(Tempe) Hilary Knight scored a goal and added an assist, Aerin Frankel stopped 35 pucks and the American women’s team defeated the Canadians 3-1 to begin the 2023-24 Rivalry Series with a victory on Wednesday.
It was the first match between the two national teams since the final of the Women’s Hockey World Championships, which the United States won 6-3 in April.
Canada got off to a great start in the first game of this best-of-seven series, but Frankel made several tough saves to keep the Canadians off the board.
Knight was the first player to hit the target in the game. She did it with just eight seconds remaining in the first period.
Brianne Jenner then tied the game at Mullett Arena, home of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes.
Taylor Heise broke the tie with a come-from-behind pass from Hilary Knight with 16:32 left in the third period. Goalie Emerance Maschmeyer tried everything by diving, but she was unable to block the puck.
Alex Carpenter then scored the insurance goal with just 80 seconds left on the clock. Maschmeyer gave in a third time, facing 27 shots.
The next match will take place Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles. The players will then head to training camps in preparation for the first season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (LPHF).
The Rivalry Series is a competition that takes place every year between the two North American countries.
Both teams will travel north of the border for two games in Kitchener and Sarnia in December. The series will conclude with three games in Saskatoon, Regina and St. Paul, Minnesota, in February.