US to play Czechs at women's ice hockey worlds. Canada vs. Finland in other semifinal game

CESKE BUDEJOVICE, Czech Republic — Jennifer Gardiner and Sarah Fillier both struck twice and Canada grabbed a spot in the semifinals at the women's ice hockey world championship by routing Japan 9-1 on Thursday.

Canada will play Finland for a spot in the final, and the United States will meet host Czech Republic in Saturday's other last-four matchup.

Captain Marie-Philip Poulin assisted on Julia Gosling's power-play goal as she became the fourth player to reach 200 appearances for Canada.

Claire Thompson had a goal and two assists, and Ella Shelton, Emily Clark and Sophie Jaques also scored for Canada. Renata Fast had three assists.

Thompson opened the scoring and Gardiner doubled the lead late in the first period before Mei Miura scored for Japan to make it 2-1 in the second on a breakaway.

Canada, the defending champion, answered with goals from Shelton, Fillier and Gosling in a span of 3:14 later in the period to jump to a 5-1 lead.

Gardiner added her second early in the final period for her fifth overall at the tournament and a lead of the goal scoring table.

Fillier and Clark made it 8-1 with goals scored 48 seconds apart before Jaques finished the demolition with 59 seconds to go.

Earlier, the United States blanked Germany 3-0 to reach the semifinals.

Kelly Pannek, Lacey Eden and Alex Carpenter each scored and captain Hilary Knight registered an assist to extend her record at the worlds to 51.

Aerin Frankel made 12 saves in the shutout. Germany last scored against the U.S. at the worlds in 2008.

''Today was an important game, we battled and continued to fight,'' U.S. coach John Wroblewski said. ''Germany is a tough, physical team and we stuck to our game and got the win.''

Pannek one-timed a shot from the left circle for her third goal at the tournament 5:36 into the quarterfinal. Eden added the second midway through the opening period from the slot.

Carpenter scored from close range with 1:07 remaining in the second period.

The U.S. has reached the final in all 23 previous worlds and won 10 titles.

In the following game, Natálie Mlýnková scored a hat trick as the Czech Republic produced a five-goal opening period en route to a 7-0 rout of Switzerland and a fourth straight semifinal appearance.

Mlýnková scored two power-play goals and added another short-handed. Tereza Vanišová and Kristýna Kaltounková each had a goal and two assists, and Daniela Pejšov, and Denisa Křížová also scored for the Czechs, who claimed bronze in two of the previous three years of the championship.

Klára Peslarová stopped 14 shots for her shutout.

Earlier, Finland beat Sweden 3-2.

Jenniina Nylund and Ronja Savolainen put Finland, last year's bronze medalist, 2-0 ahead in the opening period.

Sweden answered through goals from Ebba Hedqvist and Josefin Bouveng in the second.

Susanna Tapani gave the Finns the lead for good with 8:14 remaining in the frame.

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AP women's hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey