Canada’s women’s hockey team will have three new players making their debut as the Rivalry Series against the United States shifts to Ontario for the final two games. The series, which started in November 2023, is tied at 2-2 after Canada won both games in December.
Rivalry Series recap
The Rivalry Series is an annual series of games between the two top women’s hockey teams in the world, Canada and the United States. The series began in 2018-19 and has been a showcase of the talent and intensity of the rivalry. In 21 games since the inception of the series, Canada holds a slight edge with an 11-10 record.
The 2023-24 edition of the series started in November 2023, with two games in the United States. The Americans won both games, 4-3 in Tempe, Arizona, and 3-2 in Los Angeles, California. Canada bounced back in December 2023, with two wins on home ice, 5-2 in Kitchener, Ontario, and 4-3 in Sarnia, Ontario.
The series will conclude in February 2023, with two more games in Ontario, followed by one game in Minnesota.
Newcomers to watch
Canada’s roster for the final two games of the series features 17 players who won a silver medal at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship, as well as three players who will make their debut with Canada’s National Women’s Team. They are:
- Jessica DiGirolamo, a 23-year-old defender from Toronto, Ontario, who plays for the Toronto Six of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF). She was the sixth overall pick in the 2023 PHF Draft and has four points in 12 games this season.
- Sophie Jaques, a 22-year-old defender from Ottawa, Ontario, who plays for the University of Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA. She was named to the All-WCHA First Team in 2022-23 and has 11 points in 18 games this season.
- Corinne Schroeder, a 23-year-old goaltender from Elm Creek, Manitoba, who plays for the Boston Pride of the PHF. She was the 11th overall pick in the 2023 PHF Draft and has a 7-2-0 record with a 1.77 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage this season.
Games to watch
The final two games of the Rivalry Series will be played at the Sleeman Centre in Guelph, Ontario, on Feb. 3, and at the Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ontario, on Feb. 5. Both games will start at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on TSN and RDS.
The games will be a crucial opportunity for the players to showcase themselves ahead of the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship, which will be held in Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia, in April. Canada will look to end a nine-year gold medal drought at the world championship, while the United States will aim to win their sixth consecutive title.
The games will also feature some of the best players in the world, including Canada’s captain Marie-Philip Poulin, who leads the series with six points, and the United States’ captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, who has four points. Both players are among the nominees for the 2023 Bobbie Rosenfeld Award, which honours Canada’s female athlete of the year.
The games will also be a chance for the fans to support the women’s game and enjoy the excitement and passion of the rivalry.
