2019-20 National Women's Team

CANADA DOWNED IN RIVALRY SERIES OPENER

JASON LA ROSE

HARTFORD, Conn. – Victoria Bach (Milton, Ont.) opened the scoring on an early power play, but Canada’s National Women’s Team dropped a 4-1 decision to the United States to open the Rivalry Series on Saturday night.

The game marked the 150th meeting between the North American rivals; despite the defeat, Canada still leads the all-time series 84-65-1.

Genevieve Lacasse (Kingston, Ont.) turned in a 27-save performance in defeat for the Canadians, who outshot the U.S. 32-31.

Coming off a pair of wins over the Americans in a series in Pittsburgh last month, Canada jumped out to an early advantage when Bach got a wrist shot through traffic and past the glove of U.S. goaltender Alex Cavallini at 6:45.

Jamie Bourbonnais (Mississauga, Ont./Cornell University, ECAC) and Mélodie Daoust (Valleyfield, Que.) drew the assists on Bach’s third goal in as many games against the Americans this season.

The U.S. answered back just over two minutes later on a man advantage of its own; Annie Pankowski drove down the right side before finding Megan Keller at the back-door for the 1-1 goal.

Canada controlled the play for much of the second period, outshooting the Americans 15-9, but found itself trailing after 40 minutes when late penalty trouble led to an Amanda Kessel goal at five-on-three.

The U.S. carried the momentum into the third, netting a pair of goals in the first five minutes.

Abby Roque made it a two-goal game at 2:49, roofing a backhand over the short-side shoulder of Lacasse, and the puck pinballed to Alex Carpenter for the 4-1 goal 1:15 after that, finishing the scoring.

The series shifts north for the next three games in the series, beginning Tuesday night in Moncton, N.B. (7:30 p.m. AT, TSN).