Home ice wasn’t enough to help Team Canada end Finland’s lengthy hold on the world ringette championship last week.
The Finnish team skated off with a convincing 5-1 victory Saturday at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre in Burnaby. By winning the Sam Jacks championship final, the Finns locked up a seventh straight world title.
Finland led 3-0 at halftime, before Canada’s Jamie Bell replied.
Susanna Tapani and Anne Pohjola, with her third of the game, would dash any Canadian comeback hopes in the fourth quarter.
It was the second time the two teams met in the tournament, with Finland emerging with an 11-4 victory in Game 1 of their best-of-three final.
Pohjola was named the tourney’s top player. Earning the game MVP honours were Finland’s Maria Perkkola and Canada’s Erika Kiviaho, while tourney MVP awards were presented to Tapani and Canada’s Shaundra Bruvall.
The six-day tournament saw Canada capture the junior division title, out-lasting Finland 9-7 in a wild game. Sara Plouffe counted three goals and Megane Fortin a pair as the home side erased a 5-3 deficit with six goals before the fourth frame.
Sweden prevailed in the President’s Division, besting the U.S. 5-3.
