CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has announced the 23 players named to Canada’s National Women’s Team who will look to defend the gold medal at the 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship, Aug. 24-Sept. 4 in Herning and Frederikshavn, Denmark.

The players were chosen following an 11-day selection camp at the Markin MacPhail Centre at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park in Calgary as part of the BFL National Women’s Program Summer Showcase. The camp featured on- and off-ice testing, skills sessions and six intrasquad games showcasing players competing for roster spots with Canada’s National Women’s Team and Canada’s National Women’s Development Team.

The 23 players selected include:

• One who will make her world championship debut (Eldridge)
• 19 who captured Canada’s 11th gold medal at the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Calgary (Ambrose, Bach, Bell, Campbell, Clark, Desbiens, Fast, Fillier, Jenner, Larocque, Maltais, Maschmeyer, Nurse, O’Neill, Poulin, Rattray, Shelton, Stacey, Turnbull)
• 18 who won a gold medal at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China (Ambrose, Bell, Campbell, Clark, Desbiens, Fast, Fillier, Jenner, Larocque, Maltais, Maschmeyer, Nurse, Poulin, Rattray, Shelton, Stacey, Turnbull, Zandee-Hart)

The roster – three goaltenders, seven defence and 13 forwards - was selected by head coach Troy Ryan (Spryfield, N.S.), in consultation with Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, Que.), director of hockey operations, and Cherie Piper (Scarborough, Ont.), senior manager of player development and scouting, along with the rest of the scouting and coaching staffs.

“It is unusual to play in a world championship and an Olympics in a single year, but this opportunity allows us to evaluate ourselves against the best in the world as we start our new four-year Olympic cycle,” said Kingsbury. “We are fortunate to have familiarity among our coaching staff and players who know what it takes to win. We had an extremely competitive camp and we believe we have assembled an experienced team that will give us the best chance to compete once again for a gold medal.”

The 10-team tournament features Canada in Group A with Finland, Japan, Switzerland and the United States, while Group B includes Czechia, host Denmark, Germany, Hungary and Sweden.

Canada opens the tournament against Finland on Aug. 25, and faces Switzerland on Aug. 27 and Japan on Aug. 28 before closing the preliminary round against its rivals from the United States on Aug. 30.

Prior to the start of women’s worlds, Canada will play a pair of pre-tournament games against Denmark on Aug. 20 and the United States on Aug. 23.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will carry extensive game coverage throughout the 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship, airing all of Canada’s games. TSN will broadcast all preliminary-round games, quarterfinals, semifinals and medal games from KVIK Hockey Arena in Herning. RDS will provide coverage of all Team Canada games, in addition to playoff-round games.

For more information from the IIHF, please visit the official tournament site at 2022.womensworlds.hockey.  

Canada has captured 11 gold medals at the IIHF Women’s World Championship (1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2012, 2021), in addition to eight silver (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017) and one bronze (2019).

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

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has invited 142 of the nation’s top players to attend the BFL National Women’s Program selection camp, set to take place Aug. 3-14 at the Markin MacPhail Centre at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park.

The 11-day camp will bring together athletes vying for spots on Canada’s National Women’s Team, Canada’s National Women’s Development Team and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team as a start to the 2022-23 season and a new four-year Olympic cycle.

Player selections were led by Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, Que.), director of hockey operations with Hockey Canada, along with Cherie Piper (Scarborough, Ont.), senior manager of player development and scouting, and Troy Ryan (Spryfield, N.S.), head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team.

“This is a great opportunity to bring all three groups together in one place and start to envision what the next four years will look like,” said Kingsbury. “We are coming off a very successful season and we are looking to continue building on that. We have a full complement of experienced staff to lead our camps but having our Olympic athletes able to play leadership roles where they can mentor and share their experience is a positive step in our journey towards the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan.”

Canada’s National Women’s Team and Canada’s National Women’s Development Team hopefuls will be split into four teams for practices, intrasquad games and off-ice sessions. Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team invitees will be split into two teams – Red and White - for practices, intrasquad games and off-ice sessions. They will also welcome Finland’s national women’s under-18 team, giving the U18 group an opportunity to experience international competition.

Following the selection camp, the cross-border series with the United States will be re-introduced for the first time since 2019. Player selections will be made by Ryan, Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow, N.S./N.-E.) and Courtney Birchard-Kessel (Mississauga, Ont./Princeton University, ECAC) , head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, with input from Piper and Kingsbury. Team Canada will also face Finland on Aug. 14 in a final tune-up before the Canada-U.S. series.

The selection camp is also a critical step for Canada’s National Women’s Team in preparation for the 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship, Aug. 24-Sept. 4 in Herning and Frederikshavn, Denmark. Canada is expected to play Denmark and the United States in a pair of pre-tournament games prior to the start of the women’s worlds.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Program, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alta. – The stage is set for Canada’s National Women’s Team, Canada’s National Women’s Development Team and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team for the 2022-23 season, with 10 coaches set to serve behind the bench, including an all-woman staff for the under-18 team.

Troy Ryan (Spryfield, N.S.) returns for his third year as head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team, joined by assistant coaches Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow, N.S.), Alison Domenico (Ottawa, Ont./Providence College, HE) and Caroline Ouellette (Montreal, Que./Concordia University, RSEQ), as well as goaltending coach Brad Kirkwood (Calgary, Alta./University of Calgary, CW) and video coach James Emery (Calgary, Alta.).

“We are thrilled to welcome Troy, Kori, Ali, Brad and James back to our National Women’s Team for another season, and to add a high-caliber coach like Caroline to our staff,” said Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, Que.), director of hockey operations with Hockey Canada. “Our women’s program is looking to build off of the momentum we gained last season, and we believe we have assembled a staff that will allow us to do exactly that while benefitting our athletes.”

Ryan most recently led Canada to gold medals at the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship and 2022 Olympic Winter Games. He also earned a silver medal at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, silver at the 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championship and bronze at the 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship as an assistant coach. He has served as the Atlantic Canada female coach mentor with the Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic since 2016.

Cheverie won gold medals as an assistant coach at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship. She became the first woman to serve as a coach with one of Canada's national men's teams at the 2022 IIHF U18 World Championship and was also the first woman hired as a full-time assistant coach in U SPORTS, where she was an assistant the Ryerson University men's hockey team for five seasons (2016-21).

Domenico recently finished her first season as associate head coach with the Providence College women’s hockey team following three seasons as an assistant coach. Most recently, she won a gold medal as an assistant coach at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. She was also named an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team for the 2021-22 season before being added to the Olympic coaching staff.

Ouellette is entering her second season as associate head coach of the women’s hockey team at Concordia University after serving as interim head coach during the 2020-21. On the international stage, she won bronze as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship and silver with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the 2009 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. As a player, she won four Olympic gold medals and six world titles with Canada’s National Women’s Team during a 17-year international career.

Canada’s National Women’s Team will gather in Calgary for selection camp from Aug. 2-14 ahead of the 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship, set for Aug. 24-Sept. 4 in Herning and Frederikshavn, Denmark.

FOR A FULL LIST OF STAFF FOR CANADA’S NATIONAL WOMEN’S TEAM AND A LIST OF CAMP SUPPORT STAFF, PLEASE CLICK HERE

On the under-18 side, Courtney Birchard-Kessel (Mississauga, Ont./Princeton University, ECAC) will make her international head coaching debut with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team. She will be joined by assistant coaches Stefanie McKeough (Carlsbad Springs, Ont./University of Ottawa, OUA) and Tara Watchorn (Newcastle, Ont./Stonehill College, NEWHA), as well as goaltending coach Gord Woodhall (Winnipeg, Man./Winnipeg, MFHL) and video coach Stef Thomson (Oshawa, Ont.).

Birchard-Kessel has been an assistant coach with the Princeton University women’s hockey team for the past three seasons (2019-22). She also won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the 2019 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, and has been an assistant with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team twice (2017, 2019).

McKeough recently completed her second season as an assistant coach with the University of Ottawa women’s hockey team (2020-22). She previously served as head coach of Göteborg HC of the Svenka Damhockeyligen (SDHL) in Sweden during the 2020 season after two years (2018-19) as an assistant. As a player, McKeough won a silver medal with Canada at the 2009 IIHF World Women’s U18 Championship.

Watchorn is preparing for the first season of women’s hockey at Stonehill College after serving as an assistant coach with Boston College for four seasons (2017-20). She recently won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, and was an assistant with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team for a three-game series against the United States in 2019.

Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team will gather in Calgary from Aug. 2-14 for selection ahead of a three-game series against the United States, Aug. 17-20, as well as the 2023 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Sweden. 

FOR A FULL LIST OF STAFF FOR CANADA’S NATIONAL UNDER-18 WOMEN’S TEAM AND A LIST OF CAMP SUPPORT STAFF, PLEASE CLICK HERE

Cheverie will also take the reigns as head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Development Team, joined by assistant coaches Rachel Flanagan (Pontypool, Ont./University of Guelph, OUA) and Marc-André Côté (Montreal, Que./University of Moncton, AUS), as well as goaltending coach Perry Wilson (LaSalle, Ont./University of Windsor, OUA) and video coach Richard Bue (Ottawa, Ont.).

Flanagan is entering her 16th season as head coach of the University of Guelph women’s hockey team, where she helped secure the team’s first-ever national championship in 2019. She has also captured five Ontario University Athletics (OUA) titles, has been named the OUA Coach of the Year on five occasions, has served as assistant coach of Canada’s National Women’s Development Team twice (2011, 2012) and was named a BFL Female Coach of the Year in 2021.

Côté recently served as head coach of the University of Moncton women’s hockey team for two seasons (2018-20) after spending the previous five seasons (2013-18) as an assistant coach, where he won an Atlantic University Sport (AUS) championship. He also served as a camp coach at Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camp in 2022.

Canada’s National Women’s Development Team will join Canada’s National Women’s Team for selection camp in Calgary from Aug. 2-14 and will compete in a three-game series against the United States from Aug. 17-20.

“This is an exciting time for Canada’s National Women’s Program as we welcome a staff of experienced coaches that have been involved at many levels of our program to lead our National Women’s Under-18 Team and National Women’s Development Team this season,” Kingsbury said. “It is also exciting to have all three of our national women’s teams in Calgary to kick off a new hockey season, and we look forward to welcoming our athletes and assembling teams for multiple events this summer.”

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Program, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Resilience refers to the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.

While all great teams face obstacles on route to the top, few teams can say they were able to navigate them as well as Canada’s National Women’s Team.

Through a global pandemic, event cancellations, isolations and so much more, the 2021-22 edition of Team Canada rose above time and time again, staying committed to achieving greatness “our way.”

After COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the 2019-20 season, 2021 looked to provide a sense of normalcy, with the IIHF Women’s World Championship set for April in Halifax and Truro, N.S. But less than two weeks before the puck was set to drop, the Province of Nova Scotia withdrew its support of the event, citing rising COVID-19 numbers.

“I think going into April, we were fully expecting to play, and we felt very prepared,” remembers Blayre Turnbull, a Stellarton, N.S., native and one of two Nova Scotians on the Team Canada roster. “So obviously there was a huge sense of disappointment when things got cancelled, but I think it did really bring the group even closer together. It was a piece of adversity that at the time was devastating, but in hindsight, I think it really helped bond our group, and I think it made us even more grateful for the upcoming camps and tournaments and time that we got to spend and play together.”

Staying adaptable and open-minded proved vital as the team navigated a COVID “bubble” last summer as the rescheduled women’s worlds took shape in Calgary in August. With no fans, friends or family, the team grew even closer away from the rink as their efforts on the ice started to pay off.

Sarah Fillier, who finished with three goals and three assists in her world championship debut, remembers the adjustments she had to make playing in front of an empty arena: “Being able to wear that jersey, one of the things you think about is just your parents and really close friends getting to watch you compete on that international stage.

“The team turned into a family for all of us, and we were trying to adapt to a situation that no one really ever has before, and luckily, we were an incredibly close group.”

Canada hadn’t won women’s worlds gold since 2012—the Americans had claimed the past five world titles, four with wins over the Canadians in the final. That hunger fed Team Canada, which vowed to take back the top spot from their rivals on home ice.

The team captured the hearts and minds of Canadians with their run in Calgary, going undefeated with 34 goals in seven games. The bond between teammates and excitement for the return of women’s hockey was clear as constant smiles, hugs and goal celebrations were accompanied by convincing wins – 5-1 over ROC, 5-0 over Switzerland and 5-1 over the U.S. (Canada’s biggest win over its rival since 2017).

But they saved the best for last. A back-and-forth gold medal game needed overtime after Canada erased an early two-goal deficit, and it was two of the most seasoned veterans that combined on history.

With 25 years on the national team between the two of them, Brianne Jenner and dashed down the ice in 3-on-3 overtime, Jenner connecting with Poulin like the linemates had done so many times before.

The rest is history.

That golden moment was more than a world championship win. It marked the return of hockey not just for Team Canada, but for so many Canadians who in just a few short weeks would getting back on the ice after a lost season of sorts in 2020-21.

The world title was just the beginning, though. With gold medals around their necks, celebrations lasted only a week or so as eyes turned forward toward the next goal—gold at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

“I think everybody really appreciated coming out of the pandemic and having an opportunity to compete for world championships,” says head coach Troy Ryan. “So that was huge. But then to get validated for all the little adjustments and changes that all of us had to make for each other, seeing them get rewarded for all their hard work, you knew that that commitment would remain, heading into the Olympics as well.”

On a journey with even more obstacles ahead, buy-in from the group was crucial, knowing the stress of navigating a pandemic on top of trying to make an Olympic team could break down even the most veteran teams.

“We had many Zoom calls, group texts, so many different conversations about what we thought was best for the team and how we could make the most out of our training camp and our quarantine at the hotel, and really keep girls positive and make sure that everybody knew that although we had just been through so much adversity, we were fully prepared to play and we were fully prepared to win,” Turnbull says. “And I think once we hit the ice, it was really evident that it was going to be hard to stop our team.”

The season began in September with 29 athletes centralized in Calgary. The team faced teams from the B.C. Hockey League and Alberta Junior Hockey League, took to the ice for Rivalry Series matchups against the United States and travelled abroad for a three-game series against Finland as part of their Olympic preparations.

“As a team, we traveled so much, which is super taxing on the body,” says Turnbull, who missed the early part of the season after breaking her ankle in the dog pile following Poulin’s overtime winner at worlds. “We went from Calgary to Finland, to Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa. We were away for so much of the season.”

And with that travel came the increased risk of COVID-19, the team navigating close encounters on top of the stressors of cuts to the centralization roster as the Beijing Games approached.

Much of the credit, according to Poulin, goes to director of hockey operations Gina Kingsbury and team physician Dr. Tina Atkinson, who handled the pandemic logistics while the team focused on the ice. “I don’t know how much they slept in the past year, to be honest,” Poulin says with a smile. “Gina and Doc were super amazing to work with. They told us what was happening and [were always] on top of things. This group was really adaptable and very resilient.”

The pandemic threw yet another wrench into their season just over a month before the team was due to depart for Beijing, cutting short a late-December road trip in the U.S. and forcing the cancellation of the final leg of the Rivalry Series just as the final Olympic team was to be named.

“After Christmas, it was probably the most stressful time of the year after the team was picked,” Turnbull recounts. “And we were training in Calgary in January with the goal of making it to China as a team but understanding how difficult it was going to be over the next three, four weeks.”

After a few more weeks of isolated training in Calgary, sometimes practicing in masks (as would prove handy in their Olympic showing against ROC), the 23 Olympians set off for Beijing—10 for their first Olympic Games ever—on a mission to be golden once again.

And just like they were in Calgary, Canada was historically good in Beijing.

The Canadians went undefeated again, with Team Canada first-timer Claire Thompson setting a new Olympic record for most points by a defenceman and Sarah Nurse breaking the records for most assists and most points in one Games.

“One of the coolest things that surfaced through [the Olympics] was we didn't know where we would get goals from, we just knew we would get some,” reflects Ryan—who served as an assistant coach when Canada settled for silver at the 2018 Olympics. “Same thing defensively. It wasn't just [Jocelyne] Larocque and [Renata] Fast that did the job, there were other people that stood up.

“There were people breaking individual records at the Olympics. It was almost like they weren't even aware. They didn't get caught up in it. It was like a knuckle tap and a smirk and away you go. To me, that was cool.”

And as the hockey gods would have it, the Canadians would have to go through their storied rivals once again with gold on the line.

Nurse and Poulin scored in the first period, Poulin added another midway through the second and not even a late-game push by the Americans could overpower Team Canada—it was Olympic gold for the fifth time in six Games with Poulin netting the game-winner, making her the only player ever—man or woman—to score in four consecutive Olympic finals.

“I was counting down on the bench, and I remember when we hopped off at the end of the game, I just immediately started crying,” Fillier recalls. “I just remember being speechless, for at least 24 hours, about how I just had this gold medal in my hands.”

The explosion of tears and hugs commemorated more than just another Olympic victory, they were celebrations of every past struggle and challenge, the team’s commitment paying off at last.

“This is the best hockey team that I've ever been a part of,” says Turnbull. “And I'm not including any of the records we set at the Olympics. That's just because of the people in the locker room and the teammates that I got to share so many memories with.”

Through staffing changes, new rosters, cancellations and pandemics, the 2021-22 edition of Canada’s National Women’s Team persevered through the most trying of times, winning hockey’s biggest prizes and doing it their way.

“We started with ‘Our Way’ and we stuck with it all the way to the end,” says Poulin. “We stuck together. The coaching staff, the GM, they had our plan, and for us, we're just following it. Following along and doing our best. Being resilient, buying in and having fun after it all.”

It’s a role Kori Cheverie would prefer not to play in 2022, but someone has to go first, so why not her?

“There’s always a little bit of pressure being the first to do something,” Cheverie explains. “But there are people who have come before me who have paved the path in other ways so I just kind of see myself as someone who is helping out the future of women and female coaches.”

Last week, Hockey Canada announced Cheverie as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team for the IIHF U18 World Championship, the first woman to serve in a coaching role for a national men’s team. But it isn’t the first time Cheverie has broken the gender-divide behind a men’s hockey bench.

In 2016, the New Glasgow, N.S., native was hired as an assistant coach by the Ryerson Rams, becoming the first woman to work full-time with n U SPORTS men’s hockey team. She held that role for five years, until joining Hockey Canada at the start of the 2021-22 season to work with Canada’s National Women’s Team as it prepared for the Olympics.

“I think it can probably be a little bit of an intimidation factor being on the men’s side, but the fact that I have that experience definitely prepares me a little bit more for what to expect,” Cheverie says. “I just see it as another coaching experience for myself and for these athletes.

“I’m sure not many of them have ever been coached by a female.”

In addition to U SPORTS and her time with the women’s team, Cheverie has years of experience working with high-calibre athletes, specifically at the under-18 level. She was an assistant coach at the 2019 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, earning a gold medal. In the same year, she won another gold as head coach of Team Ontario Red at the National Women’s Under-18 Championship.

“We had our first meeting in-person, and she had great reads on all the players,” says Nolan Baumgartner, who is making his own debut as a head coach at the national level. “She’s going to be a huge asset for our team.”

Cheverie will be the eye-in-the-sky for Team Canada, pre-scouting opponents and putting together a plan for each game. It’s a role she’s never had before and is she relishing a new way to see the game. A perfect perch to position herself for future prospects.

“I’ve had a lot of opportunities come my way and I think it’s because I take the approach of just trying to learn and educate myself,” Cheverie says of learning a new coaching role. “Anytime you get the opportunity to work with new athletes and a new coaching staff … it’s always going to be valuable no matter what level it is – under-13 or the NHL.”

At the U18 level, the world championship is a whirlwind event. This year, with no opportunity for a selection camp because of the adjusted Canadian Hockey League schedule, Team Canada will be coming together in Germany just a few days before the first game. Cheverie is revelling in the added pressure of a condensed timeline.

“I really love short-term events as I feel you’re forced to really pull out your character and be the person to form those relationships really fast,” the 34-year-old says. “It’s a really exciting time for these athletes as they’re pushing the threshold of becoming a pro hockey player.”

But first, the players and staff will put their focus on bringing home a gold medal for Canada.

“I got to play in the [IIHF World Junior Championship] and just pulling on the jersey, there is so much pride,” Baumgartner recalls. “And it’s no different being a coach, getting on that bench to lead a group of men to a gold medal and you feel that same pride.

“It’s very exhilarating to know that you’ve got a whole country behind you.”

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

EDMONTON & RED DEER, Alta. – Following conversations between Hockey Canada and USA Hockey, the final two games of the Rivalry Series, originally scheduled for Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta., on Jan. 3 and Jan. 6, respectively, have been cancelled.

With several players and staff from Canada’s National Women’s Team currently in COVID-19 protocol, Hockey Canada and USA Hockey have agreed that the games will not be able to be played.

“The risk associated with playing the final two Rivalry Series games with less than one month before our teams are set to compete in the 2022 Olympics is too high to finish our series with the United States,” said Gina Kingsbury, director of hockey operations with Hockey Canada. “Changing our schedule and not being able to play the United States is always difficult, as our players and staff want to play against international competition and put on a great show for hockey fans. Unfortunately, we need do what is right for our athletes from a health perspective and for our team preparation in order to ensure everyone remains healthy and eligible for Beijing.”

All ticket holders will receive a refund in January through Ticketmaster for the Edmonton game or Tickets Alberta for the Red Deer game.

The 2022 Olympic Winter Games kick off on Feb. 3, 2022, in Beijing, China, with all competing countries and athletes required to meet a series of COVID-19 protocols leading into the Games.

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

St. Paul, Minn. – The following is a statement on behalf of Hockey Canada from Tom Renney, chief executive officer, and Scott Smith, president and chief operating officer.

“Regrettably, due to ongoing concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Women’s Team game against the United States scheduled for Monday night in St. Paul has been cancelled. Team Canada was to play the seventh game of the Rivalry Series, the final one played in the U.S., tonight before the series shifts back to Canada for the final two games, Jan. 3 in Edmonton and Jan. 6 in Red Deer, Alta.

While it is disappointing to not be able to play the game, the priority remains the health and safety of the athletes, staff and the community at large.

As per Hockey Canada’s safety protocols, all players, coaches and staff members took mandatory COVID-19 tests prior to departure on Dec. 13 and have continued to be tested daily throughout the week while in the United States. The medical staff also continues to follow all protocols as outlined by health authorities and is continuing to monitor the situation closely.”

In addition to the cancellation of tonight’s game, Hockey Canada has also postponed the Women’s Olympic Team roster announcement to a yet-to-be-determined date.”

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or following along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and by using #OurGameIsBack.

The goaltenders representing Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship will also be representing their counterparts from Canada’s National Women’s Team with new masks commissioned as part of the Janes ALL IN program.

What do all six goaltenders think of the helmets and what it means to be part of Team Canada?

How do you feel being featured on a mask at World Juniors?

Kristen Campbell (KC): The Canadian hockey tradition growing up is watching the World Juniors and the country really rallies around it, so it’s an honour to be recognized and a part of this year’s World Juniors.

Emerance Maschmeyer (EM): Last year there were six trailblazers of women’s hockey that were honoured on the masks, so to be in this year’s edition, it’s pretty incredible to even be put in the category that they are in.

What does it mean to wear a mask featuring the women’s goalies?

Sebastian Cossa (SC): Hockey is for everybody, male or female it doesn’t matter who, so respecting and appreciating the women’s game is important.

Brett Brochu (BB): Credit is due to women’s hockey; they deserve a lot more attention from fans and professional leagues.

Dylan Garand (DG): It’s great hockey that the women play and they’re just as talented as we are, so it’s cool to be able to share this experience with them and have them be a part of it.

What message do you hope young players take from the masks?

Ann-Renée Desbiens (AD): We’re trying to raise awareness of women’s hockey and most Canadians during the holidays are going to be watching World Juniors, so it’s a good discussion starter … it brings a lot of exposure to women’s hockey and it’s nice to have the support of the men’s side.

EM: The visibility of the men’s game is a lot more than the women’s game, so having that platform and having us on their masks for all those young girls who are watching the World Juniors [is important]. Maybe some young girls don’t even know it’s possible to play at the level we’re playing at.

KC: [Whether] we all started playing boys’ hockey or girls’ hockey, it doesn’t matter, and we got to where we are. I think it just shows that you can pave your own road and end up reaching your goals in the end.

What is your favourite part of the mask?

DG: Designing a mask is a unique and personal thing, but I’m not very good at it myself … so to have a mask designed by Emerance is pretty cool. There are some personal things of hers on there that are creative, like the outdoor rink, I like that a lot.

SB: I think the maple syrup is a good touch with being Canadian and especially since Ann-Renée is from Quebec. And then with [the highlighted word] ‘Family’, family to me is everything.

BB: They did a really good job on the mask and the designs are really cool. I love the picture of Kristen. It would definitely be pretty special to have a helmet with you on it.

For Ashton Bell, adapting to change has been key to her success in the game.

Bell got her Team Canada start as a forward, winning silver with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the 2016 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. She returned the following year under then-U18 head coach Troy Ryan, was named captain and helped secure another silver medal for Canada.

It was in her sophomore year with the University of Minnesota Duluth that the change came for Bell, making the switch from forward to defence.

The move was suggested by Hockey Canada staff alongside the Bulldogs’ coaching staff, who worked with her on the transition.

“They brought it up to me after my sophomore year at school and we kind of just started talking about it and then made that transition into my junior year,” Bell explains. “[It was] definitely a big move, but I love playing defence and it was a good challenge for me.”

After captaining the Bulldogs to the NCAA Frozen Four as a senior in 2021, Bell got tapped by Ryan again, this time to represent Canada at the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship.

The 22-year-old, who was the second-youngest player on the Canadian roster, averaged more close 12 minutes of ice time per game and scored her first National Women’s Team goal in a quarterfinal win over Germany en route to a gold medal.

“It was such a cool experience just to be a part of it all,” Bell says. “You look up to these players for so long, it was definitely a surreal feeling getting to play with them. Just being a part of it all was so incredible.”

The rookie defender adapted to the new environment with help from the team’s veteran blueliners like fellow Manitoban Jocelyne Larocque.

“Someone like Ashton Bell, their first international games with the senior team being at a world championship is very unusual,” says Larocque. “And I've been asked by media on interviews, ‘Are you worried about how young or how inexperienced your D corps is?’ and my answer is ‘No, not at all.’ Those players are ready. They're confident. Their ability is amazing. So, we try to just keep things light and keep things fun and remind them that they're there for a reason.”

Bell uses the experience gained at women’s worlds as she trains and competes with Canada’s National Women’s Team as part its centralization season, preparing for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.

“The vets on D like Larocque, [Erin] Ambrose, [Renata] Fast...they were all great with me,” Bell says. “If I had questions, they were open to answer them for me, and the coaches were great, too. They knew I was going to take time to get used to that pace and playing at this level.”

The Deloraine, Man., native inspired the next generation of hockey players in her community with her world championship win and hopes to do so again at the Olympics.

“When I was home [after worlds], I actually had a little gathering in town and all the little girls came up and seeing the big smiles on their faces and the medal around their necks, they were just so pumped,” Bell says.

It’s a tight-knit hockey community in Deloraine (population: 978), where passionate volunteers and coaches help players like Bell thrive.

“We're in a small community,” says Bob Caldwell, a skills coach who has worked with Bell. “We run a Breakfast Club here. At 7:30 in the morning, we run skill sessions for 45 minutes before school, and then feed the kids breakfast. Ashton's mom still looks after the program today.”

Bell showed early promise with the Deloraine Minor Hockey Association before playing U18 AAA with the Westman Wildcats of the Manitoba Female Hockey League, winning back-to-back league MVP honours in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

“It might [have been] -40 degrees in Manitoba…they called school off, but we kept having hockey practices,” Caldwell remembers. “But every time I got to the rink—I wouldn't get there until 7:00—there'd be one little person out skating around the rink, and that was Ashton. She'd beat me to the rink almost every morning. That's how keen she was.”

If Bell earns a place on Canada’s Olympic roster, she would join a small group of women’s hockey Olympians from Manitoba, joining Larocque, three-time gold medallist Jennifer Botterill, Bailey Bram, Brigette Lacquette and two-time gold medallist Sami Jo Small.

On the possibility of that opportunity, Bell says, “I think it's huge for Manitoba and small community like where I’m from. I’m from a very rural area, so I just feel so honoured to be able to inspire those young girls and make them realize that they can dream as well and get to where I am.”

Canada’s National Women’s Team’s centralization schedule continues Monday night (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) with Canada facing off against the United States in its seventh of nine games in the Rivalry Series.