In a hard-fought thriller, Tessa Janecke scored the overtime winner as the U.S. defeated archrival Canada 4-3 to win the gold medal at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Ceske Budejovice. It's the first American Women's Worlds title since 2023 and ends Canada's reign.

Janecke's goal at 17:06 capped off the longest game in Women's Worlds history. On the forecheck, the Penn State forward pressured Canadian blueliner Jocelyne Larocque behind the net, and Larocque misfired on a breakout pass that wound up on the stick of Taylor Heise. The Minnesota Frost star found Janecke back door, and she made no mistake for her third of the tournament. Janecke tossed her stick exuberantly over the glass as her teammates mobbed her.

"It's just sweeter, coming back from losing last year and being able to persevere," Janecke said.

Despite squandering a two-goal second-period lead, the U.S. just kept on battling to earn its 11th Women's Worlds gold medal of all time.

The latest chapter in the greatest rivalry in women’s sports was also an exciting climax to the 12-day tournament in Czechia, which hosted the Women’s Worlds for the first time.

"I think this is a watershed moment for women's hockey, and it's really exciting to be a part of," said U.S. captain Hilary Knight.

Knight captured the record-setting 10th Women’s Worlds gold medal of her career. Knight, 35, is also the tournament’s all-time leading scorer with 67 goals and 120 points.

Final shots favoured Canada 47-30.

This was billed as a showdown between the PWHL's top two North American goalies (by pro wins and save percentage). Canada's Ann-Renee Desbiens, who plays for the Montreal Victoire, made 26 saves. The U.S.'s Aerin Frankel, who plays for the Boston Fleet, recorded 27 saves before getting knocked out of the game in the third period in a collision with Laura Stacey. Backup Gwyneth Philips held down the fort for victory.
 
Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin (4+8=12) won the tournament scoring title for the second time in her career (13 points, 2013). The legendary Quebec-born veteran is shining at a good time. Poulin is the only player – male or female – to score in four Olympic finals (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), and she could well make it five in Milan in February 2026.

Danielle Serdachny, who scored Canada's 6-5 overtime winner at the 2024 Women's Worlds, commented on Poulin's selection as tournament MVP: "I think it just speaks to the player she is, but also the leader she is for our team. I know that's probably not what she wanted to walk away from with this tournament, but I think she is the greatest player of all time, so super well-deserving."

After a scoreless first period in which Canada outshot the U.S. 14-8 and Poulin and Janecke failed to capitalize on golden chances, things got wild in the second period.

The teams each tallied a pair of goals within a span of just 2:16. First, the Americans blew the game open with two goals 29 seconds apart from their young guns.

At 7:16, Caroline Harvey drew first blood. The puck squirted to the flashy Wisconsin defender out of a scramble with Knight in front of the Canadian net and from the right faceoff circle, she zinged the puck off Desbiens' left post. Harvey, who led this tournament in points in 2023 and 2024, celebrated by miming a phone call, a reference to her phone having fallen out of her hockey equipment and on the ice during the U.S.'s quarter-final win over Germany.

At 7:41, the U.S. went up 2-0 on a play that had blooper reel written all over it. Kendall Coyne Schofield flipped the puck in on net from centre ice, and when the Canadian netminder couldn't corral it, the pesky Abbey Murphy raced in to put the rebound home before sliding into the boards.

Canada wasn't fazed. The champs struck back 52 seconds later. After Emily Clark failed to connect with a wraparound, U.S. defender Megan Keller's clearing attempt went inadvertently to Renata Fast, who sent it cross-ice to Serdachny. She didn't get much on her shot, but it slid past Frankel's left skate.

The top Canadian line's aggressive forecheck paid off once again. At 9:32, Jennifer Gardiner bagged the 2-2 equalizer, converting Poulin's Gretzky-like pass from behind the net before Frankel even realized she'd left the left side open.

"I think in general we carried the play enough to potentially be successful," said Canadian coach Troy Ryan. "But the margins for error are so small."

In the third period, the physicality ramped up.

Early in a U.S. power play with Sarah Nurse off for elbowing, Frankel came out to play the puck in the faceoff circle to her right, and a forechecking Stacey bowled her over. She lay on the ice as U.S. trainers rushed to attend to her. Frankel went to the bench and Philips came in to replace her at 4:35.

"She was unbelievable," Harvey said of the 25-year-old Ottawa Charge goalie. "She stepped right in and she played like a vet, it was unbelievable. She rose to the occasion, she was ready, she was confident. We had full confidence in her and she got the job done. We’re so proud of her."

Stacey was assessed a minor penalty for charging, giving the U.S. an extended 5-on-3. After the Americans set up Laila Edwards for a couple of heavy shots, Murphy sent the puck to Heise in the right faceoff circle. Heise, who led this tournament with 18 points in 2022, cued up a wrist shot that beat Desbiens top corner to the stick side at 5:27.

Never-say-die Canada tied it up at 14:12. Clark tried to bang the puck in at the side and it bounced off Philips out front to Sarah Fillier, who shot it in through traffic.

Regulation having settled nothing, it was off to overtime. Canada's Daryl Watts set up Fillier for a fantastic chance off the rush in the first minute. Near the seven-minute mark, Janecke fired wide on a 2-on-1. Harvey and Stacey traded dramatic rushes.

"Multiple times in that overtime or even in the third, either group could have won it," Ryan said. "Just a matter of finishing the opportunities that you get. I don’t think there was anything lopsided in that game. It could have gone either way."

The result only adds fuel to the fire as these powerhouses prepare for the 2026 Winter Games in less than a year. Canada is the reigning Olympic champion. It beat the U.S. 3-2 in the 2022 final in Beijing, China.

To illustrate just how tight this rivalry is, Canada and the U.S. came into this game with identical 104-104 goal differences against each other. And it was the 23rd time in 24 Women’s Worlds finals that the North American giants have done battle with each other.

About taking revenge on Canada for the home-ice loss in Utica in 2024, Murphy said: "Are you kidding? It's pretty fun. You know, hell of a crowd out there. And obviously it's never fun to lose on home soil. So we were coming back here for a little revenge tour, and got it done."

After this magnificent display at a tournament that drew an all-time record 122,331 fans, women's hockey fans worldwide can't wait for February. Canada will be shooting for its sixth Olympic title of all time (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2022), while the U.S. will aim for its third title (1998, 2018).

"Obviously, if I'm selected to be on that team, I'm going to be happy," Heise said. "The last Olympics, I got cut right before they went to residency, so I never got to experience that, and this would be my first one. So very, very excited!"