Canada defeats USA 3-1 in pre-Olympic women’s hockey game – Abbotsford News
Emily Clark scored twice, including the go-ahead goal at 5:05 of the third period, and Canada beat the United States 3-1 in Game 1 of nine games of the Pre-Olympic Rivalry Series. between the national women’s hockey teams on Friday night.
It was the first meeting between the cross-border rivals and the world’s greatest hockey powers since Canada’s 3-2 overtime victory in the gold medal game at the women’s world championships in Calgary, Alta. , August 31. The Canadians have won three straight games. to score their best streak since a five-game streak before a 3-2 shootout loss in the gold medal game at the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea.
Clark sealed the result with a goal in an empty net, and Sarah Fillier also scored for Canada, which ended the Americans’ streak of five consecutive world titles in August. Emerance Maschmeyer stopped 28 shots, including 14 in the second period when the United States outscored Canada 15-3. Her best save came 20 seconds after Clark scored, when she held on to deflect Hayley Scamurra’s backhand from a Canada turnaround in her own camp.
Scamurra scored and Alex Cavallini stopped 16 shots.
The teams will meet again in Hartford, Connecticut on Monday evening.
Clark’s goal came shortly after Canada’s power-play unit failed to save a net shot with Megan Bozek absent for a cross-check. Ella Shelton set the game up by winning the American blue line and turning in the right circle to feed Clark, who beat Cavallini through a screen and inside the near post.
The teams traded power-play goals in the first 40 minutes, with Canada opening the scoring on Fillier’s goal at 13:39 to go into the first period, and 29 seconds after Abby Roque was penalized for having tripped.
On the face-off in the US zone, Canada returned the puck to Erin Ambrose, whose blue line shot was led by teammate Rebecca Johnston. Cavallini made the save, but couldn’t control the rebound, which dribbled to his left, where an intact Fillier swept him into the open side.
Scamurra tied 11:21 in the second period, when Maschmeyer stopped Caroline Harvey’s point shot. Scamurra pulled away from Renata Fast up front and covered the rebound inside the crossbar.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic that shut down women’s hockey for 18 months, the outing was the United States team’s first against an international opponent on American soil in 622 days, dating back to a 4-3 victory in overtime against Canada in a rivalry series played in Anaheim, Calif. on February 8, 2020.
The first period was not over before animosity between the two teams became apparent with American forward Hilary Knight trading blows with Canadian Melodie Daoust after a scramble in front of the Canadian net with three seconds left.
NOTES: US G Maddie Rooney, who missed the world championship after sustaining a lower body injury, is back in the game and is not expected to play until the team moves to play a three-way streak matches against Russia in Northern Ireland from 1 November. 9.… Canada Dr Blayre Turnbull, who broke his fibula during accelerations for the gold medal in August, has returned to skating but there is no schedule for his return. … US captain Kendall Coyne Schofield has played her 150th international game, including the Under-18 and Under-22 levels.
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John Wawrow, The Associated Press
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