Main Story

The third day of the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship featured statement wins and late-game drama. The U.S. blanked Germany 5-0, Sweden beat Finland 4-1 for its first Women’s Worlds win over its rival in 19 years, Switzerland edged Czechia 2-1 in overtime, and Canada routed Japan 9-0. Standouts included U.S. defender Caroline Harvey, Sweden’s Hilda Svensson, Swiss goalie Saskia Maurer and Canada’s Daryl Watts.

By the Numbers
  • United States 5, Germany 0; shots: 38-13.
  • Sweden 4, Finland 1; Sweden snapped a seven-game Women’s Worlds losing streak against Finland.
  • Switzerland 2, Czechia 1 (OT); shots: Czechia 34, Switzerland 13.
  • Canada 9, Japan 0; shots: 59-14.
  • Caroline Harvey recorded 2 assists and reached 44 career Women’s Worlds points, a tournament record for a defender.
Yes, But

Not every result reflected an evenly matched contest: Canada overwhelmed a Japan team playing on consecutive days, while the U.S. controlled Germany after an early barrage. Czechia, meanwhile, outshot Switzerland heavily but couldn’t convert its chances, as Saskia Maurer’s 33 saves and Alina Muller’s overtime goal lifted the Swiss.

State of Play
  • The U.S. and Canada lead their groups with 6 points apiece after two wins.
  • Sweden’s win puts it level with Finland at 3 points and strengthens its case as a rising contender.
  • Switzerland’s upset leaves it with a path to second place in Group A; Czechia has 4 points.
What’s Next

Monday’s schedule brings two lopsided matchups on paper: the U.S. faces Austria at 9 a.m. ET, and host Denmark takes on Canada at 1 p.m. ET.

Bottom Line

The tournament’s hierarchy is holding at the top, but Sweden and Switzerland showed they can disrupt expectations—and strong goaltending can make the gap between controlling a game and winning it.