round games by a combined 15-1 score (7-0 over Switzerland, 8-1 over Finland).

The United States and Canada are the only teams to ever win the world championship, a tournament that began in 1990 and has been held 24 times overall. Canada has won on 13 occasions, including three of the last four times leading into this season.

Team USA won all four of its games in regulation during group play (including a 2-1 victory over Canada) before entering the knockout round. The Americans then beat Germany 3-0 and Czechia 2-1 to move onto the final.

Earlier on Sunday, Finland beat Czechia 4-3 to earn third place.