CALGARY — Canada claimed its first women’s world hockey championship in almost a decade Tuesday when Marie-Philip Poulin scored the overtime winner in a 3-2 victory over the United States.

The Canadians won gold nine years after their last time atop the podium in 2012, and after not reaching the final for the first time in the history of the tournament in 2019.

The U.S had won five world titles in a row and eight of the previous nine.

Poulin scored at 7:22 of 3-on-3 overtime. Brianne Jenner passed the puck up to the captain whose shot went off the crossbar and into the net.

The goal was initially waived off by an on-ice official, but the Canadians were soon piling on top of each other in celebration.

“It’s been awhile since 2012. It’s been a long time coming,” Poulin said. “The team showed up tonight and I think we stayed resilient.”

Assistant captain Blayre Turnbull suffered a leg injury during the celebration pileup. She was carried off the ice before returning to celebrate from a stretcher with her teammates during the Canadian anthem.

Jenner had a goal and two assists and Jamie Lee Rattray also scored for Canada. Defender Jocelyne Larocque had two assists. Ann-Renee Desbiens made 23 saves in the win.

Alex Carpenter scored twice for the U.S. Nicole Hensley turned away 29 shots in the loss.

Canada and the U.S. required extra time to decide the world champion for the fifth time in their last seven clashes for the gold medal.

“That’s why it’s the greatest rivalry in sports,” U.S. forward Amanda Kessel said.

The U.S. led 2-0 after the opening period on Carpenter’s two goals, but the hosts drew even in the second.

Rattray tipped Larocque’s shot from the point between Hensley’s pads for an equalizer at 6:42.

Jenner halved the deficit with a power-play goal 4:13. In a goal-mouth scramble, the assistant captain went backhand to forehand to beat Hensley’s glove.

Carpenter spun and tucked the puck under Desbiens for a power-play goal at 12:35 of the first period.

Desbiens had gloved Lee Stecklein’s shot from the point, but dropped the puck in front of her. Carpenter shovelled her own rebound between Desbiens’ pads at 9:55.

Melodie Daoust, who was named tournament MVP, led the tournament in scoring with six goals and six assists in seven games, ahead of teammate Jenner with three goals and seven assists in six games.

Poulin reinforced her reputation as a golden goaler. She scored twice for Canada in a 2-0 win over the Americans to win Olympic gold in 2010.

The 30-year-old from Beauceville, Que., scored a late equalizer and the overtime winner against the U.S. four years later for another Olympic gold.

Poulin didn’t play in a 5-1 win over the U.S. in the preliminary round in Calgary. She taken a hard shot in the upper chest earlier in the tournament.

Her laser over Hensley’s shoulder Tuesday pulled Canada to the top of the women’s hockey podium again.

“If you see 29 open, you’ve got to put it on her stick and she does the rest,” Jenner said.

Canada went unbeaten through the championship in Calgary.

Troy Ryan won his first tournament as Canada’s head coach. He faces the prospect of Turnbull sidelined as Canada prepares for February’s Winter Olympics in Beijing.

“It looked bad. I was right beside it as she was coming off the ice. Obviously a terrible situation,” Ryan said.

The Canadians didn’t reach the final for the first time in the history of the women’s championship in 2019, when they lost 4-2 to host Finland in a semi-final in Espoo.

The COVID-19 pandemic stifling international women’s hockey meant a long wait for another chance at gold.

The 2020 women’s championship in Halifax and Truro, N.S., was cancelled. Those communities were awarded the tournament again in 2021.

After a postponement from April to May, Nova Scotia’s premier at the time pulled the plug on the tournament the day teams were departing for the province.

The men’s under-18 championship in Texas in April, and the men’s world championship in Latvia in May were completed.

Hockey Canada relocated and rescheduled the women’s championship to Calgary in August less than six months out from the Olympics.

Hockey Canada didn’t sell tickets in Calgary. Only family members were allowed into a dedicated section of WinSport’s Markin MacPhail Centre. Players from other countries watched Tuesday’s final from the other side of the arena.

Players, team personnel and officials were tested for COVID-19 before arrival, during a five-day quarantine before the tournament and during the event.

They were confined to the tournament hotel and the arena, and travelled by bus between the two sites.

There were no positive tests for the coronavirus in over 3,000 conducted, and all teams will be able to travel Wednesday, the International Ice Hockey Federation said Tuesday.

Finland beat Switzerland for the bronze medal earlier Tuesday.

Canada, the U.S., Finland, Switzerland, Russia, Japan and host China have berths in the 10-country Olympic women’s hockey field. The remaining three spots will be filled via Olympic qualifying tournaments in November.

The IIHF is expected to approve in September the addition of the women’s championship to Olympic years starting in 2022 in August. A host city has yet to be named.

The women’s tournament would revert back to spring in non-Olympic years.

The IIHF is also expected to expand women’s rosters to 25, including three goaltenders, to match the men’s rosters at future world championships.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 31, 2021.

EDMONTON — Four more Albertans have died due to COVID-19 as the number of patients in hospital continues to rise, according to the province’s latest data released Tuesday. 

The province reported 920 new cases as well as 431 coronavirus patients in hospital, including 106 in intensive care units on Tuesday. 

The number of patients in hospital and ICU are both at levels last seen at the start of June.

More than 89 per cent of those in ICU are unvaccinated, as are close to 74 per cent of those in hospital.

The four deaths were in people ranging in age from in their 50s to over 80 years old and bring the province’s death toll to 2,375.

The active case count rose for a 45th consecutive day, up to 11,660, about where it was in late May.

The province reported a 12.42 per cent test positivity rate based on about 7,500 tests. Since July 29, testing has been recommended only for those with symptoms.

Among eligible Albertans, 78 per cent have received a first dose of vaccine and 69.8 per cent have had two doses.

The next data update is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

EDMONTON — Alberta Health Services employees, including frontline healthcare workers, will have to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

AHS announced its vaccine mandate on Tuesday and required all workers to be fully immunized by Oct. 31. The latest day employees can get their second dose to be in compliance of the new policy is Oct. 16.

“This is an extraordinary but necessary measure to help protect our vital frontline healthcare teams and help us maintain a safe environment for all patients and clients” said AHS president and CEO Dr. Verna Yiu.

The mandate also applies to employees at Alberta Precision Labs, Carewest, CapitalCare and Covenant Health, as well as contracted continuing care providers and healthcare workers.

AHS employees who can’t get vaccinated due to a medical reason or a reason protected under the Alberta Human Rights Act “will be reasonably accommodated,” AHS said.

Dr. Yiu said similar policies are in place in Ontario, B.C. and Manitoba, and added mandatory vaccinations are supported by Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Nurses Association and Alberta Medical Association.

If a worker does not want to get vaccinated, Dr. Yiu said “it may result in an unpaid leave of absence to allow for compliance and for them to consider vaccinations.”

The latest day employees can get their second dose to be in compliance of the new policy is Oct. 16.

EDMONTON — RCMP in Fort McMurray are investigating after a memorial made to honour children who never came home after attending residential schools was “unlawfully disassembled.”

Mounties said that sometime Saturday afternoon or evening a person or group of people removed shoes, part of the memorial in front of the Jubilee Centre at 9909 Franklin Ave., and placed them in a pile around a nearby flower bed with a sign stating: “Garage Sale, all items free.”

The makeshift memorial was created in response to the discovery of unmarked graves at residential schools across Canada and in support of the Every Child Matters movement, RCMP said. It was to remain until Sept. 30, Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Wood Buffalo RCMP say they are investigating the incident as “mischief.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Wood Buffalo RCMP at 780-788-4040 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

EDMONTON — An Edmonton-based charity serving Albertans for 34 years has had their lease terminated after the province decided to halt support funding.

Edmonton Emergency Relief Services Society (EERSS) says it relied on provincial funding to support the maintenance of its warehouse building and subsidized rent payments for its location at 10255 104 St.

“Our greatest supporter has been the Government of Alberta,” the organization said in a statement. “Without this support, ERRSS would never have been able to continue supporting Albertans.

“Alberta Infrastructure has decided not to continue support and maintenance of the building.”

The non-profit said it had been in conversations with the province for three years and through two changes of government to agree on a solution to the building issue. Before the last provincial election, EERSS says it was provided “assurances” of continued support and a plan to purchase the building with the assistance of a local developer.

“The Government of Alberta did not go forward with the plan, as an election was called, and we were back to square one,” EERSS said.

The organization’s lease was terminated on Aug. 23. It is expected to vacate the building by Sept. 30.

“As EERSS does not have the funding at this time or support to purchase or lease a new space, we are forced to close our doors indefinitely.”

EERSS responds to emergencies to provide Albertans with essentials like clothing, blankets, and toiletries. The organization formed in 1986 and has helped Albertans through disasters, including the Black Friday tornado in 1987, Fort McMurray and Slave Lake fires, and 2018 floods in Southern Alberta.

Hadyn Place, press secretary to the minister of infrastructure, said in a statement to CTV News Edmonton that taxpayers supported EERSS with a no-cost lease at a government surplus warehouse since 1988.

“Six years ago, the society’s rental agreement was moved to a month-to-month arrangement, with the understanding that any major issues with the building may result in the society needing to find new accommodations,” Place said.

According to Place, keeping the current warehouse EERSS uses would require taxpayers to pay more than $90,000 annually for operations and around $2 million in maintenance.

“In recent years it became clear that this building was no longer feasible to maintain,” he added. “Government is managing the province’s buildings and facilities in a cost-effective way to ensure the best use of taxpayer dollars.”

EERSS is asking Albertans to donate to help the organization as they transition and move from their current warehouse. Donations can be made through their GoFundMe or Canada Helps.

“We would like to thank all our supporters and the generosity of Albertans over the last 34 years,” EERSS said. “You have made an extreme difference in the lives of those affected by disasters as well as providing the basic essentials to those affected by poverty, new immigrants and refugees to Alberta.”