Earlier this month, Team USA and Team Canada announced a joint camp in Pittsburgh that opens on November 4th. Just days before that camp opens at the UMPC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, PA, the sides officially announced the renewal of the rivalry series.
The five-game series will include three games in Canada and two in the United States. The series opens on December 14th in Hartford, Connecticut at the XL Center. The former home of the NHL’s Hartford Whalers serves as the lone stop in New England in the series. Puck drop is 7:00 pm.
The other US stop is the series conclusion, which takes place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on February 8th. Puck drop is 10:00 pm eastern.
The teams open the Canadian stops in Moncton, NB, where they will play at the Avenir Centre on December 17th. Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, BC (2/3/20) and Rogers Arena in Vancouver (2/5/20) will host the final two stops in Canada. The series breaks into two parts, with two December games and three in February.
“Last year, we had overwhelming support at all three games, and we will continue to build on that success this year with more games and more opportunities for fans to watch the best players in the world,” said Gina Kingsbury, Hockey Canada’s director of women’s national teams, per an official release. “The Rivalry Series provides an opportunity to continue to build the intense rivalry we have established with the United States through world championships and the Olympics, while giving us the chance to showcase our game and inspire the next generation as they watch their hockey heroes.”
More than 17,000 fans, per Hockey Canada, attended the games in London and Toronto, Ontario and Detroit last year. The expectation is that this series will easily eclipse those attendance figures.
There is no word on potential media partners for these five games. In my opinion, it is absolutely vital that all five games are available on TV in both the US and Canada. An early guess would have the games airing on TSN in Canada and NHL Network in the United States. Ideally, and hopefully, NBCSN picks up a game or two in the States.
These women are the best of the best. In hockey, this is the best rivalry going right now, men’s or women’s. This series will provide five extremely entertaining games that can only help the momentum that the 2018 Olympics and PWHPA have started to build.
More news on the series as we learn it. Fans in Canada can purchase tickets through Hockey Canada starting on November 6th at 10:00 am.
It s great to bring the excitement of the U.S.-Canada rivalry to Detroit, a city with such a rich hockey history, said Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey. When our teams meet, the speed, the skill and the passion on display are really unparalleled.
Canada struck back in game two, claiming a 4-3 win over Team USA in Toronto despite eight members Americans getting onto the score sheet. 2019 SportsEngine, Inc. Some logos, trademarks, and content on this website are owned by Team USA Hockey and other partners and affiliates. All Rights Reserved.