In a thrilling gold-medal game at the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Utica, N.Y., Canada emerged victorious over Team USA in overtime. Danielle Serdachny scored the game-winning goal, giving Canada a 6-5 win over their rivals. The high-scoring game saw both teams trading leads, with the margin never more than one goal. Despite strong performances from veterans like Hilary Knight and Marie-Philip Poulin, it was young stars like 22-year-old Serdachny, who made her world championship debut in 2023, and 20-year-old Laila Edwards, who tied for the tournament lead with six goals, that shone on the international stage.
The tournament also saw the Czech Republic and Finland make waves, with the Czechs settling for a fourth-place finish after a shootout loss to Finland. The Finns claimed their first medal since 2021, showcasing the growing parity in women’s hockey. The Swiss and German teams also displayed their competitive spirit, with Switzerland securing the fifth-place spot over Germany in an overtime win. With the next Women’s Worlds event scheduled for Ceske Budejovice in 2025, the competition is expected to continue evolving.
Off the ice, the tournament saw impressive attendance numbers, with over 68,000 fans attending games at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, a 15 percent increase from the previous tournament in 2023. While the U.S. and Canada dominated their opponents throughout the tournament, the emergence of strong European teams like Sweden and the Czech Republic indicates a need for a re-evaluation of the two-tier format. As the European nations narrow the gap with North American teams, a new approach may be necessary to ensure equitable competition and continued growth in women’s hockey.
The focus now shifts back to the PWHL, where games are set to resume in mid-April. With just over two weeks remaining in the regular season, the race for the playoffs is heating up. All six teams are still vying for the four playoff spots, with seeding still to be determined. Young players like Serdachny and Edwards will look to continue their success at the pro level, with Serdachny expected to declare for the PWHL draft in June. As women’s hockey continues to grow, the next generation of stars is poised to make their mark on the sport.
