History Repeats As U.S. Dominates Game 1 of Rivalry Series

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History repeats itself as the U.S. dominates Game 1 of the Rivalry Series, 4-1, for the third year in a row. 

Canada opened the scoring halfway through the first with a power-play goal from Sarah Fillier, assisted by Spooner and Gosling. However, this lead wouldn’t last long with Heise tipping a one-timer from Edwards, just 16 seconds later, to even the game. 

In her homecoming game, Wisconsin senior Laila Edwards was given the honour of taking the ceremonial faceoff against Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin from Hilary Knight. She is the first black female player to lace up for the USA and is expected to make her Olympic debut in the Milan-Cortina Games in February, where the U.S. looks to knock off Team Canada, the defending Olympic Champions. 

Minnesota senior, Abbey Murphy, took over the game in the second, netting two goals, with one on the power play. But she wasn’t done yet. Early in the third, she capped off the scoring for a natural hat trick, on the power play. All three were set up by Heise, who finished the night with four points. 

With the two nations combining to win every Olympics and World Championships, facing each other in all but two, Hilary Knight said it best, “It’s a beautiful rivalry. We bring out the best in one another, because there’s just so much pride.”

Will the U.S. be able to continue their dominance? Or will Canada fight back to win its 4th straight Rivalry Series? We will find out when Canada looks to restore some of their pride, as the series heads to the KeyBank Center in Buffalo Saturday.