Canada vs. USA: Canadians put up handful of goals to take top spot at 2021 IIHF Women's World Championship

Jackie Spiegel

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Canada vs. USA: Canadians put up handful of goals to take top spot at 2021 IIHF Women's World Championship image

One of hockey's biggest rivalries added another edition Thursday as Hockey Canada and USA Hockey hit the ice at the 2021 IIHF Women's World Championship. The top two teams in the history of the women's game closed out the preliminary round with a battle for the top spot in Group A — and it was all Canada as the team skated away with a 5-1 victory.

"I think it was a really fun game to be a part of," said Jamie Lee Rattray, who scored two goals. "I'm really proud of the girls and how we rallied together and how we stuck together to our game plan. I think that was really key for us is that we proved to ourselves that we can stick with against any opponent."

It was a big win for the Canadians, who hadn’t beaten the Americans for over a decade at the world championships and entered Thursday on an eight-game losing streak against them. It was also a key win considering Canada was missing captain Marie-Philip Poulin after she took a puck up high in Tuesday's win over the Swiss. 

"She's doing really well. She's in good spirits, but as a program, as a team, we feel it's necessary to give her a few days off and reassess her and making sure she's good to go here moving forward," Gina Kingsbury, Hockey Canada director of national teams, said Wednesday. There was no update on her status after Thursday's win. Poulin had a goal and two assists in Canada's first three games and was centering the top line.

With Poulin out, Victoria Bach moved to center and Brianne Jenner moved up to the top line alongside Rattray. The move paid off as Jenner got assists on both of Rattray’s goals in the middle frame. Sarah Nurse also scored short-handed to make it a handful of goals.

"You can't really fill Pou's shoe," said Rattray. "She's obviously a leader on this team and she has been a for a long time. But I think we did a really good job, everyone stepped up and did the roles that they needed to and, honestly, today was a really big team win."

Canada needed a quick start against the Americans, who had not allowed a single goal through the first three games — and got it. Mélodie Daoust opened the scoring in the first period. Natalie Spooner collected an assist on goal to become the 14th player to score 100 points for Canada's national women’s team. It was also the first first-period goal for Canada in the tournament. Renata Fast added another to make it 2-0 before the first 20 were up. The Americans got a goal from Lee Stecklein in the third period.

"We got away from our game. In fact, we never played our game and I think that's what went wrong," USA captain Kendall Coyne Schofield said matter-of-factly as her team struggled throughout the game to generate offense.

The game was a scene-setter for a potential gold-medal meeting on Tuesday. Before that game, the teams will take on Japan or Germany in the quarterfinals on Saturday. The winner of Thursday’s nightcap between those two squads gets the Americans; the loser will take on the Canadians.

Sporting News had all the action as the United States and Canada reignited their rivalry on the ice (all times Eastern):.

Canada vs. USA score, highlights from 2021 Women's World Championship preliminary round

Third period: Canada 5, USA 1

8:27 p.m. — Game over. Canada makes a big statement. Stecklein and Rattray get the white hats.

8:20 p.m. — Sarah Fillier boards Brianna Decker and Decker responds with a hit up high. They both go to the box.

8:15 p.m. — The Americans get a power play but can't score.

8:02 p.m. — Rebecca Johnston breaks in and is robbed by Hensley.

7:58 p.m. — GOAL. Lee Stecklein's shot from the point gets through traffic and past Desbiens. Canada leads 5-1.

7:55 p.m. — Final frame starts with the Canadians on the power play after Abbey Murphy called for boarding and roughing at the end of the second. Rattray also got two for roughing.

Second period: Canada 5, USA 0

7:37 p.m. — The second period comes to an end with a bit of a scrum. Canada up 5-0 and outshooting the Americans 23-11.

7:28 p.m. — Hilary Knight with a good backhand chance as she crashes down the left wing.

7:25 p.m. — Hensley gets knocked over by Renata Fast, who was knocked into her by an American player. Hensley is OK.

7:18 p.m. — SH GOAL. Sarah Nurse from the left wing picks the corner over the glove of Hensley. Canada leads 5-0.

7:17 p.m. — Canada and USA trade some pleasantries as the puck gets loose at the whistle and Meghan Keller swipes at it. She gets pushed around and gives it back to Emily Clark. The duo gets coincidental minors.

7:16 p.m. — USA Hockey gets another power play as Blayre Turnball throws an elbow.

7:11 p.m. — Alex Cavallini is pulled and Nicole Hensley enters the game as the U.S. calls a timeout.

7:10 p.m. — GOAL. Jamie Lee Rattray wraps it in from behind the net. Canada leads 4-0.

7:04 p.m. — GOAL. Canada breaks out 2-on-1 and Brianne Jenner gets a good shot off that goes right to Jamie Lee Rattray, who buries it. Canada leads 3-0.

7:03 p.m. — Sarah Fillier went down hard after getting tangled with Kendall Coyne Schofield and seemed to get a little uncomfortable on the bench. 

7:02 p.m. — While short-handed, Desbiens misplays the puck and Brianna Decker almost scores.

7:00 p.m. — USA called for too many women. Teams will skate 4-on-4 for 28 seconds before Canada gets a power play for 1:32. Canadians are 0 for 12 on the power play.

6:58 p.m. — Second begins.

First period: Canada 2, USA 0

6:41 p.m. — Period ends. USA will start the second period with 1:39 of power-play time. Canada has outshot the Americans 15-4.

6:40 p.m. — With 20.9 seconds left in the first period, USA gets a power play as Rebecca Johnston pulls down Abbey Murphy.

6:33 p.m. — Amanda Kessel with a good chance off the right wing that handcuffs Desbiens. Kelly Pannek follows up but shoots it high.

6:32 p.m. — Natalie Spooner assisted on the Daoust tally and now has 100 points.

6:31 p.m. — GOAL. Renata Fast hits the puck and it goes up and over a sprawled-out Cavallini and captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, who tries to bat it away. Canada leads 2-0.

6:30 p.m. — Play is being reviewed for a high stick (?) but the replay shows a good goal. 

6:29 p.m. — Canada thinks it scored but the referee is waving it off.

6:27 p.m. — Big stop by Cavallini on Emily Clark not once, but twice as Clark follows her shot for a second chance.

6:25 p.m. — USA Hockey gets its first registered shot with 7:33 left. 

6:17 p.m. — GOAL. Canada breaks through in the first period for the first time all tourney. Mélodie Daoust buries a puck that bounced off the backboards past Cavallini, who is tending the net with a player's stick. Canada leads 1-0.

6:16 p.m. — Canada with multiple chances as the puck bounces around in front of the U.S. net and Cavallini loses her stick. 

6:15 p.m. — Emma Maltais gets a good shot short side but Alex Cavallini makes the stop.

6:14 p.m. — Five minutes in and Canada has the lead in shots (2-0). USA did have some chances in the slot but the puck didn't get through.

6:11 p.m. — Blayre Turnbull with a good look off the right wing but shoots it high.

6:09 p.m. — USA defense smothers Brianne Jenner as she skates in. 

6:08 p.m. — Puck has been dropped.

Pregame

6 p.m. — Brianne Jenner will don the "C" with Poulin out.

5:10 p.m. — Alex Cavallini gets the start for the U.S. and Anne-Renée Desbiens for Canada. Brianne Jenner, who was bumped from the top line by Jamie Lee Rattray, moves back up and will join Rattray and Victoria Bach (moves to center).

3:45 p.m. — Adam Henrique showing support for the Canadian squad.

3:30 p..m. — Canada wearing the white jerseys tonight.

Jackie Spiegel