CALGARY, Alta. – Twenty-three of the nation’s top players have been named to Canada’s National Women’s Team for the first two games of the Rivalry Series, Dec. 14 in Hartford, Conn., and Dec. 17 in Moncton, N.B.

Canada’s roster was selected by head coach Perry Pearn (Stettler, Alta.), associate coach Troy Ryan (Spryfield, N.S.) and Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, Que.), director of women’s national teams, with support from head scout Melody Davidson (Oyen, Alta.) and regional scouts.

“We are coming off a very good training camp and two games with the United States in Pittsburgh, where we were able to evaluate our players and take a closer look at our depth chart,” said Kingsbury. “We continue to strengthen our identity and grow as a team leading into the world championship, and the competition against the Americans is a good measuring stick for us.”

Canada’s National Women’s Team roster for the Rivalry Series includes:

• 14 players who participated in the Rivalry Series last February (Bach, Bettez, Fast, Fortino, Jenner, Johnston, Lacasse, Larocque, Maschmeyer, Nurse, Poulin, Saulnier, Spooner, Turnbull)
• 16 players who were on the ice in the two-game series against the United States earlier this month (Bach, Bettez, Clark, Daoust, Desbiens, Fast, Gabel, Lacasse, Larocque, Maschmeyer, Nurse, Poulin, Rougeau, Spooner, Turnbull, Zandee-Hart)
• 18 players who won a bronze medal at the 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Espoo, Finland (Bettez, Bourbonnais, Clark, Daoust, Fast, Fortino, Gabel, Jenner, Johnston, Lacasse, Larocque, Maschmeyer, Nurse, Poulin, Saulnier, Spooner, Turnbull, Zandee-Hart)

The series opens Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. ET in Hartford, Conn., before shifting north of the border to the Avenir Centre in Moncton, N.B., on Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m. AT. Featuring an expanded five-game schedule, the remainder of the series will be played in 2020, starting in Victoria, B.C., on Feb. 3.

Tickets are available for as low as $18 at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets. Group pricing options for 10 or more tickets are also available.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will show the games; check local listings for details.

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 www.Twitter.com/HC_Women.