Canada dominated Switzerland, but after more than 30 minutes of play they were unable to find the net.
Enter Sarah Feller.
Halfway through the second period, the budding star stepped into the hole and fired. The first sound was the ringing of a loud prism. But then, well done. Finally, after 21 shots, a goal.
The filler won’t stop there either. She added two more sets, sending picks flying on the ice at the CAA Center in Brampton, Ont., as Canada beat Switzerland 5-1 in the semifinals of the Women’s Hockey World Series on Saturday.
hour | Feller’s trick pushes Canada into the gold medal game:
Sarah Feller scored a hat-trick to tie the tournament lead with seven goals as Canada beat Switzerland 5-1 to advance to the women’s World Championship gold medal game against the United States.
He’s setting up a highly anticipated gold medal game on Sunday against the United States, who beat the Czech Republic 9-1. Canada’s Olympic gold medalists are chasing their third consecutive world title against a starving young American team of five juniors.
“It’s not hard to get up for this match, and I’m sure they’re saying the same thing there,” Feller said.
This will be the 22-year-old Feller’s fourth major final against the United States. She had won each of the previous three matches, helping to restore the competitive edge to Canada.
It’s really special
Georgetown, Ont. Citizen, now tied for the league lead with 10 goals, went on to go on with four assists.
“To achieve a hat-trick on Canadian soil 15 minutes from my hometown, many friends and family, and then share this moment with my teammates who have been on a crazy journey for the past three years, it’s really special,” she declared. .
After being suspended in Canada’s game against the Czech Republic, coach Troy Ryan took Feller aside for a chat. Ryan thought there was another level for Feller to reach.
“She’s at her best when she’s almost like a shark,” Ryan said. “She catches pucks and is always aggressive and offensive.”
Feller responded overwhelmingly and has scored eight points and five goals in four games since then. I remembered the conversation with Ryan on Saturday, saying it was all about mentality.
“I have to have the mindset that I can control the people I’ve loved my entire life,” she said. “And then it became a threat every time I stepped on the ice.”
His line, in which Sarah Nourse and Natalie Spooner centered, was the most productive in Canada.
Two of Spooner’s three assists in the game came on goals from Feller, while Nurse also contributed the assist. Jamie Lee Rattray added insurance with a power-play marker early in the third period.
Nurse, who also scored the winning goal in overtime in the quarter-final against Sweden, said their chemistry was the result of years together.
“Obviously we know Spooner is a big, big presence up front. Philly is obviously a very skilled player, and so she was able to find the right timing, the right positions for each other, it was a lot of fun playing with those two.”
Spooner, Nurse and Fillier spanned three generations of the team. They are in a row three, two, former Olympians.
Prior to the tournament, Spooner told CBC Sports that Feller brought it all.
“She always looks in the right place to score goals. She’s obviously very smart. She’s good in attack and she’s excellent in defense. So I mean, I think there’s a lot of things,” she said. “But if you look at her like you’ve just seen her, you’re like, ‘Wow, this girl can score goals.'” »»«
If Canada wants to beat the United States for the triple gold medal, they will need Filler to continue finding the leads.
Canada enters the gold medal game having beaten the Americans five straight times, including the final four in this year’s rivalry series.
hour | Canada vs USA – A hockey rivalry like no other:
Canada recently took first place over the United States in women’s hockey, and the two countries are preparing for another meeting at the Women’s Hockey World Championship.
That would put the country’s audience on their side, and an arena of less than 5,000 seats at times felt much louder than that – a level that should only be increased against the United States.
“It’s exactly what I dreamed of when I was young. We did it in Calgary a few years ago in front of friends and family.” [due to COVID-19 restrictions] So to play tomorrow in front of maybe 5,000 fans is really exciting,” said Feller.
But the Americans have to be confident after demolishing the Czech Republic, a match in which five players scored at least three points. Defender Caroline Harvey, 20, led with a goal and three assists while veterans Hillary Knight and Amanda Kessel each scored twice.
Even losing in the group stage to Canada didn’t leave the Americans feeling bad about themselves, as they forced extra time with two last-minute goals before going down on penalties.
The matches between rivals are always electric, Knight, the US captain, said.
“It’s just one of those rivalries that we just can’t put into words. It’s really special and there’s a lot at stake all the time,” she said.
American coach John Wroblewski wanted to place a lot of expectations on his young team.
Instead, she entertained Canadian talent, including Mary Philip Boleyn, a nurse and filler.
“There is a lot of experience and confidence,” he said. “Eliminating someone who is good at what they do is going to take every player away from a great performance.”
hour | How the hate fueled the 2002 women’s hockey gold game:
From lofty goals and controversial appeals to reckless folklore, the rivalry between Canada and the United States has come to a head in Salt Lake City.
