The Canadians did not fare well in the opening game of the Rivalry Series, losing 7-2 to the United States on Wednesday in San Jose.
This is the highest total of goals allowed by Canada since this confrontation took place.
Lacey Eden and Abbey Murphy each scored twice against head coach Troy Ryan’s squad. Savannah Harmon, Alex Carpenter and Hannah Bilka also hit the target. Aerin Frankel stopped 24 shots including a superb diving save at the end of the match.
For the Canadians, Sarah Nurse scored on the power play which took advantage of only one of her six chances, while Blayre Turnbull was the other scorer after starting the match with a 6-0 deficit .
Montreal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin was held off the scoresheet in the loss. She was involved in an incident with future teammate and the team’s first pick in the last LPHF draft, Cayla Barnes, who was wearing the American uniform tonight. The two players made contact late in the second period, but Barnes fell and her right leg hit the boards heavily. She had to be escorted off the ice and did not complete the game.
Goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens was another Victoire representative who saw action from the start of the second period after starter Kristen Campbell was removed from the game for allowing five goals on 15 shots. Desbiens ultimately made 12 saves.
Six months before the 2025 Women’s World Championship, there will be a lot of work to do for the Canadians to be up to the task. The Maple Leaf squad includes 21 players who won Canada’s 13th gold medal at the last World Championships.
The next duels in the Rivalry Series will take place on November 8 and 10, still on American soil, then it will conclude in the Maritimes in February. The penultimate duel will be played on Thursday, February 6 at the Scotiabank Centre, home of the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL. The teams will then travel to Summerside, Prince Edward Island on Saturday, February 8.
