Desbiens, Shelton guide Canada past Finland at women's hockey world championship

Canada opened the women's world hockey championship with a 4-1 win over Finland on Thursday.

Defender Ella Shelton led Canada with a goal and two assists. Brianne Jenner, Emma Maltais and Julia Gosling also scored at the Adirondack Back Center.

Ann-Renee Desbiens made 33 saves to improve to a career 36-7 with the national women's team.

Petra Nieminen scored Finland's lone goal.

St. Cloud State University goaltender Sanni Ahola stopped 32 shots for the Finns after a 29-save performance in a 4-0 loss to Czechia the previous day.

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Captain Marie-Philip Poulin was in Canada's lineup Thursday after sitting out an 8-2 pre-tournament win over Finland in Kingston, Ont.

Poulin missed PWHL Montreal's last three games before the international break with an undisclosed injury.

Canada had 18 hours to recover before the puck dropped on its second game of the tournament Friday afternoon against Switzerland (0-1).

Canada led 1-0 and 3-1 at period breaks.

The Canadians were scoreless on a pair of power-play chances in the first period and held Finland to 0-for-3 in the second.

With Ahola down in a goal-mouth scramble, Shelton roofed the puck for a power-play goal at 17:40.

Canada's roughing and hooking penalties with Ahola pulled gave the Finns a six-on-three for the final 12 seconds, but Desbiens repelled their final attack.

Canada led 3-1 on Gosling's goal with 32 seconds remaining in the second period.