Jason La Rose
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. UNITED STATES (DEC. 10)
After a one-month hiatus, the Rivalry Series returns Wednesday night in the Alberta capital as Canada’s National Women's Team welcomes the United States to Rogers Place for the penultimate game in the series.
Last Meeting & Last Game
The Canadians and Americans clashed in Buffalo, New York, back on Nov. 8, with Canada finishing on the wrong end of a 6-1 final score. Marie-Philip Poulin converted on a second-period power play to cut the American lead in half, but four unanswered U.S. goals in the third frame provided the final margin of victory. Kayle Osborne made her Team Canada debut between the pipes, finishing with 26 saves.
What to Watch
After sitting out the first two games of the series, veteran forward Brianne Jenner draws back into the Canadian lineup. It will mark her 184th international game, drawing even with Jennifer Botterill for the sixth-most games played with Canada’s National Women’s Team. The Oakville product is the leading Canadian scorer in the early weeks of the PWHL season, posting five points (2-3—5) in four games with the Ottawa Charge. She equalled the league record of four points in a single game when she scored twice and added two assists in a win over the Vancouver Goldeneyes on Nov. 26. Jenner has the second-most career points against the Americans, recording 51 (22-29—51) in 92 games.
Jenner shares the PWHL scoring lead (five points) with a trio of Americans, all of whom will be on the ice in Edmonton and all of whom ply their trade professionally with the Minnesota Frost. Veteran leader Kendall Coyne Schofield has four goals in as many games with the Frost, alongside Kelly Pannek (2-3—5) and league assists leader Britta Curl-Salemme (0-5—5). On the back end, defender Caroline Harvey is toying with her college opposition, racking up an NCAA-leading 37 points, including 28 assists, in just 18 games with the University of Wisconsin.
Welcome to Edmonton!
These games in Edmonton – tonight and Saturday – mark the final contests before Team Canada defends its Olympic gold medal in Milan.
In the area and want to be there? Tickets are on sale at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.
A Look Back
Despite Edmonton’s place in Canadian hockey history, this will be just the second time Canada and the U.S. have faced off in the city.
In the finale of a six-game pre-Olympic series on Dec. 17, 2017, Jennifer Wakefield scored 4:34 into overtime to give the Canadians a 2-1 win. Poulin scored on a first-period power play and Edmonton native Shannon Szabados made 34 saves.
It’ll be the eighth meeting on Alberta ice, pulling even with Quebec for the third-most among Canadian provinces (Ontario – 29, British Columbia – 16). In addition to the Wakefield win in 2017, Canada has one other extra-time victory in Alberta, and it was a memorable one – Poulin scored 7:22 into OT to give Canada gold at the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship.
All-time record: Canada leads 108-85-1 (25-22 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 535 United States goals: 481