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

CESKE BUDEJOVICE, Czech Republic (AP) — 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.

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

Japan's Mei Miura, right, scores her sides first goal past Kristen Campbell of Canada during the quarterfinal match between Canada and Japan at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Japan's Mei Miura, left, celebrates with Japan's Makoto Ito after scoring her sides first goal during the quarterfinal match between Canada and Japan at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Jennifer Gardiner of Canada, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring her sides second goal during the quarterfinal match between Canada and Japan at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Japan's Miyuu Masuhara fails to make a save during the quarterfinal match between Canada and Japan at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Japan's Miyuu Masuhara, center, makes a save against Daryl Watts of Canada, right, and Laura Stacey of Canada during the quarterfinal match between Canada and Japan at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Claire Thompson of Canada, down, celebrates with teammates after scoring her sides first goal during the quarterfinal match between Canada and Japan at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Andrea Braendli of Switzerland sits on ice during the quarterfinal match between Czech Republic and Switzerland at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Kristyna Kaltounkova of Czech Republic, right, celebrates after scoring her sides fourth gola during the quarterfinal match between Czech Republic and Switzerland at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Kaleigh Quennec of Switzerland controls the puck during the quarterfinal match between Czech Republic and Switzerland at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Lara Stalder of Switzerland, right, challenges Aneta Tejralova of Czech Republic during the quarterfinal match between Czech Republic and Switzerland at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Sweden's Emma Soderberg, right, makes a save during the quarterfinal match between Finland and Sweden at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Sweden's Emma Soderberg fails to make a save during the quarterfinal match between Finland and Sweden at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Finland's Jenniina Nylund, 2nd left, celebrates with teammates after scoring her sides first goal during the quarterfinal match between Finland and Sweden at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Finland's Susanna Tapani celebrates after scoring her sides third goal during the quarterfinal match between Finland and Sweden at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Germany's Sandra Abstreiter makes a save during the quarterfinal match between United States and Germany at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Germany's Ronja Hark, right, chatges United States' Abbey Murphy during the quarterfinal match between United States and Germany at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Germany's Carina Strobel, back, checks United States' Hilary Knight during the quarterfinal match between United States and Germany at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

United States' Taylor Heise, back checks Germany's Laura Kluge during the quarterfinal match between United States and Germany at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Germany's Laura Kluge, down, collides with United States' Britta Curl during the quarterfinal match between United States and Germany at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Germany's Sandra Abstreiter, right, makes a save against United States' Lacey Eden during the quarterfinal match between United States and Germany at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

United States' Aerin Frankel makes a save during the quarterfinal match between United States and Germany at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

United States' Lacey Eden, right, celebrates after scoring her sides first goal during the quarterfinal match between United States and Germany at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

President Donald Trump was heading to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the first leg of his three-nation visit to the Middle East this week meant to tackle multiple crises and conflicts across the region.

His first stop is a visit to Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two are to hold talks on U.S. efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, end the war in Gaza, hold down oil prices and more.

The crown prince is also expected to fete Trump with a formal dinner and a gathering of members of the Gulf Cooperation Council — made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — later on Tuesday.

Here's the Latest:

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday that America and China now have a “mechanism” to avoid tensions.

He spoke at an investment forum just before Trump was to land in Saudi Arabia.

“We had a plan, we had a process. What we did not have with the Chinese was a mechanism,” Bessent told the forum. “After this weekend, we have a mechanism to avoid escalation like we had before.”

Bessent said America could have a “big, beautiful rebalancing” with China as Beijing aims to have more of a consumption-based economy and Trump wants to see more precision manufacturing done in the U.S.

Previous trips by U.S. presidents to the kingdom have drawn comments about Saudi Arabia being “milked” by the Americans for oil and dollars for military sales.

But this time, Iranian newspapers and state television largely are not discussing Trump’s trip in detail.

The quiet may be due to the fact Riyadh and Tehran have been in a Chinese-mediated detente since 2023. Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, a brother to the Saudi crown prince, also traveled to Tehran in a high-level visit unthinkable in recent years of tensions between the two Mideast rivals.

Hussein Ibish, an analyst at the Washington-based Arab Gulf States Institute, said Saudi Arabia’s economic development projects at home means the kingdom wants peace across the region.

American and Saudi flags are lining the streets in Saudi Arabia’s capital ahead of Trump's arrival, along with a noticeable security presence in Riyadh of all American-made police cars.

At a “Media Oasis” set up for journalists, giant video screens showed off Saudi construction projects like its futuristic NEOM city and its hosting of the 2034 FIFA World Cup. A mobile McDonald’s sat in the parking lot, still shuttered.

Prince Turki al-Faisal, who led Saudi intelligence for more than two decades and served as ambassador to the U.S. and Britain, wrote in the English-language Arab News newspaper to Trump that “our doors and hearts are open to you.”

Saudi Arabia’s tightly controlled media offered positive comments regarding Trump’s visit. Columnists in the kingdom sought to describe the visit as part of a strategic reset in American-Saudi relations, which date back to when then-President Franklin Roosevelt met King Saud aboard the USS Quincy in 1945.

“Many countries around the world, including in Europe, are following Saudi Arabia’s lead in managing their affairs with Trump,” wrote Abdulrahman al-Rashed in Asharq Al-Awsat. “The era of relying solely on political and military alliances with Washington is over; the focus now is on forging shared interests.”

Faisal J. Abbas of the English-language Arab News wrote that “the significance of the visit cannot be overstated — nor could its timing be more crucia,” given Saudi Arabia’s mediation in the Russia-Ukraine war and the recent conflict between India and Pakistan.

He also acknowledged business deals would be part of the trip as well.

“Putting America first does not mean ignoring opportunities abroad; it means seizing them,” Abbas added.

Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia comes as the president can already point to one thing for American voters — oil prices are down.

It’s not Trump’s doing, though he’s repeatedly criticized Saudi Arabia and the OPEC+ oil cartel over higher oil prices in the past. Those prices translate directly back into gasoline prices in the United States, which can become a major pain point for the U.S. public. The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. is $3.13, according to AAA, down from $3.61 a year ago.

Right now, benchmark Brent crude trades around $64 a barrel. That’s higher than when the around $50 a barrel it traded on his first trip to the kingdom as president in 2017. However, it’s nowhere near the spikes seen after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Then, the average gallon of gas in the U.S. was $5.01 at its height.

Economic uncertainty over Trump’s tariff policy has depressed global energy prices — as has OPEC more rapidly opening up production than initially thought. Saudi Arabia in particular needs that extra revenue as the crow prince's expansive development plans and the kingdom hosting the upcoming 2034 FIFA World Cup will need hundreds of billions of dollars of investments.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry says the sanctions on the country were imposed under the government of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad and helped in removing him from power.

But they are now harming the Syrian people, the ministry says, describing Trump’s comments about removing them as “an encouraging step” to end the suffering of Syrians.

The ministry said in a statement late Monday that the sanctions are hindering reconstruction in the war torn country.

The Syrian people are looking for the “full lifting of the sanctions” as a step that boosts peace and prosperity both in Syria and the region, and open the way for international cooperation, it said.

Trump had intended to focus on pressing wealthy Gulf Arab nations during the Mideast trip to pour billions in new investment into the United States.

But Trump finds himself navigating a series of geopolitical crises — and searching for glimmers of hope in the deep well of global turmoil.

Those challenges are casting greater import on his first extended overseas trip of his second term, but the president is brimming with an overabundance of confidence about some of the world’s most intractable problems.

▶ Read more about Trump’s three-nation visit

FILE - President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House, Feb. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, file)