Jayna Hefford leads Team Canada to 6-2 win over US

This was the fourth game in a six-game series between the Canada and United States national women's teams. So far, this season, Canada holds a 4-0-0-3 record against the US, Canada's and an all time record of 52-35-1.

Bob Nicholson presents long-time women's star Hayley Wickenheiser with an award before the start of the game. She is the first female hockey player in Canadian history to hit a career 300 points. She scored it on September 1 against Finland.

Team US opened the scoring with a power play goal at 11:51 of the first period: Meghan Duggan from Jinelle Zaugg-Siergiej and Kelli Stack.

Caroline Ouellette tied it up at 17:42 from an assist by Jayna Hefford.

Team US took a 2-1 lead in the second period with a power play goal by Jocelyne Lamoureux from Karen Thatcher at 4:44.

Canada came right back at 10:44 to tie it up with a goal by Jayna Hefford from Caroline Ouellette and Meghan Agosta. The team then took the go-ahead goal at 16:39 -- Hefford's second goal of the game from Meghan Agosta. Marie-Philip Poulin cements at two-goal lead to end the period at 18:38 (power play) from Catherine Ward and Caroline Ouellette.

Canada finished the game with a 6-2 win. Things got a bit rough at the 13-minute mark when a few roughing penalties were handed out in bunches.

The next time these teams meet will be in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Did You Know?

*Canada won its 200th game against the US on October 5, 2009 (3-1).

*September 3, 2009 was goalie Shannon Szabados' first loss (2-4 versus US). Up to that point, her record was 9-0.

*Jayna Hefford is the second Canadian female to play her 200th game against the US. Only Hayley Wickenheiser has made the 200-game mark.

* Jenny Potter is the only mother on Team US. Her daughter Madison is eight, and son Cullen is two.

*Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux are the first twins and first sisters on a US national team.

*Jessie Vetter was named the Sportswoman of the Year by the Women's Sports Foundation -- the first ice hockey player to receive it.

Learn more about Team Canada at www.hockeycanada.ca. Team US has a fan club at www.nscsports.org. 

Canadian National Women's Hockey Team prepares for 2010 Olympic Winter Games

Five – that’s how many tough decisions Mel Davidson will have to make before the end of December.

As the National Women’s Hockey Team gathers in Calgary for a centralized camp to precede the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, the competition for spots is even stronger this time around.

“We were young in 2006,” admits Davidson. “The spotlight was on our older players because they were veterans and such forces on our team that I think our young players flew under the radar. Nobody paid a lot of attention to them. Now those young players are in the prime of their career – and they’re still young.”

Veteran Jayna Hefford admits those younger players will be pushing the veterans to earn their spots.
“The young players are so good now, and they’ve had so much experience. We get players in their first year on the senior team and they’ve already played internationally for Team Canada. It doesn’t take them long to adjust.”

Even Hayley Wickenheiser isn’t resting on her experience. “As a veteran player, if you don’t do all the right things in the off-season, someone is going to take your place. You have to find ways to get better and improve. What we have is great internal competition in Canada.”

Given the strength of the national team program, having a centralized camp does have its advantages. This year, there are 30 games scheduled against the 18 boys’ teams from the Alberta Midget Hockey League between September and the end of January. The women’s team has had a partnership with Midget AAA since 2000, but this is the first time the games will officially count in the standings for the AMHL.

“It will up the competition level for us,” says Davidson.

Wickenheiser adds that it’s always tough to find competition that matches the national team. “The size of the guys in Midget AAA seems to fit the size and speed of play. For us, puck moving and game-thinking skills, we’re generally ahead in that area, but they give us good games because they can physically match us. They don’t want to lose too much to girls. It makes for a lot of fun games. They’re intense. They don’t back down once they figure out the line about hitting. We go out there every game to win.”

One might expect that this Olympic team’s identity will be built around speed and skill, but Davidson says that it will actually evolve as the camp progresses. The team itself will determine what its identity is, but it will certainly be hard working, passionate, and skilled.

The final roster will be announced some time in December. In the meantime, Davidson has developed a check list to determine who will make the cut.

“Performance on demand and consistency; the ability that they can play any time, any place…tired, fresh, and they can perform at the same level and then elevate their game when they need it, in terms of down a goal, up a goal – when you need an energy switch.”

With a strong mix of fresh faces and veterans – all with international experience – there is no doubt choosing who gets the call will be a difficult task.