2019-20 National Women's Team

CANADA FALLS IN FINAL CANADIAN RIVALRY STOP

JASON LA ROSE

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Jocelyne Larocque (Ste. Anne, Man.) got Canada’s National Women’s Team even midway through the first period, but that would be it for offence in a 3-1 loss to the United States on Wednesday night in Game 4 of the Rivalry Series.

The game was the third and final Canadian leg of the series, with a 3-2 overtime win Monday in Victoria, B.C., sandwiched around losses in Moncton, N.B., in December and Vancouver.

The U.S. got on the board first when Dani Cameranesi banked a shot off Canadian goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer (Bruderheim, Alta.) and in just past the eight-minute mark, but Larocque jumped in off the blue-line and finished a pretty feed from Mélodie Daoust (Valleyfield, Que.) only 3:21 later.

It was just the second goal in 62 career games against the Americans for Larocque.

The second period was all about penalty killing; the teams combined to take seven minor penalties in the middle frame, with the Canadians going goalless on three power-play chances and the U.S. finishing 0-for-4.

Hayley Scamurra finally solved Maschmeyer eight minutes into the third period, taking a pass from Hilary Knight and snapping a quick shot to the short side.

Canada buzzed in search of the equalizer, but Knight found the empty net with 1:50 left to finish the scoring.

It was the first game for Team Canada at Rogers Arena since the gold medal game of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, a 2-0 win over the United States. Three of the Canadians who were part of that Olympic contingent were in the line-up Wednesday – Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, Ont.), Meaghan Mikkelson (St. Albert, Alta.) and Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que.).

The series wraps up Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif. (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).