Ward, St-Pierre play roles as Canada swarms Swedes in Finland

HÄMEENLINNA, Finland – Catherine Ward, a blueliner with the McGill Martlets, registered up an assist and Kim St-Pierre, a McGill graduate from Chateauguay, Que., posted an 18-save shutout as Canada swarmed Sweden with a 7-0 whitewash in preliminary play at the world hockey championship in Finland, Monday.

Canada had a 39-18 margin in shots as they clinched first place in their pool and advanced to the medal round.

St-Pierre made a key save on a screened shot by Cecilia Ostberg late in the second period to preserve a 3-0 lead and she held off a Swedish charge late in the third when they had a two-man advantage.

Ward, an all-Canadian rearguard from Town of Mt. Royal, Que., earned her second assist of the tourney when she set up Marie-Philip Poulin on Canada’s first marker of the third period to put the Canucks ahead 4-0.

Defenceman Carla MacLeod of Calgary paced Canada's offence with a goal and four assists. Captain Hayley Wickenheiser scored shorthanded for her third of the tournament and 19-year-old Rebecca Johnston of Sudbury, Ont., also notched her third.

Poulin of Beauceville, Que., and Montreal forward Caroline Ouellette each contributed their second goal in as many games. Colleen Sostorics of Kennedy, Sask., chipped in a power-play goal and Winnipeg's Jennifer Botterill also scored for Canada.

Canada exacted revenge for its first loss ever to Sweden in their previous meeting, which the Swedes won 2-1 in overtime at the Four Nations Cup in November. That loss in Lake Placid, N.Y., ended Canada’s 56-game unbeaten run against Sweden. The Swedes earned their first win over Canada on the strength of two power-play goals. Canada's penalty-killers killed off six chances Monday, including a five-on-three in the third.