Canada enters the final group stage game with one scenario in mind: win and they overtake the Czechs for first place overall. The Czechs have won their first four games by a combined score of 22-1 and look to feed off of the home crowd during the primetime showdown with Canada.

Canada and the host Czechs do battle in what could be gold medal showdown!
Michelle Marsz wasted no time getting to work for Canada on the powerplay just 1:27 in, as she beat the Czech goalie Zechovska clear from the point over the left shoulder. Despite the early goal Zechovska shined for the Czech women making two huge saves mid-way through the first off of Canadian rushes keeping the Czech women in it. And towards the end of the first the Czech women were rewarded with a two-man advantage but unable to cash in despite a number of shots.

The Czechs pushed hard but Sugiyama stood tall!
Mid-way through the second period, Canada found itself in penalty trouble again, and the Czechs nearly had the equalizer as they rang the left post. Sugiyama for Canada stood up to the challenge as the Czech women really pressed but the Canadian keeper kicked out two shots on the same sequence.
Canada’s top gun Jamie Lee Rattray stepped it up in the 3rd, generating a number of high-quality chances including a dangle that shook Zechovska but the ball somehow managed to stay out. The Czech’s fed off of the home energy and never stopped pressing, being rewarded with a powerplay late and finally got to Sugiyama with less than a minute to go. Canada would hold on and now await the U.S. in the semis!