Gophers women's hockey player Taylor Heise and former Gopher Amanda Kessel combined for five goals and four assists to lead the United States to a 10-1 victory over the previously unbeaten Czech Republic in Saturday's semifinals at the world championship in Herning, Denmark.
Canada routed Switzerland 8-1 in the other semifinal, setting up another showdown in the final between the two powerhouses.
Since the inaugural women's worlds in 1990, Canada and the U.S. have faced each other in every final except 2019. Canada has won the world championship 11 times and the United States has won it nine times.
Canada beat the U.S. in overtime in last year's final in Calgary, which ended a run of five straight titles by the Americans. Canada also beat the U.S. in the Olympic final in Beijing in February, but the U.S. topped the Canadians 5-2 on Tuesday in the group stage.
Heise had two goals and three assists. Her seven goals, 11 assists and 18 points are all tops in the tournament. Her point total is the second-highest for one world tournament (behind U.S. forward Cindy Curley, who had 23 in 1990), and her assist total is one off the tournament record held by Curley as well.
Kessel had three goals and one assist. She is second in the tournament in scoring with 16 points (six goals, 10 assists).
"We're doing the little things right," Heise said. "I think sometimes you can get away from that. We're trying to create space in tight and we have such skilled players it's easy to make those plays."
Hilary Knight scored twice to extend her all-time tournament records to 89 points and 53 goals.
