KITCHENER, Ontario – Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho) tallied the game-winning goal 28 second into overtime, to give the U.S. Women’s National Team at 3-2 victory over Canada Thursday evening at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium in game three of the 2023-24 Rivalry Series.
“I thought our team got stronger as the game went on,” said John Wroblewski (Neenah, Wis.), head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team. “We had a lot of youth and speed out there tonight and I’m proud of how we worked.”
Canada drew the first penalty of the contest with 16:06 left in the first. Team USA’s defense held strong, locking down the extra-skater opportunity.
Danielle Serdachny got Canada on the board first at 12:16. After receiving a pass off the boards, she one-timed a rising shot to open a 1-0 game.
Kirsten Simms (Plymouth, Mich.) knotted the game at 1-1 with just under four minutes remaining in the first. The forward forced a turnover at the blue line and carried the puck towards the net, putting a move on the goaltender before slipping it over the goal line. The score marked Simms’ first goal as a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team.
Just over a minute later, Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park, Ill.) put Team USA up 2-1. Murphy carried the puck through the middle of the offensive zone, rifling a shot five-hole, to give the U.S. its first lead of the game.
Early in the second, Canada knotted the game at 2-2 when a player tapped a loose rebound into the net following a scramble in front.
Aerin Frankel (Chappaqua, N.Y.) made back-to-back saves off deflected pucks in the opening minutes of the final period to keep the game tied before Knight won it in overtime.
Game four of the 2023-24 Rivalry Series will take place Saturday (Dec. 16) at Progressive Auto Sales Arena in Sarnia, Ontario. Puck drop is set for 5 p.m. ET and can be viewed live on NHL Network.
NOTES: Canada outshot the U.S., 34-22… The U.S. was 1-for-4 on the power play and 6-for-6 on the penalty kill.
