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BEIJING, China – Canada is just one victory away from winning the Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey again.
Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice to help the Canadian team crush Switzerland 10-3 on Monday in the semifinals of the Beijing Games tournament.
The Canadians advanced to the gold medal game, which will take place on Thursday at the Wukesong Sports Center.
They will cross swords with the winners of Monday night’s duel between the Americans and the Finns.
After four consecutive Olympic gold medals, Canada lost 3-2 in a shootout to the United States in the final in Pyeongchang in 2018.
Brianne Jenner, Jamie Lee Rattray, Blayre Turnbull, Renata Fast, Erin Ambrose, Emily Clark, Emma Maltais and Claire Thompson also scored for Canada on Monday.
With 53 goals in Beijing, the Canadians broke their own tournament record (44) set in 2010 in Vancouver.
Goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens saved 10 of 13 pucks after making 51 saves in a 4-2 win over the United States earlier in the tournament.
Thompson set a tournament record for most points by a defenseman. She had two goals and 10 assists in six games.
Jenner’s ninth goal tied the tournament record, jointly held by Canadian Meghan Agosta and Swiss Stefanie Marty.
Canada allowed more than two goals in a women’s hockey game for the first time in Beijing. Lara Stalder threaded the needle twice for Switzerland as Alina Mueller added a goal.
Saskia Maurer replaced Andrea Braendli in the Swiss net in the first period after Canada scored four goals in the space of 2:05, a tournament record.
The Canadians and Americans have met in every gold medal game except 2006 since women’s hockey made its Olympic debut in Nagano, Japan, in 1998.
The United States won the gold medal in 1998, before Canada won four consecutive Olympic titles.
Mélodie Daoust, who led Canada in points to win the world title last summer, returned to the roster on Monday. She hadn’t played since suffering an upper-body injury on February 3.
