2021 wwc can usa

Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. United States

Tuesday, August 31 | 5:30 p.m. MT | Calgary, Alberta | Gold Medal Game

Jason La Rose
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August 31, 2021
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GAME NOTES: Canada vs. United States (August 31)

TV: TSN | TSN Direct

It has been 519 days since the 2020 IIHF Women’s World Championship was supposed to begin in Halifax, N.S., and the long journey has finally reached the end. Canada’s National Women’s Team faces the United States on Tuesday night in the gold medal game at the 2021 women’s worlds.

LAST GAME

Mélodie Daoust led the way again for Canada in its semifinal, scoring twice in a 4-0 win over Switzerland. Renata Fast and Rebecca Johnston opened and closed for the scoring for the Canadians, who peppered the Swiss goal with 65 shots. Ann-Renée Desbiens earned her first shutout of the tournament with 10 saves.

The Americans got second-period goals from Alex Carpenter and Abbey Murphy to send them to a 3-0 victory over Finland in their semifinal. Kendall Coyne Schofield added a goal late to finish the scoring for U.S., which is into the gold medal game for the 20th time in as many women’s worlds.

LAST MEETING

The rivals closed out the preliminary round on Thursday night, with the Canadians jumping out to a two-goal lead in the first period and a five-goal advantage by the 11-minute mark of the second en route to a 5-1 win that ended the Americans’ 29-game winning streak at women’s worlds. Jamie Lee Rattray scored two goals, Brianne Jenner set up three and Ann-Renee Desbiens made 22 saves to help Canada finish the preliminary round perfect for the first time since 2013.

WHAT TO WATCH

This Canadian team is deep. Very deep. While Daoust, Natalie Spooner and Brianne Jenner have led the way (the trio has combined for 29 points in six games), everyone is contributing; 18 of the 22 skaters have at least a point and 14 different players have scored goals. The hero can come from any line or any blue-line pairing, and that can only be a positive with a gold medal on the line.

The Americans are no slouches in the depth department, either; all 21 of the skaters that have been in the U.S. lineup have appeared on the scoresheet, and 13 have goals. Hilary Knight, Lee Stecklein and Grace Zumwinkle lead the way with six points apiece, and another three (Kendall Coyne Schofield, Brianna Decker and Megan Keller) have five.

And how a general ‘watch this’ – the best women’s hockey players in the world are back on the big stage, facing off for the 154th time in their storied rivalry with a world title up for grabs. It doesn’t get any better than this.

A LOOK BACK

This is the 19th time the Canadians and Americans have met for gold at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, with Canada holding a 10-8 advantage. The U.S. has won the last five world titles, with Canada’s most recent gold coming via a 5-4 overtime victory in 2012.

History tells us this will likely go down to the wire; four of the last six gold medal games between these teams have needed extra time (in 2011, 2012, 2016 and 2017), the 2013 final was a one-goal affair and it was 5-5 after two periods in 2015.

All-time record: Canada leads 84-67-1 (17-16 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 419
United States goals: 376

For more information:

Esther Madziya
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 284-6484 

[email protected] 

Spencer Sharkey
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 777-4567

[email protected]

Jeremy Knight
Manager, Corporate Communications
Hockey Canada

(647) 251-9738

[email protected]

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