GAME STATISTICS | LIVE BLOG

BEIJING, China – Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team is atop the podium at the Olympic Winter Games for the fifth time, edging the United States 3-2 in the gold medal game on Thursday (Wednesday night in Canada).

• Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que.) scored a pair of goals, including her third career Olympic gold medal-winning goal, and added an assist. Her three points moved her out of a tie with Meghan Agosta and into sole possession of fifth place in all-time Team Canada scoring (84-95—179).
• Sarah Nurse (Hamilton, Ont.) had a goal and an assist. She finished with 13 assists and 18 points, the most ever in a women’s Olympic tournament.
• Claire Thompson (Toronto, Ont.) and Brianne Jenner (Oakville, Ont.) recorded an assist apiece.
• Thompson finished with 13 points (2-11—13), the most ever by a defenceman in a women’s Olympic tournament, and was a tournament-leading +23.
• Ann-Renée Desbiens (La Malbaie, Que.) made 38 saves. She combined for 89 stops in the two wins over the United States in the tournament.
• The United States outshot Canada 40-21.
• Jenner was named Most Valuable Player. She was joined by Nurse, Poulin and Thompson on the Media All-Star Team.

Quotes:
“I am so proud of the work everyone has put in. A lot of times people just see the finished product, they see the gold medal and everyone getting to celebrate. What they might not see is the ups and downs that happen in a season. Seeing [our athletes] celebrate gave me a chance to reflect on everything that has been thrown at them and what has happened this year. It has been impressive to watch, and all along I had the sense that good things were happening. All I wanted was for us to finish the way we wanted to and for our girls to get what they deserved. When it was all over, there was a bit of a sense of relief, but so much pride.”
- Head coach Troy Ryan (Spryfield, N.S.) on taking in the celebration

“The work that has been put in by this group behind closed doors has been unbelievable. It is really hard to put into words, but this [gold medal] is really special. There has been a lot of hard work from the staff and players, and there is no better feeling than this. We were all united as one team, and it is easy to say that the players did the work, but to be honest our coaching staff and general manger have done everything they can to set us up for success. Everyone on our team was able to step up and buy in, and we were all rewarded today. I have so much pride in this team.”
- Poulin on the work put in to earn a gold medal

“The Canada and United States rivalry is special, and they always force us to play our best game. We have a lot of great battles against them, and we all have a lot of respect for the players on [the United States]. Canada is a great hockey nation, and hopefully we have been able to inspire people back home and given Canadians a reason to celebrate.”
- Jenner on the Canada-U.S. rivalry

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

BEIJING, China – Hockey fans across the world can own a piece of Hockey Canada history and bid on game-worn jerseys from Canada’s women’s and men’s Olympic hockey teams.

Bidding will remain open until Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT at HockeyCanada.ca/Auction.

Proceeds from the online auction benefit the Hockey Canada Foundation and the Canadian Olympic Foundation and will be invested in programs to grow the game at the grassroots level in Canadian communities.

As Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team prepares for tonight’s gold medal game, fans can join the excitement of the Games and bid on game-worn jerseys from captain Marie-Philip Poulin, tournament scoring leader Sarah Nurse, first-time Olympian Sarah Fillier and the rest of Team Canada.

The online auction for Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team is also open, with game-worn jerseys available of captain Eric Staal, No. 1 NHL draft pick Owen Power, Kent Johnson and the other 22 members of the Canadian roster.

“All month, hockey fans from coast to coast to coast have been cheering on Canada’s men’s and women’s teams at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games as they proudly represent our country,” said Donna Iampieri, executive director of the Hockey Canada Foundation. “Now, they can own a piece of hockey history and support the development of grassroots hockey across Canada.

“Proceeds from the online auction will help establish a legacy for our Olympic hockey teams that goes well beyond the Games and inspires the next generation of hockey players to chase their Olympic dreams.”

Through the auction, hockey fans have already raised over $35,000 for grassroots hockey.

For more information on the Hockey Canada Foundation, please visit HockeyCanada.ca/Foundation.

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. UNITED STATES (FEB. 16)

TV: CBC | Stream: CBC.ca

A rematch four years in the making, Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team faces its long-time rivals from the United States in the gold medal game at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

LAST GAME

Canada got points from 16 different players (including all 13 forwards) and racked up 61 shots on goal in a 10-3 semifinal win over Switzerland. Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice and Sarah Nurse recorded four more assists, tying Hayley Wickenheiser’s 2006 record for helpers in an Olympic tournament with 12. Brianne Jenner made a little history of her own, closing out the scoring with her ninth goal, equalling the Olympic record.

The Americans started slow against the Finns in their semifinal, but Cayla Barnes got the scoring started on the power play early in the second period and the U.S. never looked back, earning a 4-1 victory. Barnes and Hilary Knight finished with a goal and an assist each.

LAST MEETING

In their 163rd all-time meeting just seven days ago, Canada used a second-period flurry to earn a 4-2 victory in the preliminary-round finale. Ann-Renée Desbiens was the big story, making 51 saves to set a Canadian Olympic record for stops in a game (men’s or women’s hockey). Jenner, Jamie Lee Rattray and Poulin (on a penalty shot) scored 5:25 apart late in the middle frame to turn a one-goal deficit into a two-goal lead. Jenner finished with a pair of goals, Poulin added a goal and a helper and the Canadians killed five of six U.S. power plays.

WHAT TO WATCH

While the talk has been mostly focused on Canada’s outstanding offensive production – the team tops the tournament in goals (54), shooting percentage (17.4%) and power play (45.5%) – it’s the rookie-laden defence that has been the secret weapon. Claire Thompson and Erin Ambrose are the highest-scoring defencemen ever in a single women’s Olympic tournament (Thompson – 2-10—12; Ambrose – 4-5—9) and all seven D have at least two points. Their ability to generate offence from the blue line has been a major contributor to Canada’s success, but against the scoring threat the Americans pose, Canada’s defensive line will be critical.

The Americans will need to either slow down the record-setting Canadian offence, or keep up. The U.S. has been getting offence from up and down the lineup, with the usual suspects of Knight (5-4—9), Amanda Kessel (2-5—7) and Kendall Coyne Schofield (3-3—6) leading the way. That balanced production (seven players averaging at least a point a game) will need to continue if the U.S. hopes to defend its 2018 gold.

A LOOK BACK

While Canada has the all-time edge with 92 wins in 163 games, this rivalry is about as even as they come. Need proof? In the last 12 meetings between the rivals, six of those games have needed overtime (Canada has won four, with Poulin getting the GWG in three), and since the 2018 Olympics, the teams have split their 22 matchups almost down the middle (Canada has an 12-10 edge).

There have been nine Olympic meetings since 1998, with the Canadians winning six of those. Canada and the U.S. split their 2018 contests – Genevieve Lacasse made 44 saves in a 2-1 prelim win, before the Canadians dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker in shootout in the gold medal game.

All-time record: Canada leads 92-70-1 (20-17 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 448
United States goals: 395

GAME STATISTICS | LIVE BLOG

BEIJING, China – Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team punched its ticket to the gold medal game at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, downing Switzerland 10-3 in semifinal action Monday (Sunday night in Canada).

• Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que.) scored a pair of goals to lead the offence.
• Claire Thompson (Toronto, Ont.) recorded a goal and two assists, and Erin Ambrose (Keswick, Ont.) added a goal and a helper. The pairing are the highest-scoring defencemen ever in a single women’s Olympic tournament (Thompson – 2-10—12; Ambrose – 4-5—9). Both also finished +8 in the game.
• Brianne Jenner (Oakville, Ont.) also had a goal and an assist. Her late goal gives her nine for the tournament, tying the all-time record (Meghan Agosta and Stephanie Marty, 2010).
• Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, Ont.), Blayre Turnbull (Stellarton, N.S.), Renata Fast (Burlington, Ont.),Emily Clark (Saskatoon, Sask.) and Emma Maltais (Burlington, Ont.) also scored goals.
• Sarah Nurse (Hamilton, Ont.) had four assists. Nurse has 12 helpers and 16 points in the tournament, tying Hayley Wickenheiser (2006) for the all-time assist record, and sitting just one point back of Wickenheiser’s scoring record (2006).
• Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, Ont.) recorded three assists.
• Turnbull, Sarah Fillier (Georgetown, Ont.),Mélodie Daoust (Valleyfield, Que.),Natalie Spooner (Scarborough, Ont.),Laura Stacey (Kleinburg, Ont.) and Jill Saulnier (Halifax, N.S.) had one assist each.
• All 13 Canadian forwards recorded at least a point.
• Ann-Renée Desbiens (La Malbaie, Que.) finished with 10 saves.
• Canada outshot Switzerland 61-13.

Next Game:
Gold medal game vs. USA/FIN – Wednesday, Feb. 16 (11:10 p.m. ET/8:10 p.m. PT)

Quotes:
“I think in the first period, we were a little disconnected on our breakouts, and we straightened that out. Some of our penalty kills where Switzerland was able to score a couple power-play goals, it wasn’t that we were disjointed as a penalty kill, I think we were still thinking offensively. We were trying to make too many plays in the defensive zone and not focusing on our clears. When you don’t play with that urgency, teams will make you pay for it.”
- Head coach Troy Ryan (Spryfield, N.S.) on a slow start and special-teams play

“We all can move our feet and that is one of our biggest strengths as a defensive corps. As ‘D’ pairings, we really complement each other and, at the root of it, I honestly believe we’re having so much success because we’re all so easy going. We have so much fun when we play and support one another. Everyone goes out each shift and plays free and knows that the girls on the bench are supporting them.”
- Fast on the strength of the defensive unit

“Our line [Maltais-Saulnier-Stacey] has been working really hard through the whole tournament and just trying to do the right things. It feels good to be rewarded as a line, not just as an individual. It is really cool to get your first goal and really great to share the moment; you could see just how happy everyone was and it’s a great feeling.”
- Maltais on scoring her first Olympic goal

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWITZERLAND (FEB. 13)

TV: CBC | Stream: CBC.ca

Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team enters its Olympic semifinal against Switzerland leading the tournament in goals for (44 in five games), goals against (just five), power play (a 50% success rate) and penalty kill (92.6%), and it has already beaten the Swiss once. Needless to say, momentum is on their side.

LAST GAME

Canada last laced up against Sweden in the quarterfinals on Friday morning, getting a full team effort (points from 16 different skaters) in an 11-0 win. Brianne Jenner and Sarah Fillier stayed neck-and-neck atop the goal-scoring race, netting a hat trick each to give them eight apiece in the tournament. Marie-Philip Poulin (in her 150th game) and Sarah Nurse each posted four assists, and Claire Thompson’s three assist performance gave her a new Olympic record for points by a defenceman in a single tournament (nine and counting).

The Swiss booked their spot in the semifinals with a 4-2 win over ROC on Saturday. Alina Muller was the hero, scoring the game-winner with 2:27 left – just 30 seconds after the Russians had tied the game – and adding an empty-netter to clinch it.

LAST MEETING

It was all Canada in the Olympic opener on Feb. 3. Two-goal games from Fillier, Laura Stacey, Natalie Spooner and Blayre Turnbull helped Canada to a 12-1 win. Spooner and Thompson finished with five points apiece for the Canadians, who tied their all-time Olympic high with 70 shots on goal (previously done Feb. 16, 2002 vs. Sweden).

WHAT TO WATCH

In her second Olympic appearance, Sarah Nurse has made every second count in Beijing. Returning from a lower-body injury that cost her almost two months of centralization, the Hamilton, Ont., native has racked up 12 points in five games (4-8—12), including a hat trick against Finland and the four-assist effort against the Swedes. Nurse has found a home on the left side of Canada’s top line alongside Poulin and Jenner; the trio has combined for 22 points across three games since Nurse joined against ROC in the prelims.

For Switzerland, all eyes are on Müller. In her third Olympics despite being just 23 years old, the Swiss star has been involved in eight of her team’s 10 goals in the tournament, scoring three times and setting up five others to leave her tied for seventh in scoring with Canada’s Jamie Lee Rattray. Müller has 21 points across her three Games, including the game-winning goal in Switzerland’s historic bronze medal game victory in 2014, when she became the youngest player ever to win an Olympic medal.

A LOOK BACK

While the Swiss women’s program has made huge strides, including Olympic bronze in 2014, Canada continues to own the head-to-head history, winning all 14 meetings.

At the Olympics, the Canadians have posted a quartet of wins, including the triumph 10 days ago – Hayley Wickenheiser and Cherie Piper had a goal and two assists each in a 10-1 win in 2010, Johnston scored once and added two helpers in a 5-0 prelim win in 2014, and Natalie Spooner netted a pair in a three-goal first period as part of a 3-1 semifinal win in Sochi.

All-time record: Canada leads 14-0
Canada goals: 121
Switzerland goals: 3

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LARGE:

GAME PREVIEW: CANADA VS. SWITZERLAND

One win away from a spot in a seventh-straight gold medal game, Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team takes its top-ranked offence into a semifinal showdown with Switzerland.

Related Links:

2022 Olympic Winter Games (Women)

Canada vs. Switzerland

MEDIUM:

Preview: Canada vs. Switzerland

One win from the gold medal game, Canada takes its top-ranked offence into a semifinal showdown with Switzerland.

SMALL:

Preview: CAN-SUI

Canada takes its top-ranked offence into a semifinal against the Swiss.

BADGE:

Preview: Canada vs. Switzerland

One win from the gold medal game, Canada takes its top-ranked offence into a semifinal against the Swiss.

GAME STATISTICS | LIVE BLOG

BEIJING, China – Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team spread around the offence on Friday, getting points from 16 of 19 skaters in an 11-0 quarterfinal win over Sweden at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

• Brianne Jenner (Oakville, Ont.) and Sarah Fillier (Georgetown, Ont.) each recorded a hat trick. Both have eight goals in the tournament, one off the Olympic record (Meghan Agosta and Stephanie Marty had nine in 2010).
• Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que.) and Sarah Nurse (Hamilton, Ont.) posted four assists apiece.
• Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, Ont.) , Natalie Spooner (Scarborough, Ont.),Erin Ambrose (Keswick, Ont.),Blayre Turnbull (Stellarton, N.S.) and Emily Clark (Saskatoon, Sask.) also scored.
• Claire Thompson (Toronto, Ont.) had three assists, while Rattray,Renata Fast (Burlington, Ont.) and Micah Zandee-Hart (Saanichton, B.C.) added two apiece.
• Thompson has recorded nine points (1-8—9) in five games, surpassing Thérèse Brisson (5-2—7 in 1998) for the most by a Canadian defenceman in a single Olympics.
• Ambrose, Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, Ont.), Jocelyne Larocque (Ste. Anne, Man.), Jill Saulnier (Halifax, N.S.) and Ashton Bell (Deloraine, Man.) tallied an assist each.
• Emerance Maschmeyer (Bruderheim, Alta.) made 11 saves for the shutout.
• Canada scored on each of its first four power-play opportunities and finished 4-for-7.
• Canada outshot Sweden 56-11.

Next Game:

Semifinals – opponent, date and time to be determined

Quotes :

“The biggest thing is just being organized and knowing when teams play. What we do is keep track of who is playing who in the other group and when it looks like things might settle out a little bit you start to focus on the potential teams you play. We break down games from both pools and we are as prepared as we can be through video, and you can generally see what they have done throughout the event and you build your game plan around that.”
- Head coach Troy Ryan (Spryfield, N.S.) on preparing for an opponent Canada hasn’t played since 2018

“To be honest, it caught me by surprise and made me realize I’m getting older (laughs), but it’s pretty special. I couldn’t ask for better teammates and a group to be a part of. To be part of the Team Canada environment is a privilege and I’m very lucky to be part of it.”

- Poulin on playing in her 150th career game

“Sometimes when you’re playing with Nurse and Poulin, they’re just great players and they’re able to find me. On the third one, Micah just made a great back-door pass, but I’m just trying to be ready to shoot the puck off the pass and luckily some of those are going in.”

- Jenner on her hat trick

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWEDEN (FEB. 11)

TV: CBC | Stream: CBC.ca

It’s on to the playoff round for Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team, which faces an old friend it hasn’t seen in a while in the quarterfinals – it’s Canada vs. Sweden for the first time in more than three years, and first time in 12 at the Olympics.

LAST GAME

It was a historic preliminary-round finale for the Canadians, as Ann-Renée Desbiens made 51 saves (a new Canadian Olympic record) in a 4-2 victory over the U.S. Brianne Jenner led the offence with a pair of goals,

Marie-Philip Poulin scored the first penalty-shot goal by a Canadian woman at the Olympics and Natalie Spooner inched closer to the women’s Olympic records for assists (12) and points (17). She’s got nine helpers and 11 points in four games.

Sweden took a 3-1 decision over Denmark to close out its preliminary play, finishing third in in Group B to grab the eighth and final playoff spot. Emma Nordin scored early and Lisa Johansson netted the winner late in the second period for the Swedes, who got 25 saves from Emma Söderberg.

LAST MEETING

Canada last faced Sweden at the 2018 4 Nations Cup in Saskatoon, Sask., where then-18-year-old Sarah Fillier made her national team debut in Canada’s 6-1 win. Mélodie Daoust led the way with a pair of goals and an assist, Marie-Philip Poulin added a goal and two helpers, and Rebecca Johnston chipped in with four assists.

WHAT TO WATCH

Everybody’s favourite workhorse Jamie Lee Rattray has proven time and time again why her scrappy presence is so important for the Canadians. After not being selected for Canada’s Olympic roster in 2018, Rattray turned her setback into an opportunity. A Swiss army knife as the 13th forward, Rattray has slotted in seamlessly with Fillier and Spooner on the second line after the injury to Daoust, scoring in each of the last three games – including the game-winner against the Americans.

For the Swedes, Söderberg has backstopped the team into the playoffs, playing every second of the preliminary round and posting a .951 save percentage (137 of 144), good for fourth among all puck-stoppers. Sweden will need to find its offence if its hopes to spring the colossal upset; it scored just seven goals in the prelims (one on a penalty shot), and has converted on just two of 12 power plays.

A LOOK BACK

The head-to-head history is one-sided, with Canada winning 76 of 79 contests since the teams first met at the 1990 IIHF World Women’s Championship. In Olympic competition, Canada is perfect in five tries, including the most memorable meeting in the 2006 gold medal game after the Swedes upset the Americans in a semifinal shootout. Canada claimed its second Olympic gold in Turin, with Gillian Apps, Caroline Ouellette, Cherie Piper and Jayna Hefford netting goals in a 4-1 victory.

Of the current Canadian roster, Poulin leads the way with 31 points (15-16—31) in 21 games played against the Swedes, followed by Spooner (14-6—20 in 17 GP) and Rebecca Johnston (8-11—19 in 22 GP).

All-time record: Canada leads 76-2-1 (0-1 in SO)
Canada goals: 492
Sweden goals: 68

GAME STATISTICS | LIVE BLOG

BEIJING, China – Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team closed out a perfect preliminary round at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Tuesday afternoon (Monday night in Canada), getting three goals in 5:25 late in the second period to earn a come-from-behind 4-2 win over the United States.

• Ann-Renée Desbiens (La Malbaie, Que.) made 51 saves, setting the record for most stops in an Olympic game by a Canadian goaltender (men’s or women’s hockey).
• Brianne Jenner (Oakville, Ont.) scored a pair of goals.
• Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, Ont.) netted the game-winning goal.
• Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que.) converted a shorthanded penalty shot (the first successful penalty shot by a Canadian woman at the Olympics) and added an assist.
• Canada extended its winning streak in the preliminary round to 19 games, dating back to 2002.
• Canada scored on its lone power-play opportunity, and killed five of six U.S. advantages.
• The United States outshot Canada 53-27.

Next Game:
Quarterfinals – opponent, date and time to be determined

Quotes :
“First off you congratulate the team on winning the [group in the] preliminary round. As a team you have to talk and share the successes that have made it worthwhile, but the biggest thing is that we know we didn’t play our best game. It’s great that we were able to win, but we have to go back to the drawing board and look at some of the areas we can improve, in particular our puck management. [We will have to] just tighten up a bit and make some adjustments moving forward.”
- Head coach Troy Ryan (Spryfield, N.S.) on a perfect prelims

“It was a little bit of a messy win. I think our special teams were huge for us, our goaltender was huge and our defence blocked a lot of shots down the stretch. It was a good sign that we could find a way to win.”
- Jenner on the key to defeating the U.S.

“As a goalie you just need to give your team an opportunity to win. I know it might not have been the start we wanted as a team, but sometimes when your team needs you, you have to be there and that’s what I did today.”
- Desbiens on her 51-save performance

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

With the drop of the puck in Beijing, another Olympic Winter Games is underway and another chapter of Team Canada hockey history is set to be written in China.

As part of Black History Month, let’s take a look back at the five Black athletes who have helped – and are helping – write that history.

DARREN LOWE

1984 – 7GP 2G 2A 4P (4th place)

The trailblazer, Lowe became Canada’s first Black Olympian at the 1984 Games in Sarajevo. The Toronto product scored twice – getting the Canadians even early in the third period of an eventual 4-2 win over Finland and counting the game-winner in an 8-1 win over Austria – and added a pair of assists, putting his name on the scoresheet in each of the first four games (all Canadian wins).

CLAUDE VILGRAIN

1988 – 6GP 0G 0A 0P (4th place)

Born in Haiti and raised in Quebec City, Vilgrain was a Team Canada staple in the mid-1980s, playing 145 games with Canada’s National Men’s Team from 1986-88. That run concluded in Calgary, where he went scoreless in six games in the home-ice Games.

JAROME IGINLA

2002 – 6GP 3G 1A 4P (gold medal)
2006 – 6GP 2G 1A 3P (7th place)
2010 – 7GP 5G 2A 7P (gold medal)

The 2021 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee was front and centre in a pair of games that will forever have a place in Olympic hockey lore. In 2002, the St. Albert, Alta., native scored twice and added an assist in a 5-2 gold medal game win over the U.S. that ended a 50-year drought for Canada. Eight years later, cries of ‘Iggy! Iggy! Iggy!’ rang in the ears of Canadian fans as Iginla set up Sidney Crosby for the Golden Goal in Vancouver.

P.K. SUBBAN

2014 – 1GP 0G 0A 0P (gold medal)

Has there ever been a better seventh defenceman? As part of a deep Canadian blue-line, Subban – the reigning Norris Trophy winner – got into just a single game in Sochi, playing 11:41 in a 6-0 prelim win over Austria.

SARAH NURSE

2018 – 5GP 1G 0A 1P (silver medal)

The first Black woman to wear red and white on the biggest stage in sports, Nurse netted just a single goal in PyeongChang, but it was a beauty in a big game – she wired home the game-winner in a 2-1 preliminary-round victory over the U.S. The Hamilton, Ont., product is back for a second Games in Beijing, eyeing a bigger role and a different finish.

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. UNITED STATES (FEB. 7)

TV: CBC | Stream: CBC.ca

It’s the one we’ve all been waiting for. One of the greatest rivalries in all of sports resumes on the biggest stage in the game when Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team takes on the United States to close out the preliminary round on Tuesday afternoon (Monday night in Canada).

LAST GAME

Canada spread around the scoring against ROC, getting goals from six different players in a 6-1 win. Jamie Lee Rattray, Sarah Nurse, Rebecca Johnston and Marie-Philip Poulin counted a goal and an assist apiece for the Canadians, who converted three times on the power play and held the Russians to just five shots in the final 40 minutes.

The Americans scored early and often against Switzerland, counting five goals in the opening 20 minutes of an eventual 8-0 win that kept the U.S. perfect. Jesse Compher, Kelly Pannek and Hilary Knight each scored twice foe the U.S, which outshot the Swiss 66-12.

LAST MEETING

The 162nd meeting between the North American rivals came Dec. 17 in St. Louis, where Marie-Philip Poulin was the overtime hero for the second time in three days, redirecting home a feed from Jocelyne Larocque to give Canada a 3-2 extra-time win in Game 6 of the Rivalry Series. Sarah Fillier and Emily Clark had regulation-time goals for the Canadians.

WHAT TO WATCH

Who will step up next for Canada? Through three games, it has seemingly been a different player – or different players – leading the way in each game. Whether it was Natalie Spooner and Claire Thompson putting up five points each against Switzerland, Brianne Jenner and Sarah Nurse netting hat tricks against Finland or a scoring-by-committee effort against ROC, the depth of the Canadian lineup has been on display. So, in the biggest game yet … who’s next?

Much like the Canadians, the U.S. has relied on a balanced offence through its first three games. It’s no surprise to see Hilary Knight (3-2—5) and Amanda Kessel (2-3—5) leading the way, but nine different Americans have scored goals, 17 of 19 skaters (not including Brianne Decker, who suffered a tournament-ending injury 10 minutes into the opener against Finland) have earned at least a point and 10 have produced at least three.

A LOOK BACK

While Canada has the all-time edge with 91 wins in 162 games, this rivalry is about as even as they come. Need proof? In the last 11 meetings between the rivals, six of those games have needed overtime (Canada has won four, with Poulin getting the GWG in three), and since the 2018 Olympics, the teams have split their 21 matchups almost down the middle (Canada has an 11-10 edge).

There have been eight Olympic meetings since 1998, with the Canadians winning five of those. Canada and the U.S. split their 2018 contests – Genevieve Lacasse made 44 saves in a 2-1 prelim win, before the Canadians dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker in shootout in the gold medal game.

All-time record: Canada leads 91-70-1 (20-17 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 444
United States goals: 393