LINKOPING, SWEDEN – Canada’s National Women’s Team captured the silver medal at the IIHF World Women’s Championship losing to the US 1-0 (3-1) in a shootout. Canada’s goaltender Kim St.-Pierre, who was perfect through regulation and overtime, was Canada’s player of the game while goaltender Chanda Gunn was named USA’s player of the game backstopping her team to the gold medal.

Canada did not allow a goal against throughout the entire tournament in regulation and overtime and it took a shootout loss for them to register their lone goal against for the Championship.

Canada had won gold at all previous eight World Women’s Hockey Championships, beating the USA each time, but bring home the silver medal at the 2005 Championship stopping their winning streak at eight straight world championships.

After a scoreless game in regulation and overtime, the game went to a shootout. Natalie Darwitz, Angela Ruggiero and Krissy Wendell scored for the USA in the shootout. Canada’s Sarah Vaillancourt was Canada’s lone goal scorer in the shootout.

The 2005 IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship gold medal game marks the first time in its history that a game has been decided by a shootout.

Canada will be returning home on Sunday, April 10th, arriving at Toronto Pearson International airport at 3:30pm ET (Lufthansa flight # 470). Players and staff will board connecting flights to their final destinations after arriving into Toronto on Sunday. Canada’s returning flight schedule is available online at Hockey Canada’s Official website www.hockeycanada.ca.

IIHF Directorate Awards

Top Goaltender: Chanda Gunn (USA)

Top Defenceman:
Angela Ruggiero (USA)

Top Forward:
Jayna Hefford (CAN)

TOURNAMENT ALL-STAR TEAM (as voted on by members of the media):

Goaltender: Natalya Turnova (KAZ)

Forwards:
Cheryl Pounder (CAN)
Hayley Wickeneiser (CAN)

Krissy Wendell (USA)

Defencemen:
Angela Ruggerio (USA)

Cheryl Pounder (CAN)

Final Standings:

1. USA, WWC Gold Medal
2. Canada, WWC Silver Medal
3. Sweden, WWC Bronze Medal
4. Finland
5. Germany
6. China
7. Kazakhstan
8. Russia

For more information on Team Canada’s National Women’s team and women’s development programs, visit: www.hockeycanada.ca .